Mary Arnold    1907-1908

Mary and her twin sister were born on the 20^th December 1907, in Newbury, Berkshire, the illegitimate daughters of Rose Augusta Arnold.

Mary died, in the Newbury Workhouse, on the 17^th November 1908 (age at death recorded as 10 months). She was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 21^st November.

Mary’s Family:

Mary’s mother Augusta Rose Arnold (also known as Rose and Rose Augusta) was born on the 26^th March 1879, in the Newbury Workhouse. She was the illegitimate daughter of Rose Ellen Arnold who was working as a Domestic Servant prior to Augusta’s birth.

In 1881 Rosa aged 2, (Augusta Rose) was recorded as a boarder, at 4 Commercial Hall, Reading, Berkshire, the home of John Driscoll (45), his wife Matilda (43) and their son John William (8). (Matilda Driscoll (nee Arnold) was Augusta Rose’s great aunt, the sister of her grandmother, Rebecca Arnold).

Augusta Rose also had the following illegitimate children:

Daisy Ellen, born 1^st November 1906, in Newbury. (In 1911 Daisy Ellen (6) was recorded as a boarder, in Badby, Daventry Northamptonshire. In 1920, aged 13, Daisy Ellen was sent to Canada to work as a Domestic Servant, (passage paid for by Dr. Barnardo’s Homes). She was placed with John Harron, in Linwood, Waterloo County, Ontario, Canada. Daisy Ellen married James Clayton Everett in 1927, they had two children, Daisy Ellen died in 1994 in Ontario, Canada).

Mary’s twin sister Ethel, born 20^th December 1907. (In 1911 Ethel (3) was recorded as an adopted child, living at 16 Brenton Street, Toxteth Park, Lancashire. (No further records found for Ethel)

Henry James, born 28^th November 1910, at 107, Rice Lane, Walton, Liverpool

The 1901 census records Augusta as Rose Bristowe, aged 22, a General Domestic Servant, working at 10, Donnington Square, Newbury. (Augusta’s mother Rose Ellen married Albert Henry Bristow in 1884)

In 1911 Rose Augusta Arnold (32) was recorded as an inmate in the Newbury Workhouse, with her son Henry James, aged 4 months.

Rose Augusta married Frank Prior on the 15^th March 1915, in Eton Buckinghamshire.

The 1921 census records Frank Prior (40), a self-employer Boot Repairer, Rose Prior (41) and her son Henry James Arnold (10), (recorded as Arnold Henry Prior) living at 69 Spring Gardens, Reading Berkshire.

On the 8^th May 1923, Rose Augusta gave birth to a daughter, Elsie May, at Dellwood Maternity Home, Liebenrood Road, Reading.

The 1939 Register records Frank and Augusta Rose, living at 69 Spring Gardens, Frank was now working as a Church Caretaker.

Augusta Rose was widowed in 1964, Frank died aged 84, on the 1^st November. At the time of his death, he was still living at 69 Spring Gardens.

Augusta Rose died aged 94, on the 26^th June 1973. At the time of her death, she was living at Arthur Clark Care Home, Albert Road, Caversham, Berkshire.

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