Nurse Hannah Head (Taylor) - Funeral report. (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Monday, February 03, 2020, 18:42 (1536 days ago) @ Jan Baker

Good afternoon Jan,
thanks so much for your most interesting message. Yes we try to be helpful here, in my case perhaps I was too keen, but it was fun trying to piece together the story. It also all stays on the forum as a record for the future, so will hopefully be of help to other researchers of the Head & Taylor families.
What a life your family has had, so many twists n turns. Please can I ask a couple of questions, feel fit to only answer what you want to do.

1. What happened to Alfred's first wife Alice after their son died ? Not essential but would like to know out of pure interest if ok with you. The fact his next daughter was also named Alice suggests he didn't completely fall-out with his first wife despite his illness, I do hope so.
And what a terrible coincidence, the boat also being called Alice.... if I was in his position I think I'd be trying to erase that name from my memory, not give it to my next child, ah well.

2. You mention Elizabeth came back to Coleford to give birth to her children - it seemed quite normal in those days to return to your mother for childbirth. However you say children - did she have more than one, I'm not sure we looked for others but I only recall seeing the baptism record for one, George, so if you have other names and dates that would help. Especially if she returned from South Africa to give birth to them.

3. You say Elizabeth died in S.A. in 1884. I hope this is a typo error, and she lived a much longer life than that ?

4. Interesting you mention Hannah may have been at Millbank prison, in Westminster London. That building has itself a very interesting history, it's now the sight of the Tate Britain Gallery !. I don't know how common a nameset this was, but it does seem more than a coincidence and maybe the matron is indeed your Hannah. Have you found her later in life (sorry can't recall if we did in this thread) ? Re the Alfred Head inmate, as soon as I first saw your enquiry I thought there would be a London or Southeast England link, as that's a surname I associate with this area (I've lived in West London for 35 years and know some Heads), but not the Forest. I'm sure there were a great many men called Alfred Head in the area, and I guess the Prison in 1881 had a fair few inmates, so maybe it is just a coincidence ?. Again would be interesting to try and trace his life a little if possible. I see the prison's function changed shortly after the 1881 census, see
https://www.prisonhistory.org/prison/millbank-prison/

I look forward to your thoughts when convenient.
Thanks again for your interesting posts.
atb J

More interesting background reading re Millbank prison..
http://www.choleraandthethames.co.uk/cholera-in-london/cholera-in-westminster/millbank-...