Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Record 8: The Rushbrooke Family, Part 3

Record 8: The Rushbrooke Family, Part 3

Part 3 of our look at record eight brings us away from the Rushbrooke family, as we know look into their two visitors on the day of the 1911 census, and begin looking at the servants of the house.

Visitor: Guy Hamilton Walker
Guy Hamilton Walker was born in Islington, London, in 1878. The son of Walter Crellin Walker (1857-1906) and his wife Frances Mary Allen (1851-1952). Guy was third of seven children, his siblings being Claude Hamilton (1875-1940), Effie Maud (1876-), Ronald Hamilton (1880-1968), Norman Hamilton (1882-), Brian Hamilton (1884-1965), and Avice Mildred (1886-1984). Guy's father, Walter, was a diamond merchant, before taking over in his father's jewellers business,
Johnson, Walker and Tolhurst, in 1885. He continued to work for the company until his death.

Johnson, Walker & Tolhurst
Silver presentation cup, 1909

Unsurprisingly, like his father, Guy went into the jeweller business after leaving school around 1892. By 1901, he had left his home in Islington and was boarding in Bournemouth while working as a diamond merchant. Guy was still in this business by 1911, when he was visiting merchant Joseph Rushbrooke, possibly discussing a business deal or possibly just visiting. Possibly by coincidence, around this time Guy moved to Elm Tree Farm, in Earley, Berkshire, where Joseph Rushbrooke had moved around 1913. Guy gave up the diamond trade during WW1, joining the 2/1st Berkshire Royal Horse Artillery and serving till the end of the war in 1918.

Guy never married, and he died suddenly on the 30th of October 1921, aged 42, at his home, Elm Tree Farm.

Companion: Francesca Beatrice Nanete Von Mohrstadt

Francesca Beatrice Nanete Von Mohrstadt was born in Germany around 1881. Most likely born to a British father and German mother, she became a naturalised British citizen sometime around the 1890's. By 1901 she lived in Wales, working as a servant for a family in Trefriw. By 1911, she had moved to Ampthill, and worked as a lady's companion for Lilla Rushbrooke. Exactly what happened to her after this time us unknown, but she may have returned to her family or to Germany around the start of WW1 in 1914.

Servant: Ellen Elizabeth Cook

Ellen Elizabeth "Nellie" Cook, was born in the village of Lidlington, Bedfordshire, on the 12th of August 1895. The daughter of labourer Edwin Cook (1866-1950), and Annie Elizabeth Deacon (1876-1969). Although she was technically the eldest of her parents children, her mother did have one son, William John Deacon (1892-1958) who was born out of wedlock. Her younger siblings were Herbert Charles (1897-1979), Ada Rosa (1899-1984), Roderick (1901-1985), Mona Irene (1903-1981), Bert (1905-1994), and Archie (1908-1981).

Nellie presumably attended Lidlington School in the village from around 1900 to 1907, and after leaving school, would've been sent out to find work to support her family. By 1911, she worked in the nearby village of Ampthill, as a domestic servant for the Rushbrooke family. She presumably continued working as a servant until around the end of the decade, when she met and married Hazer Chambers Whiteman, and the couple married in 1919. Hazer was a butcher , and after they married, Nellie moved from Ampthill to Bedford, where Hazer had his butchers shop at 62-64 Queen Street. Nellie worked both looking after the family and assisting in the shop. Nellie and Hazer had one child had Betty Pauline (1922-2009).

Eventually the family left Bedford, and settled in the small town of Stotfold, here Hazer passed away on the 26th of July 1962, aged 70. Nellie remained in Stotfold for the rest of her life, and passed away 19 years later on the 22nd of June 1981, aged 85.

Servant: Rose Webb

Rose Webb was born on the 24th of July 1887, in the village of Gamlingay in Cambridgeshire, to labourer George Webb (1859-1946) and his wife Ruth Norman (1863-1953). Although her father was born in the village, Rose's mother was originally from Potton in Bedfordshire and only moved to Gamlingay after her marriage. George was well known in the village for his donkey, which he rode around the area on business. So well known was the donkey that it received newspaper coverage when it was retired in 1934 due to old age.

George Webb, father of Rose, 1934.
This photo was seemingly taken for the article
about his donkey.

Rose would've most likely attended Gamlingay Board School from around 1892 to 1898, after this she eventually found work in her teens as a domestic servant. By 1911 she was working in Ampthill, Bedford, as a servant for the Rushbrooke's. This most likely at the latest until 1916, by which time she had moved London, where she married 26 year-old gardener Frederick Archibald Cyril Levett. The couple lived in London for around two years before moving to Biggleswade in Bedford, around 1918, they stayed here until the 1920's before moving back again. During this time the couple had three children, Alice Ruth, Ellen Rose, and Frederick A William.

In later years, Rose and Frederick moved out of London to Maidstone, Kent. Here, Frederick passed away in 1973, aged 83, with Rose passing 10 years later, on the 26th of January 1983, aged 95.