Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Record 8: The Rushbrooke Family, Part 4

Record 8: The Rushbrooke Family, Part 4

The final part of Record 8 brings us the last three servants working for the Rushbrooke's in 1911.

Servant: Clara Hanfe

As with Francesca Mohrstadt, not much is known about Clara Hanfe. What is known is that she was born in Dresden in Saxony, Germany around 1883. She most likely came to the UK to find work, either with or without family, around 1905. By 1911 she worked for the Rushbrooke's as their parlour maid. After this nothing else is known of her later life, although she seemingly returned to Germany, possibly during WW1.

Servant: Beatrice Emily Giles

Beatrice Emily Giles was born on the 4th of February 1884, in the village of Wicken in Northamptonshire. The seventh and last child of labourer Thomas Giles (1844-) and Ann Hurst (1842-1918). Her siblings were Louisa (1867-1960), George John (1869-1949), Henry Thomas (1872-1925), Eden Giles (1875-1962), Sarah Ann (1878-1962), and Arthur Evelyn (1880-1961). After attending Wicken School from around 1887 to 1895, Beatrice had went into work as a domestic servant by 1901. She later left Wicken, and by 1911 she worked for the Rushbrooke's as their cook.

Her life for the next 20 years is unknown, however, by 1939 Beatrice had returned to Northampton, and the town of Towcester. Here she lived with her widowed brother Arthur, his son Arthur Cyril and her sister Sarah. Both Arthur's worked as agricultural workers at Home Farm and as such the family were able to live in the farm cottage on the property. Interestingly, by 1939 Beatrice was listed in the register as disabled. Whether this was a physical or mental disability is unknown, but seemingly became unwell sometime after 1911. Beatrice continued to live in Towcester until her death in 1962, aged 78.

Servant: Ruth Churchill

Ruth Churchill was born in the village of Lidlington, on the 8th of February 1895. The daughter of labourer John Churchill (1853-1925) and his wife Ann Hughes (1856-1913). Ruth was one of several children, the others being Sarah Elizabeth (1872-1908), Mary Ann (1878-1949), Albert (1880-1882), George (1883-), Annie (1885-), Nellie (1887-1909), Albert Edwin (1889-1971), and Thomas Ernest (1900-1954).

Ruth presumably attended Lidlington School in the village from around 1900 to 1907, oddly enough, this may have meant that she knew Nellie Cook, who also went on to work for the Rushbrooke's. After leaving school, Ruth began working as a servant, and by 1911 she worked as the Rushbrooke's scullery maid. She most likely worked here for some time, but had left by the 1920's. In 1923 she married 26 year-old Herman Wood in Bromley, Kent. After this the couple settled in Penge, where Herbet worked as a stoker for a power house.

In their later years, the couple retired north to Meltham, Yorkshire, where Ruth passed away on the 30th of June 1965, aged 69. Herbet passed four years later in 1969, aged 71.