Rose Hannah Chilvers (1890-1966)

Research Notes

Known records:

• 1901 Census: Rosa (or Rose?) Hannah Chilvers (11), adopted daughter born Norfolk
• 1911 Census: Rose Brumble (21), daughter born Long Sutton, Lincolnshire
• 1921 Census: Rose Hannah Simpson (31), wife born Hunstanton, Norfolk
• 1939 Register: Rose H Simpson (born 23 Mar 1890)

In the 1891 Census is she Rosanna Chilvers (3) born Docking, Norfolk, daughter of John & Rosanna Chilvers? The same entry has an older sister named “Albina” (i.e. Albeena) who is supposedly the mother of Hilda Mary Chilvers (born 1908) who is also adopted by Joseph & Mary Brumble (1921 Census entry). The problem is that there’s an Rosanna Chilvers (16) born Docking, Norfolk, and working as a servant girl in a separate 1901 Census return. The ages for the Docking Rosanna’s are older than would be expected for the Rose born 23 March 1890.

Articles

A REVESBY HOME.

SHOCKING STORY OF NEGLECT.

PARENTS SENT TO PRISON.

A shocking story was related at Horncastle Police Court on Saturday, when John Simpson, a waggoner of Reveeby, and his wife, Rose Hannah Simpson, were charged with neglect of their children so as to cause them unnecessary suffering.

Both defendants pleaded guilty, the husband stating that his wife had been in very bad health.

The magistrates present were Capt. S. V. Hotchkin (in the chair), Mr. J. H. Dodson, Mr. C. M. Hodgett, and the Rev. J. LL. Brooks.

Mr. R. Tweed, who prosecuted on behalf of the N.S.P.C.C., outlined a most gruesome story. He said the husband earned 28s. a week, with kind and allowances as a waggoner, and lived rent free at Revesby. On September 22nd, the Sanitary Inspector, Mr. J. H. Holmes, visited the house and found a most awful state of affairs. Everything was filthy, and the children also were in an absolutely filthy condition. The wife was in as dirty a state as the children. In one room slept the parents and the baby, and on the bed was a filthy mattress which was saturated. The bedclothes were verminous and black with dirt. The three girls slept in another room, on a broken iron bedstead, half of which could only be used. A piece of filthy carpet was the only covering they had, and they had dirty and saturated bags to lie on. The three boys slept on a cot which was not big enough for them. Boxes had been arranged to give them more room. They had no covering at all, and on the floor were a lot of wet bags, which when lifted revealed a pool. The children did not go to school. Although it was 1p.m. when the Inspector called, the wife had not been washed, and was in a filthy state. The children were removed to Horncastle Workhouse. They had not been to school for a long time.

Mr. J. H. Holmes. the Sanitary Inspector, said he found the house in a very filthy state when he called on September 22nd. There were seven children, ages 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, and 2 years, and a baby, three months old. The beds they slept on were very dirty and saturated. The baby had not been washed, and was not dressed. Its eyes were sore and closed with dirt, and its head was covered with a crust of dirt. He wanted to examine the children’s heads, but the mother sent them away.

Dr. Taylor, of Mareham-le-Fen, visited the house on October 5th, and said he found the children in a disgraceful state, and terribly neglected. They had not been washed for a long time. Their bodies were covered with flea-bites, and all their heads were full of vermin. They had practically no clothing on, and the baby had none at all. One child had sores all over its head, and another had inflammation of the eyes. The children were fairly well nourished. Their condition was causing them suffering, and likely to prove injurious to their health.

The Chairman: Any signs of ill-treatment?

Dr. Taylor: No, it was their filthy condition.

Inspector Gardner, of the N.S.P.C.C., described the condition of the children. The baby was in a filthy state, and even flea-bitten between the fingers. It had practically no clothes on, and had not been washed. The other children were also very dirty. Their bodies were covered with flea-bites, and their heads were full of vermin. The girl’s heads were one mass of vermin and sores. One of the girls had a crust of dirt on her head, another had very sore eyes, with crusts of dirt on the eyelids, and one of the boys had a large sore on the head, and witness thought he slept in his cap. They were all dirty beyond description. They were badly clothed, and their boots consisted of the inner tubes of cycles. Downstairs, the house was fairly well furnished, but very dirty. The parents and baby slept on a filthy saturated bed. The girls slept on a broken iron bedstead, covered with a bag of chaff, which was also saturated. They had a torn bit of dirty carpet for a covering. Only half the bed could be used. The boys slept in a small cot, which had been widened by the addition of boxes. They slept on filthy bags, and had no covering at all. They could not lie down properly. He had not seen such a bad home for a long time, and the only blessing in it was the fact that the windows were open. It was the worst case he had seen during his association with the Society. The children must have suffered terribly. He asked the mother how the children slept on such beds, and she replied, “I do not know because I never go into their bedrooms when they are in bed.” He had all the children, except the baby, removed to Horncastle Workhouse.

Inspector Ransford, of the N.S.P.C.C., said he visited the house as recently as Friday last, and found things a good deal better. The baby had improved, and the filthy bedding had been burnt. He found, however, that it was not due to any effort on the part of the mother, but had been done by a kind neighbour. He had never seen a worse case.

Mr. Tweed asked for an order for the children to remain in the Workhouse until the Inspector reported that the home was fit for them to go back to.

The Chairman said the Bench had carefully considered the case, and thought it a very serious one and the worst ever heard in that Court. John Simpson, the father, will go to prison for one month’s hard labour, and Rose Hannah Simpson, the mother, will go to prison for two months, without hard labour. The children are to remain in the Workhouse.

Horncastle News (11 November 1922)

Mrs. R. H. Simpson

Mrs. Rose Hannah Simpson, of 10 Willesby Road, who died at her home last Thursday, aged 76, after two months illness, was born in Old Hunstanton and moved to the Spalding area with her husband in 1938.

She leaves three sons and four daughters.

The funeral on Monday afternoon at Spalding Salvation Army citadel was conducted by Capt. Joan Savory.

Mourners were: Mr. G. Simpson, Mr. N. Simpson, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Simpson (sons and daughters-in-law), Miss R. Simpson. Miss J. Simpson, Miss M. Simpson, Mr. and Mrs. G. Harness (daughters and son-in-law), Mrs. E. Burden,
Mrs. K. Sister, Mr. T. Simpson, Mr. F. Simpson, Mr. and Mrs. Spinks, Mr. and Mrs. R. Smith, Mrs. M Prince, Mrs. P. Duffy, Mrs. D. Coulson, Mrs. E. Eggitt, Mrs. J. Bradley, Mr. T. Chilvers, Mrs. J. Semmance.

Spalding Guardian (18 November 1966)