Martha Alice Walsh was that bonny baby wrapped in her mother’s shawl, the lonely girl in a school playground, her granny’s little helper, daughter, future wife, mother.
And suffragette? A typical Northern lass raised on over-generous shares of hardships, disease, war and coal dust, with a will of iron forged in the foundries of Manchester.
To really know, understand and appreciate Martha and her life experiences it is necessary to consider some other persons who had shaped her life – parents, grandparents, siblings, partners, children.
Martha had been born in a small house in South Street, Hulme, 13th March 1874*, daughter of James Walsh, baker, and his wife Mary Ann Brownbill, who had married in Salford, in a timely way some 9 months earlier**. However, whilst they had been able to register Martha’s birth, for whatever reason no christening had taken place during that year.
 |
| 1922 OS 25” Map of Embden Street / Boundary Lane Area of Hulme [NLS] |
The family had moved to Blanshard Street, Chorlton-upon-Medlock, closer to the home of Mary Ann’s parents. Fairly soon after their move Mary Ann contracted broncho-pneumonia and sadly died 9th September 1876***.
An immediate consequence was that Martha, then 2½ years old, had to go and live with her grandparents, John and Susannah Brownbill, which had enabled her father to continue his work. But the time all too soon arrived for Martha to be registered for attendance at her local school, St John the Baptist CofE. So it was that Martha Alice Walsh, then 4 years old, living in Meredith Street, Hulme, had been baptised by Rev. R. H. Godwin at St John the Baptist Church, Embden Street, on 22nd September 1878****. The 1881 Census***** records Martha still living with her grandparents, whilst her father, James Walsh, still working as a baker, had lodged in Medlock Court, Chorlton-on-Medlock******.
 |
| 1881 Census for 28 Meredith Street, Hulme, 1964 |
Later in the same year, her father married Elizabeth Ainsworth at St Mark’s Church, Hulme, with whom he would start a new family. But perhaps Martha had remained living with her grandparents
 |
| Blanshard Street, Chorlton-Upon-Medlock, 1964 |
At this point in the story, it is worth noting that none of the homes mentioned would have had electricity, as may be judged from the 1964 photo of houses in Meredith Street.
Heating, lighting and cooking would have been provided in varying degrees by wood, coal, gas and candles.
Electrical cables seen on the outside would not have been provided until many decades later, in the 20th Century.
Three years later, death would again cast a shadow over Martha, this time to claim the life of her Grandmother Susannah Brownbill in 1884.
 |
| Meredith Street, Hulme, 1964 |
With scarcely time to mourn, John Brownbill had married Mary Kelsall only 1 year later, in 1885, an event that would surely have caused confusion in her young mind.
We cannot know the feelings of Martha who, at the age of 11 years, was on the brink of womanhood, with emotions surely wavering between happiness for her Grandfather and loathing for his betrayal of her Grandmother.
Moreover, Elizabeth had given birth to daughter, Ada – half-sister to Martha – in 1885.
We may surmise that John Brownbill and James Walsh had decided that it was time for Martha “come home” to live with her father and to assist her stepmother. The 1891******* Census provides a cold record that James, Elizabeth and Martha did indeed share a home in Walter Street, St Clements Ward, Ardwick. That census shows Martha had worked as a Fancy Box Maker, and shared her home with 3 half-siblings, Ernest, 8, Ada, 5, and Reuben, 3.
 |
| Walter Street, Ardwick, seen from Fairfield Street, 1902 |
Elizabeth Walsh had given birth to her final child, Arthur James, in October 1891, which a subsequent event 10 years later would demonstrate had brought some happiness to Martha. Sadly, little Arthur succumbed to acute bronchitis 11 months later. Death would again cast a dark shadow in 1895 when TB claimed the life of Ada, shortly before her 10th birthday.
The 1901 Census******** records James and Elizabeth Walsh still living in the same house in Walter Street. Their eldest son Ernest Walsh, 18, living at home was recorded working as a Van Driver’s Assistant. Although his employer was not recorded – three railway goods yards (LNWR, GCR, MR) were walking distance from Walter Street. His younger brother, Reuben, 12, was still at school.
The whereabouts of Martha Alice Walsh was not recorded.
This is not the end for Martha, but it is an appropriate moment to pause the story.
Photographs: 1922 OS 25” Map of Boundary Lane / Embden Street Area of Hulme; https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18&lat=53.46553&lon=-2.24178&layers=168&b=1
Manchester: Blanshard Street, Chorlton-upon-Medlock; 1964, J Ryder, ML m18654, Meredith Street, Hulme; 1964, J. Ryder, ML m2630, Walter Street, Ardwick, seen from Fairfield Street; 1902, A. Bradburn, ML m49783 courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass
References:
* Birth Certificate for Martha Alice Walsh, GRO Ref. 1874-Q2, Chorlton, Vol. 8c, Page 797; John Anthony Hewitt Collection.
** Marriage Certificate for James Walsh & Mary Ann Brownbill, GRO Ref. 1873-Q2, Salford, Vol. 8d, Page 78; John Anthony Hewitt Collection.
*** Death Certificate for Mary Ann Walsh, GRO Ref. 1876-Q3, Chorlton, Vol. 8c, Page 459; John Anthony Hewitt Collection.
**** St John the Baptist Parish Record, Baptisms, 1869 Nov. – 1884 Nov., Page 181, Entry No. 1447; John Anthony Hewitt Collection.
***** 1881 Census for Martha Alice Walsh: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/7572/images/LANRG11_3935_3939-0535?pId=10457901
****** 1881 Census for James Walsh, Baker: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/7572/images/LANRG11_3918_3922-0883?pId=10376392
******* 1891 Census for James Walsh, Baker: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/6598/images/LANRG12_3238_3240-0068?pId=6270110
******** 1901 Census for James Walsh: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/7814/images/LANRG13_3745_3747-0872?pId=23570617
No comments:
Post a Comment