Rachel Scott (née Lovett) another story from Tony Goulding

This is another story that has been spawned during a conversation with a friend, in this case a colleague at Oxfam who also volunteers at the Pankhurst Centre on Nelson Street, Chorlton-on Medlock, Manchester. It is the story of another advocate of women’s suffrage, and rights generally, with a connection to Chorlton-cum-Hardy.

Letter to the Editor of The Clarion Newspaper - 30th October 1903

 Rachel Lovett was born in Hulme, Manchester during the December quarter of 1863. She was raised in the Newton Heath area of Manchester. She married Harold Charles David Scott on 10th July 1890 at The Albert Memorial Church on Queens Road, Collyhurst, Manchester. Harold Charles David was the eldest of at least 6 children of Walter Scott and Sarah M. (née Gotobed) and started his working life at 16 as a schoolteacher; possibly a pupil-teacher in his father’s school. Where the young couple began their life together is not known, however from 11th October 1891 they were living at 47, Keppel Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, where they stayed until September 1897. 

47, Keppel Road - November 2024

As is indicated by the above letter sent to the editor of "The Clarion", Rachel was the first Honorary Secretary of The Women’s Social and Political Union after its formation in Manchester in February 1903.

  Rachel and her husband Harold Charles David Scott had five children.

  1) Walter Lovett – born in Salford during the June quarter of 1891, died 20th June 1958 Broughty Ferry, Dundee, Scotland, where he had been living since at least November 1940 as on Thursday 21st of that month he was fined 30 shillings for breaking the blackout regulations. Married to Majorie Dawson; had at least one child, Patricia. Occupation –Analytical Chemist. In 1911 he was recorded as a “student of chemistry” probably at Manchester University.

2) Harold David –born on 7th May 1892 in the Weaste area of Salford. Joined 8th battalion Royal Fusiliers on 4th September 1914. Address on demobilization from Road the army “The Knoll”, Church Road, Urmston his parents’ residence. He was an “engineer’s designer” Married to Anne with one daughter Cynthia M. living at 6, Mardale Avenue, Urmston and described as an “estimating and designing engineer” on the 1939 Register.

3) Francis Gordon born in Chorlton-cum-Hardy on 15th January 1894.  As a former pupil of Manchester Grammar School, he enlisted in one of the “Public Schools Battalions”, the 20th Royal Fusiliers, in August 1914. Prior to his military service he had worked as a clerk in a shipping office.

He was awarded Military Medal “for gallantry on the battlefield” M.E.N. August 16th, 1916.  

Gazetted Temp 2nd Lieutenant (from cadet) on 1st May 1918, he was killed in action in France on 20th October 1918 just 3 weeks from the end of the war. He is buried in The Belle Vue British Cemetery, Briastre, France.

4) Clarissa Marion, the only daughter, also born in Chorlton-cum-Hardy in January 1897. During the First World War she served in the V.A.D. at a base in Piccadilly, Manchester.

      In the 1921 census she is recorded as unmarried and living with her parents in Urmston. Her occupation was given as Professional Pianist - “On her own account”. She appears to have followed in her mother’s footsteps as this cutting of 17th October 1919 seems to indicate.

The Vote –17th October 1919,The Organ of the Women’s Freedom League

During the December quarter of 1923 in Manchester Cathedral, Clarissa Marion married Leonard Lowe Boardman (his second wife – his first Mary (née Andrew) having died during the September quarter of 1921). The new couple moved to Mellor, Derbyshire and started to raise a family. Sadly, Clarissa Marion died, aged just 35, on Monday 23rd May 1932. Her obituary from The Stockport Advertiser and Guardian of Friday 27th May. Recorded that she had died in a Manchester Nursing Home following an operation and had lived in Mellor since her marriage, latterly at “Branford”, Longhurst Lane. It also stated that as well as her musical talents she was also a gifted tennis player.

 5) Oliver Royle was born on 7th December 1905 in Flixton, Lancashire. In 1921, aged 15 years and 6 months, he was still in full-time education and living with his parents and sister in Church Road, Urmston as recorded in the census. He later moved with his widowed father to 36, Queens Road Urmston as recorded in the Electoral Roll of 1930. Shortly after this date Oliver, who is described in various records as a “merchant” became something of a “globetrotter”. He is recorded as travelling on “The Empress of Asia” from Yokohama, Japan to St. Albans, Vermont, U.S.A. in March 1930 (1) and shown as a passenger on the “S.S. Gloucestershire”, sailing on 6th January 1933 from the U.K. (Liverpool) to Columbo in what was then known as Ceylon. On 21st December 1935 he married, Australian, Gertrude Mary (née Thorne) in St Peter’s Garrison Church, Port Columbo, Ceylon (2) and later moved to the State of Victoria, Australia. He died there on 28th October 1978 in Elwood, North Melbourne.

Rachel Scott died in Urmston during the June quarter of 1925.Harold Charles David Scott, Rachel’s husband died at “Spaldrick” 36, Queens Road, Urmston, Lancashire on 1st June 1937. His estate was valued for probate as £11, 496-18s-6d (Today that would be worth £658,000).

Pictures: - Letter to the editor of “The Clarion” 30th October 1903 provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk). 

Extract from “The Vote” 17th October 1919 (with no known copyright holder) accessed from Find my Past - With Thanks to The British Newspaper Archive.

47, Keppel Road – November 2024 from the collection of Tony Goulding.

Notes: 

1) Oliver Royle’s permanent residence shown on this record is “Calcutta, India”.

2) Amy Gertrude Mary was the daughter of Doctor Herbert Roger Horne and the first of his three wives, Margaret Ross (née Thomson) of Traralgon, Victoria, Australia.

Acknowledgement.

Elizabeth Crawford’s “Lockdown Research Who Unfurled The Manchester “First in The Fight” WSPU Banner” on her blog

 “womanandhersphere” includes a lot of additional detail on Rachel’s early life and her role in the W.S.P.U.

https://womanandhersphere.com/2020/12/03lockdown-research-who-unfurled-the-manchester-first-in-the-fight-wspu-banner