Ruth Holmes

Born 1793, died 1873
Nurse at the Mitford and Launditch Union Workhouse,  1853-1855
Researched by Elizabeth Steele.

Ruth, (born Ruth Pooley) was born in East Dereham, Norfolk on 8th January 1793 and baptised on the 3rd February 1793.  Her parents were William Pooley and Mary Dye, who had married on 4th October 1785 at Swanton Morley, Norfolk. 

At the age of 21, on 14th November 1814, Ruth married Richard Holmes in East Dereham. Their first child, Mary was baptised 21st May 1815 in Mattishall.  Their eldest son, William, was born 18th September 1827 and baptised 4th December 1827 at Mattishall, Norfolk. Both parents are stated in the baptism register as being of independent denomination.  A second son, John was born 5th October 1830 and baptised on 14th January 1831. Followed by a daughter Eliza, baptised 22nd June 1834. On 24th July 1837, Mary Holmes, the eldest daughter, married Henry Hatton, at Mattishall. Mary is entered in the banns as Maria and as a minor. At present nothing further can be found concerning her.

The 1841 census, finds Ruth as the head of the household living at a property in Badley Moor, Dereham along with her two sons William now aged 13 and John now aged 10. Ruth’s occupation is recorded as Shop Keeper. Ruth’s husband, Richard, is recorded as having died in June that year. Her youngest daughter Eliza died on 17th December 1850.

On the 1851 census, Ruth is to be found living at a property at the Paper Yard, East Dereham. She is still listed as head of the household but now with an occupation of Char Woman. Both her sons are living at 5 Cowgate, Norwich. William now aged 22, is recorded as head of the household, married to Elizabeth aged 21, with a daughter, Eliza aged 3. He is a chairmaker and journeyman. His brother John, aged 20, is a shoemaker and journeyman.

At the age of 60, Ruth is employed, according to the minutes of the guardians of 18 April 1853, as Nurse, for the sick paupers at the Mitford and Launditch Union Workhouse, Gressenhall, in place of the pervious nurse, Ann Webster, who had finally resigned from the position  after being on extended leave due to ill health brought on by fatigue. The minutes read: “…Ruth Holmes be engaged as Nurse in her place on approbation for one month at a salary of one pound”.  The minutes of the guardians for 16th May 1853 read: “Agreed that Mrs Ruth Holmes be engaged as Nurse at the wages of twelve pounds per annum from the period of her first entering upon these duties and at the expiration of her year of service she be paid the additional sum of one pound provided the same be performed to the satisfaction of the Guardians”. It is interesting to note that when it was becoming obvious that Ann Webster was not likely to resume her position as nurse, the minutes of the guardians noted on 11th April 1853 that the infirmary required the immediate attention of a Proper Nurse. Quite how Ruth, with the previous occupations of shopkeeper and charwomen could meet the description of a ‘proper nurse’ or what the criteria of such a description entailed,  is unknown. Unfortunately, it appears that no ‘appointment form’ was completed for Ruth, so we are unable to uncover what experience, if any, she had of nursing at the time of her appointment. However, it was not uncommon for women without previous experience of nursing to be employed at this time.

Ruth stayed in the position of nurse until 3rd December 1855. when she was dismissed by the Board of Guardians on account of being “…been brought before the Board upon a report of the Master and charged with grossly neglecting the patients under her case, the Guardians in the presence of Mrs Holmes investigated the matter and having found the alleged charge fully proved against her, the said Ruth Holmes is forthwith dismissed from the service of the Board and is directed to be paid the sum of £2 6s 3d, the amount of wages due to her up to this day. And the clerk is directed to advertise for her successor upon the same terms and at the same salary as heretofore”.

Following  Ruth’s dismissal as Nurse, she is next found on the 1861 census living at Williams Yard, Dereham, Norfolk, the home of Susanna Baker, a dressmaker and her two children, Benjamin and Ellen. Ruth is listed on the census as aged 68, as a boarder and her occupation as ‘formerly Midwife’.

The census of 1871 finds Ruth still as a boarder but now listed with an occupation as pauper and living at Becclesgate, East Dereham, Norfolk. Ruth dies in December 1873, aged 82.