Maria Betts

Born c. 1837 Died (unknown)
Assistant Nurse at Mitford and Launditch Union Workhouse Aug- Dec 1880
Researched by Dauna Coppin

On 25th March 1838, in Mattishall, Norfolk, Maria Palmer was baptised. Her parents were Francis, a Coal Carter, and Charlotte, née Denny and they had seven other children.

By 1851, most of her siblings had flown the nest and 15 year old Maria lived with her parents and younger brother, Thomas, still in Mattishall.

Maria’s life began to change when she was 17. Within five years, she gave birth to three illegitimate children, James, Walter and Robert.

In 1861, Maria was a pauper in the Mitford and Launditch Union Workhouse, aged 22. Her three sons were also there, aged 6yrs, 2 yrs and 6 months. It seems that Maria’s behaviour often gave cause for concern as she was frequently on charges of misbehaviour and misconduct. The Guardian’ s minutes of 28th September 1863 recorded that “Maria Palmer….. is brought before the Board charged with misbehaviour in the Workhouse by quarreling with and violently assaulting Martha… another pauper inmate and is ordered to be taken before a magistrate with the view to her punishment…” Also, on 11th April 1864, the minutes said, “Maria Palmer, …… charge with refractory conduct, Ordered that she be placed in a separate Room and kept on bread and Water diet for 6 hours on each of the next four succeeding days” Segregation with meagre rations appears to be quite a severe punishment, but it is uncertain what crime was committed.

However, a year later, Maria’s life appeared to be improving, as when she was 26 years old, she married William Betts, a tailor and a few years younger than her, aged 19. They married in Norwich on 8th April 1865 and their son, William was born the following year in Mitford.

Sadly, Maria was soon back living in the Workhouse. The Guardian’s minutes of 9th November 1868 recorded that: “Maria, wife of William Betts………this day brought before the Guardians charged …….with having improperly and clandestinely obtained possession of some Workhouse stores…..the Board directed Maria Betts to be taken before a magistrate” It is not known what punishment she received.

In February 1869, when Maria’s eldest son, James, was sent, to work for George Wake, a veterinary surgeon of East Dereham,questions were asked about his parents and their means to support him. Charles Wright, Clerk to the Guardians of the Mitford and Launditch Poor Law Union, stated “This boy is the illegitimate son of a woman named Palmer who is now the wife of a tailor, William Betts. This man  has had one leg amputated and is therefore unable to maintain his family. He and his wife and children are at this time  inmates of the Union Workhouse” This explained how Maria ended up back in the Workhouse after her marriage.

Maria continued causing grief to the Guardians when on 14th February 1870, she was, once more, sent to the magistrates for misbehaviour: “Maria Betts….pauper inmate. Of the Union Workhouse…brought before the Board charged with misbehaviour therein and … ordered to be taken before a magistrate with view to … punishment for such Offences”.

Miraculously, the family left the Workhouse in 1871 and were living back in Norwich. The 1870 census shows Maria aged 32, in the same house as husband, William, and sons William and James. She had deserted her two sons, Walter and Robert and was expecting a fifth child; Gertrude Mary Betts was born in Mitford, in the December quarter 1871.

Despite not having to provide for her elder sons, and having James working as an agricultural labourer ,William Betts chose to leave his family and Maria was, once again, found to be in the Workhouse. The Guardians agreed to take Maria in, along with her children, William Gertrude and Robert and also to chase her husband for punishment for wilfully deserting his family.

It is not known what happened during the next few years, but it is presumed that Maria remained in the Workhouse, although may also have spent some time outside too. She must have improved her behaviour as she was able to work in the Infirmary. Eventually, she was also employed, temporarily, as a nurse by the Mitford and Launditch Union Workhouse in August 1880. The Guardian’s had dismissed the previous nurse and were unable to fill the position with a qualified replacement immediately. Maria was engaged on 9th August on wages of 12/6 per week but had to repay 5/- for the maintenance of her children in the Workhouse.

Whilst Maria was working there, an inspection was made by the Poor Law Board as there had been reports of irregularities in the Workhouse. Maria gave a statement which did not support the complaints, but also showed that she had a certain amount of trust as she was a keeper of keys to the infirmary:

“I have been in the House nine weeks and out of it before that for three months. I used to be in the married women’s yard.I was also in the infirmary as Wardswoman. I occupied the ground floor ward. Mrs Bullock was nurse then. I was not aware whether the inmates ever had things such as porter etc which they ought not to have had. I have the male infirmary key and the female infirmary key, and the key of each room in the two infirmaries. I cannot get to the front of the House of a night without ringing the bell which would summon the porter. After the doors were undone I could get to the schoolmistresses’  room but not before.”

Maria worked as a nurse for 4 months, until she was replaced by one more qualified on 6th December 1880.

It is not certain what happened to Maria immediately after her employment was terminated but on the 1881 census she was recorded as living with her children, at Becclesgate, East Dereham and working as a nurse. Maria stated she was a 40 year old widow,  however, her husband, William, was alive and well and living as a boarder, in St John’s Street, Norwich. Maria was probably unaware of this, and believed her husband to have died, since he had deserted her in 1874 ; seven years since she had knowledge of him would leave her free to remarry. It is uncertain whether or not William was ever caught and prosecuted for desertion.

Once again, by 1882, Maria was an inmate in the Workhouse, but she soon found work as a housekeeper for Mr Pooley of East Bradenham and in1891, she, was living in Rawcliffe, Skelton, East Yorkshire with the Pooley family. She was aged 50 and calling herself Elisabeth (!) Maria had also became a grandmother to Harry, Elisabeth, and Eva, courtesy of son Walter,

Unfortunately, nothing further can be found of Maria after 1891.