Maria Butterfield

Born 1841, died 1913
Assistant Nurse at Mitford and Launditch Union Workhouse, May- June 1878
Researched by Dauna Coppin

Maria (born Maria Ward) was born in Mitford and Launditch Union Workhouse near Gressenhall in 1841. Her parents were William, an agricultural labourer and Sarah, née Gill, who had married on 12th November 1834. The family are shown on the 1851 census living at Back Lane, East Dereham. Maria had several siblings ranging in age from 28 to 1 month.

When she was 20 years old, Maria was working as a general servant for the Draper and Mason, William Kett and living at 2 Exchange Street, in the St Peter’s district of Norwich.

On 30th April 1866, Maria married Edward Butterfield, in Stratford, London. It is not known how or why Maria was in London at this time, but she probably found a job there. They were living at 7 Angel Cottages and Edward was in the Police force as a constable in 1861. They had two sons, Edward born in 1867 and William in 1871. By the time of their births, the family had moved to Norfolk and both boys were born in Yarmouth.

On the 1871 Census, Maria and her family were living at number 12 Row 100, Yarmouth. Edward was then a Steam Ship Fireman.

In the June Quarter of 1873, Maria gave birth to her daughter, Alice. The family had moved once more, as Alice was born in Durham. Sadly, three years later, her husband, Edward died aged just 37 years old, in Mitford leaving Maria, aged 32, to bring up her three children, aged 9, 7 and 3 years, alone. It is possible, he may have been involved in a fatal train crash in Thorpe on 10th September 1874 when two trains were involved in a head on collision. Several people died of their injuries some time later. It was reported in the Norfolk News on 7th November 1874 that a Mrs Butterfield had contributed £1 to the collision fund. If it was the case that Edward was injured, Maria may have moved back to be nearer her family who could help with the children.

Thus, two years later, she applied to the Mirford and Launditch Union Workhouse at Gressenhall, where she was elected by the Guardians for a position as Nurse in May 1878. She was on one month’s trial and it was approved by the Local Government Board, subject to her satisfactory probation. However, Maria decided she could not keep her position and resigned in June 1878. It appear that the salary was not enough to support her and her two children. The Guardian’s recorded in their minutes of 24th June 1878:

“With her two children now dependent on her, she could not without some assistance provide for herself and them with her present salary of £25 per annum and gave notice that she would resign her situation at the end of one month from this day”.

The following month on 29th July 1878, The Local Government Board received a letter from Maria Butterfield, Baxters Row, Dereham. She stated she was a widow with three children, one at Aylsham School, and she was in receipt of relief of 1s and ½ stone of flour each. Her father took the children for the month while she was working (possibly during her time working at the Workhouse) but was unable to keep them as he was 70 years old. She stated she was now destitute and asks whether anything can be done for the children. Sadly for Maria, The Board refused her request.

Nonetheless, by the end of the year, Maria had married for a second time in the December Quarter of 1878. Her husband was local bricklayer, Thomas Blackburn and they had a daughter, Kate, born in April 1879. Sadly, Maria was soon, once again, a widow as Thomas died later that year.

The 1881 census shows 39-year-old Maria living at Baxter’s Row with her two sons and two daughters. On 4th May 1881, just after census day, Maria was mentioned in the newspaper, The Norwich Mercury. She had filed an unsuccessful complaint for assault, which was heard at the Magistrates’ Court Petty Sessions in East Dereham on Friday 30th April. According to the report: “Chas Seeker, of Dereham, was charged by Maria Blackburn with assaulting her on 24th April. Complainant stated that the defendant hung a sack on her fence to dry, and when she attempted to remove it, defendant caught hold of it and in the struggle, it was rent in two. Defendant then struck her with the piece he held in his hand . Defendant denied striking complainant, and there being no witnesses, the Magistrates dismissed the case on payment of 6s 6d costs” It was unclear as to whom the costs were made.

By 1891, Maria had returned to Yarmouth. The census showed her, aged 49 living with children, Edward and Kate at 8 Middlegate Street, Great Yarmouth where she earned money as a seamstress.

In 1895, began a series of family weddings in Yarmouth. These eventually produced seven grandchildren.

In 1901 and 1911 the census shows Maria lived alone as a 59-year-old widow, still working as a seamstress. She had moved to live at number 6, Row 83, Great Yarmouth, also known as Sayers the Attorney’s Row. Maria’s children and their families were spread far and wide by 1901, in Durham, Norwich, Yorkshire, and Worcestershire, so she probably did not see much of her grandchildren.

Maria died aged 73, in the June quarter of 1913 and was buried on 4th April 1913 in Gorleston Old Cemetery. She had died at home; hopefully her daughter Alice, who lived locally, was with her.