Maria Stratton

Born 1831, died after 1881
Nurse at Mitford and Launditch Union Workhouse, 1879 - 1880
Researched by Nicola Sheard

Maria Stratton was born as Maria Harrison on 19th June 1831 in the parish of West Acre, Norfolk, to parents George and Maria Harrison. George Harrison’s occupation was listed as a labourer. The 1841 census for West Acre showed Maria, aged 10, living with her parents and four siblings: Margaret, Mary Ann, Elizabeth and Rosanna.

The 1851 census showed that Maria, aged 20, was working as a house servant for George Stratton at Little Abbey Farm, Pentney, Norfolk. George Stratton, aged 32, was a farmer of 120 acres, he was a widower by 1851. Also living with him at the time of the census were two of the three children from his first marriage.

George Stratton married Maria Harrison on 2nd May 1856 at Pentney parish church. George was 37 years old and Maria 25 years old. The birth of George and Maria’s first child, Augustus, was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1856, shortly before or after their marriage.

The 1871 census recorded that the Stratton family were living at Chapel Yard, Pentney, Norfolk. George and Maria now had six children together, George Stratton’s occupation was recorded as independent. In 1873, George Stratton died aged 54, he was buried on 16th June 1873 at St. Mary Magdalene Parish Church, Pentney. Maria was now a widow, aged 42, with six children whose ages ranged from 8 to 17 years.

Although Maria Stratton had no experience of working as a Nurse, on 2nd September 1879, Charles Wright, the clerk for the Mitford and Launditch Union wrote to the Local Government Board to inform them that Maria Stratton had been appointed as the Nurse for the Workhouse for a month’s probation commencing 8th September 1879.

On 5th August 1880 Maria Stratton was dismissed from her position as Nurse by the Guardians for misconduct. The Master of Mitford and Launditch Union Workhouse, Philip Reynolds, reported to the Guardians that Maria Stratton was absent from the Workhouse on 5th August, without permission and returned intoxicated. Thomas Boyce, an inmate, reported to the Master that on 5th August he had been assaulted by Maria Stratton and another inmate named Thomas Hatton, he also stated that he had found Maria Stratton and Thomas Hatton together on Maria’s bed. The Medical Officer, James Vincent, provided a written testimony that he had visited the Workhouse at 6am on the 6th of August and found that “Thomas Boyce was in bed with a blackened and swollen eye and marks upon his face, as by scratching.”

The case against Maria Stratton and Thomas Hatton was heard on 20th August 1880 at the Dereham Petty Sessional Court. The case against Maria Stratton was dismissed and Thomas Hatton was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment with hard labour.

In 1881 Maria Stratton was working as a housekeeper for a John Albert Barton, a grocer, at Southery, Downham, Norfolk. John Barton was a 36-year-old widower with a young son, Albert. No record can be found of Maria Stratton in the 1891 census, there are also no plausible records that relate to a further marriage or the date of her death.