Margaret Annie Sydenham

Born 1899, died 1979
Nurse at Gressenhall Public Assistance Institution, 1929-1930
Researched by Elizabeth Steele

Margaret was born Margaret Annie Francis in Winkleigh, Devon, on 17th September 1899. Her parents were William Jasper and Hannah Louise Francis (nee Simmons), who had married on 21 May 1893 at Exeter, Devon. Records show that Margaret was one of twelve children born to her parents spanning a period from 1894 to 1913. 

Margaret, aged 1, is recorded on the 1901 census as living  at the family home at 15 West Street, South Molton, Devon. Her father William is head of the household,  aged 31, and has an occupation noted as Agent Prudential Assurance Company (worker). Also present is his wife, Hannah, aged 31 and their daughters, Mary, aged 7, Emily, aged 5, and son, Raymond, aged 3.

The 1911 census records Margaret, now aged 11, noted as being at school and  living with her parents and siblings at 32 West Street, South Molton, Devon. Her father, aged 41, is still head of the household but now recorded with the occupation of boot repairer.

Sometime after 1911 Margaret has left the family home. Still single, she appears on the 1921 census records at the age of 21 years, as working as a Kitchen Maid at Wickwood, Sandpit Lane, St Alban. She is living and working in the home of Conrad Adolphus Wallroth and his wife Cecilia, together with three other servants.

Records show that Margaret married Samuel William Sydenham during the second quarter of 1929 at South Molton, Devon. In May 1929, the following the joint resignations of Mr and Mrs Bringloe from their posts as Porter and Nurse, Samuel and Margaret are appointed as replacements.

According to the Superannuation Service Register 1901-1930, both Samuel and Margaret were appointed to the position of Porter and Nurse, respectively, on 6 May 1929 with a start date of 25 June 1929. Other information contained in this register may also point to where and when Samuel and Margaret first met as both are recorded as having worked at the  South Molton Union, Devon. Samuel  from May 1924 until January 1927 and Margaret from May 1923 until January 1927. Further records in Superannuation Service Register mentioned above, show that Samuel then worked at Stafford Union from January 1927 to June 1929, prior to coming to Gressenhall. Nothing can be found at present to verify if Margaret moved to Stafford Union with him  or indeed where she  was working for the period 1927 to 1929, prior to coming to Gressenhall.

During September 1930 Margaret becomes ill whilst working as a nurse at Gressenhall, nothing is noted of the exact nature of her illness. 

Margaret and her husband resigned from their positions in October 1930. Margaret  has two entries on the UK Midwife Roll, 1940-1959. The first being for the roll of 1931, showing her date of enrollment of 23 February 1929 and residence as Guardians’ Institution, Gressenhall, Dereham. The same details appear again in 1935. There is nothing to show in records held at Gressenhall  that she was employed directly as a midwife but perhaps it was included as part of her duties as nurse there.

There are no existing records showing where Margaret and her husband went after leaving Gressenhall or indeed if she practised as either a nurse or a midwife again. The electoral register of 1933, records Samuel William Sydenham and Margaret Annie Sydenham as living at 12 Cambridge Road, Spelthorne, Surrey. The 1939 register records Samuel and Margaret as living at 44 Cypress Terrace, Barnstaple. Samuel is recorded with the occupation of Bakers Salesman and Margaret unpaid domestic duties.

Nothing more is known of their lives. It would appear  they may have remained in Devon as Samuel  died at Barnstaple, Devon on 7 Mar 1977 and Margaret in the district of South Moulton, Devon on 21 June 1979. The probate records show Margaret was living at 35 South Street, South Molton, Devon at that time.