Lambeth Workhouse

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Does anyone have a scan of Polly Nichols' entry in the Lambeth Workhouse records for the dates 16th April—12th May 1888?

It would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Simon

[George Hutchinson]

Chris Scott's yer man.

PHILIP

[Sluggo]

Polly's Lambeth Timeline

Hello,
I have noticed a discrepancy in Polly's Timeline regarding one of her Lambeth stays.

Both her Casebook History and the Timeline state that Polly leaves Lambeth on May 12, 1888 to domestic service for Samuel and Sarah Cowdry.

How is it possible for her to be in (2) places at the same time?

The letter that she wrote to her father is dated April 17, 1888 (Part of the Inquest testimony), stating that she is settled in her new place, and all is going well.

My question: How can she be both in Lambeth from April 16, 1888 to May 12, 1888, and writing a letter to her father on April 17, 1888 from her new place about her new job?

An answer is greatly appreciated....
Yours Truly, Sluggo

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Sluggo, good observation. I'll have to take a gander at that myself. There are other discrepancies. For instance, she was sleeping rough in Trafalgar Square in October 1887 and not December 1887.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Cogidubnus]

Oh wow...

Dave

[Sluggo]

Hello All,
I want to thank you for your response. I had not noticed the discrepancy with Trafalgar Sq.
I have another question. It seems odd that for the amount of time that Polly spent with Thomas Stuart Drew, that he was not called as a witness in the Inquest..

My question: Is there any history on him? Was Polly in domestic servitude with this guy?

Yours Truly,
Suggo

[Bridewell]

I wonder if she made an error in dating the letter and dated it 17th April instead of 17th May. May would fit with her being "settled at her new place".

[Cogidubnus]

It's possible Colin, but it's also possible I suppose that we have two separate persons with the same or similar names...Tom's our expert here...

[GUT]

I wonder if she made an error in dating the letter and dated it 17th April instead of 17th May. May would fit with her being "settled at her new place".

It's possible Colin, but it's also possible I suppose that we have two separate persons with the same or similar names...Tom's our expert here...

I'd buy either explanation as a possibility.

[Bridewell]

Sluggo's is one of those spots you kick yourself for not having made yourself.

[Cogidubnus]

Sluggo's is one of those spots you kick yourself for not having made yourself.

Absolutely...bloody well done Sluggo

Dave

[Sluggo]

Thank you Dave! (I love a "bloody well done")

I have been doing some reading on Thomas Stewart Drew. It has been suggested that Polly had a liaison with this Mr. Drew, between the time that Matilda died in March of 1884 and he remarried again in December of 1886. This hypothesis may be correct, yet unlikely. According to Polly's timeline she went to live with Thomas S. Drew in June of 1883, at which time, Matilda Drew was still alive. I think Polly was a Domestic Servant or a Nanny, or both. Matilda may have been very ill, and needed tending, as well as her children, and husband, which a domestic will come in very handy.

Any thoughts? Ideas?

Yours Truly, Sluggo

[Sluggo]

Polly's Calendar

I have attached a visual timeline for Polly, I did this to get a visual understanding of the amount of time she spent in Lambeth Workhouse. Which was a lot!!!!

[Sluggo]

Inquest Observation

Hello All,
I noticed in Polly's Inquest Day 1, Edward Walker's testimony, that he mentions, (Parish of Lambeth). I went to the ParishRegister.com and was unable to locate it.
Does anyone have any helpful suggestions?

Yours Truly, Sluggo

[Flower and Dean]

I know it's been years since the last reply on this thread. I don't know about Parishrecords.com specifically, but sometimes the parish is called Lambeth St. Mary IIRC.

Ancestry UK now has workhouse admission and discharge records. I was able to find a few hits for the name Mary Ann (and similar) Nichols in Lambeth. Unfortunately, I don't have a subscription to be able to see the scans but maybe someone can do that and clear it up.