Knowle House Frant.

[Phil Goater]

Maria Elsie Shindehutte Parker (known as Elsie) found her way from London to work at Knowle House in Frant for the Hamilton Grace family where she met her husband. She was married in 1923. I understand that she was working as a nanny. Can anyone shed any light on how she came to work there?

[acorngen]

At a guess she would have been selected from adervtisements placed around the country. She may have received a personal recommendation from an earlier employer.  Those seem to be the two ways I know about from that period

Rob

[Phil Goater]

Thanks Rob. Is it likely in that period that she would have received training somewhere before taking up such a position? Another question concerns the demise of the very young Raymond Hamilton-Grace in 1918. I understand that that was unfortunate and possibly led to Elsie's engagement. Are there any local newspaper reports of the event?

[acorngen]

I dont think so.  Nannies today don't have any formal training so I doubt they would have back then

[mrs.tenacious]

I dont think so.  Nannies today don't have any formal training so I doubt they would have back then

I'm not sure Norland Nannies would agree with you.  They've been in operation since 1892, and are respected world-wide, and are highly valued 

[Phil Goater]

Thank you for replying Rob and thank you Mrs Tenacious for confirming what I half remembered. I'm sure i've seen something on the box about the training of nannies in the past. The question now is at what age would the nannies have been trained. I've been advised that Elsie was taken on to tend the two children and was around at the time of Raymond's premature demise in 1918. She would have been about 16 at that time.

Thanks again
Phil

[mrs.tenacious]

At a guess she would have been selected from adervtisements placed around the country. She may have received a personal recommendation from an earlier employer.  Those seem to be the two ways I know about from that period

Rob

From the little I've read or learnt about that time, this is quite likely considering Maria's family background. She may not have received any formal training.

What leads you to believe the death of Raymond Sheffield Hamilton-Grace Jr (aged 3) in 1918 led to her engagement and subsequent marriage to Frank Sivyer in 1923? (Searching the records shows his father (who he was named after) died in WW1 1915.)

[Phil Goater]

Ah, Mrs T that was a false assumption concerning her engagement - she was working there at the time of young Raymond's death. It would appear to be a fairly safe bet that that is where she met her future husband who came from a more local family and worked as the family chauffeur. The key issue is what led her to work there in the first place and that remains a bit of a mystery. Perhaps it may be possible to trace an advert for the position in a London newspaper of the period which would add more weight to the likelihood that she found it that way. Her father was in the jewellery business and it's possible I suppose that the Hamilton-Graces met the family that way.

Regards,
Phil

[mrs.tenacious]

You're possibly right on both counts Phil - she either answered an advert or found her way there via word-of-mouth/personal contact.