Elizabeth DAINTON b 1884 Bath - Somerset

[DaintyTrish]

Hello

I am doing some research on Alfred Henry (Harry) Dainton. Harry was hanged in 1891 for the murder of his wife - Hannah - in the River Avon.

Harry and Hannah left 6 children: Alfred Henry Jnr; Charles William; George Thomas; Elizabeth; Edward and Ellen.

Most of the children were shipped off to Canada but little Elizabeth (who was blind) was supposed to have been settled in a Blind School. The following article seemed to make comforting reading:-

BATH CHRONICLE 31/12/1891
THE DAINTON CASE
It will be a cause of satisfaction to the general public to know that all six of the orphan children are now well provided for.

Mr. Pratley, of Southgate-street, has most kindly adopted the eldest boy.

The ladies of the Preventive Mission have placed the little blind girl in the Walcot Home for the Blind, and the youngest girl, now in the shelter, will be sent to Mr Muller’s Orphanage.

The three remaining boys were sent on Monday last to Dr Bernardo’s Homes by the Hon Secretary for Bath, Miss Amy H Rose.

The unhappy father, a week previous to his execution, sent to Miss Rose a request that she would do this. 

From going through lots of archived newspaper articles I was saddened to read it wasn't a good outcome for Elizabeth. The below article mentions 'back to the workhouse'. Is it possible to confirm where she died? Also, if the wording of 'back to' suggests she was in a workhouse before at some stage? I had thought Walcot and Institute for the Blind might be the same place but am now wondering if the poor little girl might have been shunted around several times.

BATH CHRONICLE 06/04/1893
A SAD CASE

A letter was received from the Matron of the Institution for the Blind, stating that a child aged six, named Dainton, was unfit for any training, and asking the Guardians to remove her from the Institution. –

THE CLERK mentioned that the child was a daughter of Dainton who was hanged for the murder of his wife.

The letter from the School stated that the child was either wilfully disobedient or was deficient in mental power.

The Guardians at the present time pay £12 for the maintenance of the child in the home.
It was decided to receive her back into the Workhouse.

Many thanks

Trish Dainton

[JJen]

Possible death record -

Elizabeth Dainton
q4 1894 Bath
Age at Death   10
Vol 5c Page 357

You may have to purchase the death cert to establish it is the correct death unless someone else can confirm.

JJ

[JJen]

Burial -

Elizabeth Dainton
Abode - Workhouse
Born (approx.) - 1884
Age - 10
Buried -   26 Nov 1894
Cemetery - Bath Union Workhouse
Plot Reference - R.?
Burial Register - 4-74

Source - https://www.batharchives.co.uk/burial-index?cid=311

JJ

[DaintyTrish]

Possible death record -

Elizabeth Dainton
q4 1894 Bath
Age at Death   10
Vol 5c Page 357

You may have to purchase the death cert to establish it is the correct death unless someone else can confirm.

JJ

Thank you for both posts JJ

I need to try further to track down where I copied some text from (see end of post) a few years ago when I was first mooting the idea of maybe one day looking more into what happened. It certainly does look like the same little girl bless her. Could be that someone in here recognises the text. I basically pulled it into a word document but cannot now find the link from whence it came. I found it several years ago though I do know that. Looks like the author will have naturally thought Elizabeth ended her days at least in a good home. 

Having said the above, I have taken a quick look at a website which seems to have the equivalent of a Report like today's Care Quality Commission reports.

The article/report was posted in the 1894 -1895 British Medical Journal (BMJ). It does not read too well as a whole but in reference to the area that Elizabeth may have sadly been classed as 'the imbeciles and idiots' based on what they called her in the newspaper article, the Workhouse at least gets a commendadtion for that section. Source for BMJ article http://www.workhouses.org.uk/BMJ/Bath.shtml

Then followed the first girl - Elizabeth who was born in the second quarter of 1884 and was living at the Blind, Deaf and Dumb School, 8 & 9 Walcot Street, Bath in 1891.  The census entry says that she was blind from childhood, (at age 7!).  The matron of the school was Juliet Peebles Harrison, age 45, from Suffolk and there were 2 governesses - Fanny M New, 30, from Langley, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire; and Mary Ann Hawkes, 33, from Stamford Hill, Middlesex.  There was also a cook, parlour maid, house maid and an organist / teacher in residence.  In all there were 28 inmates of both sexes aged from 7 to 20.  Elizabeth died in the winter of 1894, probably still living at the school.