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The Common Room / Re: Any information on "Miss C. M. Nicholson" a missionary to Palestine?
« on: Friday 21 September 18 03:42 BST (UK) »
I'm going to keep looking. These deaconesses were almost like nuns in that they sort of gave themselves to the life of the church and a kind of anonymity. They did keep their surnames, but were always just identified as "Miss _____." As I was searching all those CMS records, I was just sort of taken aback by how many of these women are probably forgotten.
Alice, her sister was living at the vicarage where Pennefather served! This may mean that Margaret was one of the early deaconesses. And if they were living at 1 Boltons in 1861, it is probably an indication that they were of some means (her father was a barrister and under-sheriff--though I have no idea about how those posts paid in 1861). Anyway, it was often the spinster-type from a family of means who made these kind of commitments. So, these little tid-bits do add up.
Alice, her sister was living at the vicarage where Pennefather served! This may mean that Margaret was one of the early deaconesses. And if they were living at 1 Boltons in 1861, it is probably an indication that they were of some means (her father was a barrister and under-sheriff--though I have no idea about how those posts paid in 1861). Anyway, it was often the spinster-type from a family of means who made these kind of commitments. So, these little tid-bits do add up.