Mercy Sophia Wilson (nee Pearce)

[dutch missmarple]

Hi all,

Mercy Sophia Pearce married Benjamin Thomas Wilson in 1867.
Census 1871 has them living in Cliffe with daughter Alice.

After that Mercy dissapears from Benjamin's life.

I know she was in and out of workhouses from 1900 - 1912 (over 50 times)
what could the reason be that someone was in and out of workhouses so often ?
Sometimes a day, sometimes weeks. Always under the name Pearce and not Wilson ! Sometimes Mercy, other times Mary.

Census 1901 she's at St. George's hanover Union Workhouse Chelsea
Census 1911 she lives in Higham
She died in 1918 (name Wilson) in Higham (Poor Law Union Records)


so my questions:

where was she censuses 1881 and 1891.If she was in a workhouse are there any records ?
what could be the reason for so many times in a workhouse.
Excuse my question but is a workhouse a kind of prison or mental hospital ?

thank you

Dutch MissMarple

[bearkat]

Workhouses were for people with no means of supporting themselves.  There may be an infirmary for those who were ill.

There are records for workhouses but they are variable. Take a look at Peter Higginbothams's website
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/

[CaroleW]

No birthyear/birthplace included for her.  Freebmd shows birth March qtr 1849 North Aylesford

[bearkat]

Here's her burial entry in case you don't have it

http://cityark.medway.gov.uk/wwwopacx/wwwopac.ashx?command=getcontent&server=files&value=P185-01-31.pdf

scroll down to page 21

[jomcd967]

I’m wondering if her absence has anything to do with Mary Ann Draper, widow, who lives with Benjamin as his housekeeper from 1881 onwards??? Alice, Thomas and Ellen baptised as children of Benjamin and Mercy, no other children baptised to them after Ellen in 1874....I wonder when Mary Ann moved in?

Jo 

[jonw65]

I know she was in and out of workhouses from 1900 - 1912 (over 50 times)
Census 1901 she's at St. George's hanover Union Workhouse Chelsea
Census 1911 she lives in Higham
She died in 1918 (name Wilson) in Higham (Poor Law Union Records)

Seems a bit odd?
Mercy Sophia Wilson in a cottage in Higham in 1911, she appears to be living happily enough there
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWDX-2WJ

Then back to being Pearce and in and out of the St George Hanover Sq workhouse again?
Creed register has Mercy Pearce, 66, admitted 31 May 1911. Discharged a few days later.
Names relation - Daughter Daisy, 23 Camden Sq, Ramsgate

Here, and also on ancestry
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-L3NK-ZQ51?cat=1316563

[jonw65]

The first admission to SGHS workhouse, Fulham Road, that I can see for Mercy is
20 Nov 1894
Mercy Pearce
Dressmaker
Religion CE
Born 1854
Widow

On London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764-1930 on ancestry (uk)
Another record relating to that admission is in a register giving details of relatives/friends
It says Friend Mrs Barrett 18 Laundry Yard
Daughter with Mrs Colegate, Southboro? Str Tunbridge Wells

One of the other admissions for Mercy Pearce is 11 March 1895
And on the same page in the relations book is Mary Pearce, 40, admitted on that day
Daughter Daisy, not sure what the rest says

Link to that page with the two entries  (if it works)
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01pnp/

And does this all mean that Mercy Pearce in the workhouse is, or is not, Mercy from Higham?
John

[jonw65]

Add in creed register relating to Mercy 1894/5
Two images
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-L3N2-SQLY?i=620&cat=1316563

[jonw65]

So in 1891 here are Mercy Pearce, 39, born ?? Kent
and her daughter Daisy Pearce, 7, born Southborough,Kent
in St George Hanover Square
piece 73 folio 112 page 51
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:3YWB-26Z

Address looks like 23 Denbigh Street. Mercy apparently married.

This must be the Mercy in and out of the workhouse over the next two decades.