Alice DANIELS - an actress aged 30 - appeared according to numerous newspaper reports in North London Police Court on 28 Oct 1899, charged with attempted suicide.
She had been cohabiting with a "man of foreign appearance", with whom she had evidently quarrelled, giving rise to her suicide attempt. At the first hearing - date not clear from reports - the defendant's daughter was left in the charge of the man she had been living with. The daughter is described as being approximately 18 months. At the subsequent hearing, the man asked to be relieved of caring duties, asking for the defendant to be released on bail so as to be able to care for the child. This was refused and the court ordered the child to be taken to the workhouse. Presumably the Islington workhouse. The refusal was based on the fact that the defendant had been up before Guildhall court the previous month for an earlier attempt at suicide.
Eventually - at a third hearing? - the court released both the defendant and her child, on the condition that they moved into a safe environment, a "nursing" home for the acting profession, championed by a Mr Holmes, who seems to have been a proto social worker attached to the court.
I have discovered that Alice was admitted to Islington Workhouse on 11 Oct 1899 and discharged on 13 Oct 1899. This seems to pre-date the second suicide attempt, though I must admit I am finding it difficult to keep track of the dates. I cannot, however, find an admission date for her daughter.
Indeed, her daughter remains a total mystery, even her name remaining unknown. According to reports she was 18 months to 2 years of age.
I would very much like to discover what happened to Alice and her daughter in the immediate aftermath of the court hearing. Where and what was this nursing home for the acting profession? When and where was the daughter born? And what was her name?
Alice - though I am not certain that it is her - next pops up according to the 1901 census as a boarder at the home of Hattie Taylor in Retcar Street, St Pancras. If it is her, she has no daughter.
There are numerous newspaper reports on FindMyPast relating to the case. And of course Workhouse records are to be found on Ancestry. I am, however, having great difficulties in weaving a coherent story from the various threads and sources. I find the workhouse records particularly problematic. So any help would be gratefully received.
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Topic: Missing daughter (Read 1384 times)