Florence Maud(e) Darlington: A Mystery

[michelle43]

This post concerns both Surrey and Kent.

I am trying to find the parents of Florence Maud(e) Darlington. Florence is my husband's GG. Here's what I know:

Married
William Henry Cook
Christ Church
Woking, Surrey
3 Jan 1903
Father unknown; Father's profession unknown
Witness Rosina Maria Lea Postill (in 1891, missionary to the fallen; in 1911, parlour maid at Trevelyan School)
Witness Elizabeth Bailey Cook (husband's step-mother)

1911 Census
Living with Fanny Brown (husband's aunt), husband & 3 children
Estimated birth year 1883
Birthplace Margate, Kent
Lived in Reigate, Surrey

Divorced William Henry Cook on 24 Jan 1921

Married Theophilus Theodore Alfred Dudley (known as Alfred Dudley) in third quarter of 1922 in Reigate, Surrey

She had 9 children - 6 with William Cook and 3 with Alfred Dudley. Two died in infancy.

1939 Census
Living with Alfred Dudley
Birth date 20 Dec 1885

I have not been able to find any record of a Florence Maud(e) Darlington born in Margate, Kent, between 1882 and 1886. In the 1901 Census, there is a Florence Darlington who was a patient in the Metropolitan Convalescent Institution in Bexhill, Sussex, but I don't know if this is the same person as the one I'm looking for.

If she was born in an unwed mother's home in Kent, would she be given her mother's surname?

I have investigated many Florence Darlingtons and Maud Darlingtons, but haven't found parents for my Florence Darlington. I am beginning to think she invented her surname.

Thanks in advance for your sleuthing.

[Neale1961]

I suppose there is the potential that Rosina Maria Lea Postill (born 1865) could be the mother. She never marries and in 1881 is working as a domestic servant.

On Florence Maud's second marriage are there any different details about age and father?

[maddys52]

Doesn't really help at all, however there is a mention of "Miss Postill, the lady missionary" taking charge of an unwed mother and her child after a court case at South Western Court, London in 1899. They were taken to the "Home for Illegitimate Children at Walton on the Hill, Epsom".
Monday,  Jan. 9, 1899
Publication: Bristol Mercury

[michelle43]

Neale1961,
I just looked through my records. For Florence's second marriage I only have the Civil Registration Marriage Index (1922, Reigate, vol. 2a, p. 482). I don't have her actual marriage certificate. I don't know how I missed that. I'll order it. I did order a copy of the divorce proceedings, but there is nothing in it about her origins.

[michelle43]

Rosina Maria Lea Postill sounds fascinating. I have no idea how she got to know Florence. Maybe she helped Florence's unwed mother?

Rosina was born in 1863 to George Lea Postill and Rosina Postill. She was baptized 14 Jun 1863 in Christ Church, Tower Hamlets, London. In 1881, she was a nurse domestic servant for the Rostelthwaite family in Stoke Newington, London. Her mother died in 1883, and her father, who was a professor of music, died in 1889. After her parents' deaths, one of her sisters married, but she cared for her three unmarried siblings. In 1891, she was a missionary to the fallen and her younger sister Emily was a Bible woman. In 1901, they are both listed as missionaries. By 1911, they are both unmarried but are no longer living in the same residence.

I searched to see if there was a record of a child born to either Florence or her unmarried sister Emily Francis, but I didn't find anything.

[maddys52]

Yes, I think it sounds possible that Rosina knew Florence's mother, possibly through her connection with unwed mothers.

Again, not much help, but I notice that Florence Maude DARLINGTON has her address as "Pembroke", Woking on her marriage in 1905. I think that this was the home of William SEED and family - when the daughter Emma SEED marries (in India) in 1906 the newspaper marriage announcement says "... William Seed of Pembroke Lodge, Woking". They have a servant with them in 1901, however it is not Florence. The hospital patient in 1901 does sound likely for your Florence.