Case 9733

H or A

Female

This girl was known by both her Christian names; H. or A. may both appear in the documents. During this summary she will be known as H. H's mother died of cancer in March 1898 and she was then removed from the care of her father as he was "an utterly worthless drinking man", and placed in domestic service. Her younger siblings were cared for by the Poor Law Guardians, their father being frequently imprisoned for refusing to pay towards their maintenance. After several years H. was found to be dishonest and lost her place as a servant. She was placed in the Training Home, St Katherine's Sisterhood, Normand House, Fulham, London where it was hoped she would stay for 2 years and then be found another place in domestic service, or laundry work: but unfortunately she injured her knee so badly getting out of the bath one day that she needed an operation and was rendered too lame to continue to be trained for active work. H. was keen to be trained as a dressmaker and it was hoped she could enter St Agnes Home for disabled girls, Croydon. She was accepted for this Home and admitted in July 1903. In February 1904 she went into service in Stroud, Gloucestershire and in June 1904 was reported to be in service in Burton-on-Trent.