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Remembered Today:

Brick Wall again::::French Red Cross lady awarded Serb Gold medal of Zeal


ForeignGong

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Hi.

Once again I am at the brick wall. On my database I have a Letitia Rushford awarded a Serbian Gold Medal for Zealous Service under File: FO 372/1815 Decorations: Jugoslavia 1921.

I cannot find any Letitia Rushford on FMP, BRCS search or Ancestry.

I can find a Letitia Rushforth on all three sites

 

The Letitia Rushforth served in Macedonia with the Scottish Women's Hospital from July 1918. She also served with the following;

RUSHFORTH Miss Letitia, Orderly, America Unit, 23-Jul-18 13-Nov-19. Also Known as the “Ostrovo Unit.
RUSHFORTH Miss Letitia, Orderly, Girton Newnham, 1-Oct-19 to 1-Nov-19 and   1-Feb-20 to 1-Apr-20.

Also research has the following on her

 

Born, Bradford, Yorkshire, 1878.

Mother (also Letitia Rushforth) died 14 Feb 1901 leaving an estate of £446 6s 2p.

1901 Census states “Living on Own Means” Other sources state she could also drive.

1911 Census states Occupation “Actress” have found numerous newspaper cuttings re acting.

26 Jun 1912, departed Liverpool, England as a passenger aboard “LAKE CHAMPLAIN” for Quebec, Canada.

28 Jan 1921, depart London, England as passenger, Occupation, Nurse, for Bombay, India aboard “DONGOLA”.

12 Feb 1923 arrived at London, England aboard “BARRABOOL” from Sydney, Australia, via Cape Town.

6 Jun 1925, depart London, England as a passenger, aboard “UMVOLOSI”.

1930 Electoral Register has her living at 43 Penywern Road, Kensington.

3 Dec 1931, departs London, England aboard “LLANDAFF CASTLE” for Natal.

Died, 29 Mar 1942 and buried at Hollington, Sussex on 1 Apr 1942.

 

Are these two ladies the same or not, was it a clerk writing Rushford instead of Rushforth.

I can usually research award recipients quite well, but this has me stumped.

 

Any help appreciated very much.

 

Cheers

Peter

 

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I know very little of languages. However wouldn't an original Serbian list have been written in a Cyrillic script?  If so it might make a transcription error more likely?

RM

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On 04/11/2020 at 05:31, travers61 said:

She left a will (admin to Henry Rushforth, a timber merchant) , available here for £ 1.50. Perhaps she mentioned her medals in the will.

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar#calendar

Hi Travers

When I click on the link it comes up as ERROR. When I do a search myself it comes up as NO RESULT.

Can you suggest how I can access the will another way please.

 

Cheers

Peter

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It’s a probate record.

 

When in the link, change to Wills and Probate 1858 to 1996.

 

It brings up the probate record. It mentions “with will” in brackets.

 

Where the Will is? No idea.

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I also get an error message from the link, so on the error screen click on "Search", change to 1858 to 1996 & enter her details.

 

The will & admin will arrive by email so saves scanning !

 

When I started family history it was a pleasure looking up wills at Somerset House & walking out with a copy a few hours later.  You even got to walk past the Civil Service Rifles memorial each time. From 2014 older wills are stored somewhere by Iron Mountain on authority of Min of Justice/Probate Service.

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  • 3 years later...

Hi all

Just bumping this again. No luck with a Will but as I do not have full access to some sites I am hoping someone can help

me find out if these two ladies the same or not, was it a clerk writing Rushford instead of Rushforth.

 

Thanking you in anticipation

Peter

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Peter,

Freebmd has Letitia Rushforth’s birth recorded, in 1878. There is no equivalent record for a Letitia Rushford.

Considering the Scottish Women’s Hospital connection, I checked Scotlandspeople. There was a Letitia Rushford born in Buckhaven, Fife, but not until 1932. There were no Letitia Rushforth births.

I have also checked Irish births and there is no-one named either Letitia Rushforth or Rushford.

As rolt968 says above, perhaps there was a transcription error.

Regards,

Alf McM

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Alf

Thanks for trying, I had done the research back in 2019-20 and as I stated hit a brick wall.

I wrote to the Red Cross but no reply as it was during Covid, I will do so again. They may be able to help.

Its frustrating not being able to confirm if they are the same lady.

Peter

 

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I notice that her Letitia's sister Ada served in QAIMS in WW1 and received the Royal Red Cross. On this link you can try to contact the person who has supplied the information by clicking on their name & leaving a message. Perhaps Ada's service was the inspiration for Letitia to join the Red Cross.

https://wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/view.php?uid=248703

 

In 1935/36 Letitia, Ada & their sister Edith are on the electoral rolls at a house called "Dawn", Churchwood Road, Hollington, Hastings. After Edith died in 1935 Letitia & Ada continued to live there before they both passed away on the same day 29th March 1942, being buried in the same grave at Hollington. Both deaths are registered in the Hastings Registration District, with Ada passing at the Buchanan Hospital in the town.

The local papers do not give an explanation for both passing on the same day. It may have been in an accident, but also the Hastings area was subject to many hit & run air raids outside of the main blitz.

There are several  mentions of both sisters in the British Newspaper Archives as they were regular contributors to the local hospital & various appeals.  Also there is a mention of Ada's death & an advertisment from July 1942 when the contents of their house was sold by auction.

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results?basicsearch=ada rushforth&exactsearch=false&county=sussex%2c england&retrievecountrycounts=false&mostspecificlocation=sussex%2c england

Both Ada & Letitia left wills, which I have ordered & I will let you know if there is any mention of medals.

 

Travers

Edited by travers61
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Thank you Travers

Appreciate the time and effort. As you say, odd both passing same date. I had found quite a few newspaper hits back in 2020 of Letitia being an stage actress and also travelling.

 

Peter

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Now have both ladies wills etc.  The Administration for Letitia says she died at the home address.

As Ada was Letitia's sole executor letters of administration for Letitia were granted to Ada's surviving executor, their brother Henry Rushforth, a Timber Merchant of 43 Ashwell Road, Heaton, Bradford. Also mentioned are sisters Emma ?Foster & Annie Read.

Both wills are simple & do not show any individual item such as contents of the house, personal possesions or medals.

 

Travers

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Hi Travers

Many thanks for doing this. 

I really appreciate it.

Still have to keep looking to see if both names relate to the one lady.

Had hoped the Newspaper Archive would come up with more than I found in 2020, but no luck.

Once again Thank you

 

Peter

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