Has anyone come across this lady?

[seaJane]

Hope this attachment has worked!

I have several kind researchers keeping an eye open for this lady whenever they may come across her: because although she is wearing what appears to be a WWI trio (in the wrong order, I am reliably informed) she does not feature in any of the usual medal issue files so far as the researchers have been able to discover. Two of her other medals are the Messina Earthquake medal (1908) and accompanying Italian Red Cross commemorative medal; she appears as Miss E. Maillard in receipt of the former only, in the book "Angels in Blue Jackets".

She is on record as being one of the party sent out with the Indian Army Nursing Service in 1888 after training at Birmingham General Hospital. In 1892 she was serving in Rangoon, and in 1893 at British Honduras where she met and married Will Maillard, surgeon RN. After his death in 1903 she is reputed (I can find no record) to have rejoined the Army Nursing Service, and according to a note on the back of this photograph, was later matron of a hospital in the Gold Coast.

Has anyone ever come across her in a WWI context, or do you have any idea about her WWI trio? Also, what's the medal above the set she is wearing? (the VC on the other side is her husband's).

Shall be really grateful for any thoughts on her ...

[izzy]

cannot help you on the lady but her husband died 10 september 1903 age 40 and is buried in section v-4 wimbourne road cemetery,landsdowne bournmouth perhaps someone with ancestry can pin them down on the 01 census this may give her occupation i hope this is of some use to you . perhaps she is buried with her husband cemetery registers usually give an address of the deceased so perhaps this may add a little more information

[seaJane]

Thanks Izzy - luckily I know all about Will thanks to his being the RN Medical Service's only VC-holder, and me working in the Institute of Naval Medicine as I do (am pleased to say it was at my suggestion that his gravestone was cleaned in 2003).

Edith died in Wimbledon in 1940 (forget the exact date which I have at work) and I believe is buried there.

The 1901 census is a good idea, though; I can't remember whether at that time Will was still in RNH Great Yarmouth (Edith then living in Thames Ditton) or whether by then they had moved to Bournemouth, in which case I think she would have been nursing him.

[izzy]

try the 1940 /41 probate index's if she left a will it might give her place of death also whome she left any money two usually a next of kin and an appeal in local press may turn up some further information.

[seaJane]

try the 1940 /41 probate index's if she left a will it might give her place of death also whome she left any money two usually a next of kin and an appeal in local press may turn up some further information.

Yep, someone in Wimbledon looked that up for me but it's at work which is why I couldn't remember - thanks for the offer though.

There is a distant Maillard cousin 4 times removed in NZ (Will's father's cousin's grandson) but the Beresfords are a mystery.

[Sue Light]

Just a few thoughts on this - some of it supposition!

I've had a look through the census for her. There is no sign of anyone fitting the description of either of the Maillards in 1901, but it's a name that looks as though it could be mis-transcribed. I also checked for suitable Mullards and Mallards, but no luck. I then went backwards to look for likely sightings before that time. I have to admit I haven't spent a lot of time on it, but in 1881 there were two likely Marian Beresfords - I assumed she would be under her original name here (first assumption)

(1881 census) One, born 1856, looked right re age, and was the daughter of an assistant surgeon. This woman was born in Marlborough, Leicestershire, and was living in Norwood, South London in 1881. Her name is given as Marian E. Beresford, and I thought I'd hit the jackpot.

The second, just given as Marian Beresford, and was born about 1867, which I thought would make her much too young for her later exploits. She was born in Edgbaston, the daughter of a 'Manufacturer', mother a music teacher.

(1891 census) Tracing these two women forward, the first does not appear (at least not with a simple search) while the second, less likely contender, becomes more interesting. She was still living with her family in Birmingham, aged 24, and her occupation is given as 'Masseuse'. As nursing training at that time could be of just a year's duration, and rather hit and miss at times, many women did a training in massage - it was the forerunner of today's physiotherapist, and quite respectable. But if this Marian is the right person, then any certificate she had in nursing (as well as the massage) would have been of brief duration, considering her age.

The reference to the Indian Army Nursing Service is hard to interpret - the service was only formed that year (1888), with just nine nurses, so on both age and experience, it seems doubtful if the second Marion could have fulfilled the criteria. Records of service for the IANS are at the British Library, so it is possible it could be confirmed. But there was also the nursing service in India that had been started by Nora, Lady Roberts the previous year (1887), which would had different criteria for acceptance, and of course, lots of women were going to India to work as civilian 'nurses'.

I think the point about her re-joining the IANS (if she even belonged to it in the first place) is difficult. There had always been a maximum age limit of 35 years, and either woman would have been too old in 1903 - and the second woman would still be missing a full 3-year training which was essential by that time. I wonder if with all the moves she made before her marriage, she was working with the Colonial Nursing Services rather than the Indian one in particular.

The medals - as already stated, no medal index card in either name - is it just possible that the trio was someone else's? The photo does look as if it was taken in her later years, and I just wondered if she had 'acquired' British medals, as working as a civilian nurse overseas for anyone other than the British would not necessarily have qualified her for any.

As I said - just a few thoughts

Sue

[royalredcross]

Miss Marian Edith Beresford was one of the original nurses selected to for, the Indian Ar,y Mursing Service. She was selected from the General Hospital Birmingham and sailed for Bombay in the SS Malabar on 22 february 1888. Her address before embarkation is given as St. Bernard's Road, Olton.

As far as I can see, she did only a first term on 5 years with the IANS.

As far as the Messina connection goes, there was a naval nurse M. Beresford who was deployed with HMS Minerva. I have been wondering whether the reason for Mrs Maillard's being in Malta was that she was visiting a sister/relative who was that naval nurse. The connection would explain why he she so readily accepted as an additional civilian nurse.

Keep going, Jane, you'll get the one day. Best wishes. Norman

[seaJane]

Keep going, Jane, you'll get the one day. Best wishes. Norman

Oh hallo Norman! I should have realised we might bump into each other sooner or later

[centurion]

Just a couple of thoughts. She appears to have been a 'daughter of the Empire' and just maybe you can't find her in the census/births records because she was born abroad.

Beresford is a family name that encompasses Admirals and Generals (Charley Beresford Fisher's great rival and one of Wellington's trusted generals was a Beresford) and many other service types. There is a society that specialises in Beresfords that seems to have many records. If you haven't tripped over it yet here's the link

Beresford

[seaJane]

Just a couple of thoughts. She appears to have been a 'daughter of the Empire' and just maybe you can't find her in the census/births records because she was born abroad.

Beresford is a family name that encompasses Admirals and Generals (Charley Beresford Fisher's great rival and one of Wellington's trusted generals was a Beresford) and many other service types. There is a society that specialises in Beresfords that seems to have many records. If you haven't tripped over it yet here's the link

Beresford

Thanks Centurion!

And - Sue - sorry, I skipped thanking you. How remiss of me

[seaJane]

There is no sign of anyone fitting the description of either of the Maillards in 1901, but it's a name that looks as though it could be mis-transcribed.

Sue,

Having looked at the Institution records for RNH Great Yarmouth I have a possible explanation for the non-appearance of Will Maillard in the 1901 census. It was a hospital for those with mental disorders, and the patients have all been recorded by initial only, presumably for reasons of privacy. So he might be one of the 3 WMs recorded as resident there when the census was taken.

This does not account for the absence of Edith; but I do know that when Will was discharged (later that year or in 1902, I cannot recall) it was into her care and her address was given as in Thames Ditton. If she was there during his period in Great Yarmouth, maybe she was travelling overnight during the relevant date.

Apologies, this seems to have side-tracked from WWI. I must try the Beresford link and see if anything arises.

[Esskay]

Jane - a very small thing - but if it helps fill in dates - a Mrs M E Maillard (unfortunately no age/profession/status shown) sailed from Liverpool to Sierra Leone on SS Nigeria on 29th July 1904

Cheers

Sue

[seaJane]

Jane - a very small thing - but if it helps fill in dates - a Mrs M E Maillard (unfortunately no age/profession/status shown) sailed from Liverpool to Sierra Leone on SS Nigeria on 29th July 1904

Cheers

Sue

Sue,

How intriguing ... thanks! I wonder if that is where the rumour of her Gold Coast service comes from (if it is she, of course) I will nobble my contact at Liverpool Museums.

[keithfazzani]

This is probably of no use at all but I offer it in case there is a clue. There is a ward in the Kent & Canterbury Hospital in Canterbury called Beresford-Jones - named I believe after a doctor - the hospital was opened in 1937. It is a medical connection and medicine seems to run in families - just a thought.

[Myrtle]

Jane

Marian Edith Maillard was born 25th August 1869 in Armagh, Ireland. Her papers are with the Canadian Archives as she served with Canada during WW1.

Myrtle

[seaJane]

Jane

Marian Edith Maillard was born 25th August 1869 in Armagh, Ireland. Her papers are with the Canadian Archives as she served with Canada during WW1.

Myrtle

Good grief! Thanks for that Myrtle. Just to double check - she was born Marian Edith Beresford? And is it possible to get on to the Canadian archives online?

[Sue Light]

Marian Edith Maillard was born 25th August 1869 in Armagh, Ireland. Her papers are with the Canadian Archives as she served with Canada during WW1.

I don't think this is the same woman - Norman has confirmed that she was went to India in Feb. 1888, already a trained nurse, and I feel sure this would have been impossible for an 18 year-old girl (1869 birth date).

Sue

[centurion]

Training then was months not years as today.

[royalredcross]

That may be so in earlier periods, but the nurses who went to India were a hand picked bunch all of whom would have dpne at least 2 years. I can't see Miss Beresford being accepted by Birmingham General at 16 years of age. Most of them were from Bart's i9ncluding the Lady Superintendent, Catherine Loch who was Bart's trained and had served as Sister Darker for some time.

Norman

[Myrtle]

Just seems to be a bit of a coincidence, having exactly same name. Maybe some mis transcription or deliberate adaptation of dob, but at time of WW1 her attestation paper states "Widow".

Jane

You can see her papers on Canadian Website HERE

Myrtle

[seaJane]

Myrtle, thank you.

Well, there are two factors that point, despite the age discrepancy, to its being the same E.M. Maillard:

1. Have you ever served in any military force? Indian Nursing Service

2. Next of kin: W.D. Maillard, Pembroke, S. Wales - which is the correct location for her mother-in-law, Winifred Dawson Maillard.

I must check, however, as I was under the impression that both older Maillards were dead before 1898. Possibly the word I've always read as 'parents' in one of Will's letters should be 'pater'.

I am indeed puzzled by her youth on being sent out to India, though. Perhaps she wanted to avoid being kept at home in 1915 because of her age, and was actually born earlier?

Also unhelpful that she seems to have used Marian and Edith at random as her preferred forename ...

[Myrtle]

Jane

I believe that the W.D. Maillard mentioned on the WW1 Canadian papers was more likely to be Marian's sister-in-law, who was living in Pembrokeshire with her sister at the time of the 1901 census. The Winifred D. Maillard in Wales at that time was unmarried and 40 years old.

Myrtle

[seaJane]

Jane

I believe that the W.D. Maillard mentioned on the WW1 Canadian papers was more likely to be Marian's sister-in-law, who was living in Pembrokeshire with her sister at the time of the 1901 census. The Winifred D. Maillard in Wales at that time was unmarried and 40 years old.

Myrtle

Thank you Myrtle. I really must learn to double-check these things! For Will's older sister to be named after her mother is again not improbable. I haven't come across her before but she may be hidden behind a nickname in one of his letters - Elizabeth (the younger sister in the 1901 census) I can vouch for. This also makes me wonder what his brother Jonas did during the War ...

[seaJane]

Well. Here's something.

BMD England & Wales,Death Index 1837-1983 1940 Q3,Jul/Aug/Sep.

Maillard,Marian E. Age 84 Surrey N.E. Volume 2a,Page 135.

Died in 1940 aged 84 would mean she was born in 1856. This matches Sue's retrieval from the 1881 census:

"One, born 1856, looked right re age, and was the daughter of an assistant surgeon. This woman was born in Marlborough, Leicestershire, and was living in Norwood, South London in 1881. Her name is given as Marian E. Beresford" [and she would have been 32 on sailing to Bombay].

But it leaves me wondering why Myrtle's 1915 find, M.E. Maillard widow, born 1869 in Armagh, Ireland [therefore 18 on sailing to Bombay], has two pointers in her papers to the Maillard family in Pembroke into which M.E. Beresford married.

[Myrtle]

Interesting !

I suppose If she changed her date of birth to appear younger on signing up for service in Canada she could have also changed her place of birth?

Myrtle