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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Sussex => Topic started by: manui on Thursday 02 June 05 17:33 BST (UK)
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Not sure where to ask these question, or of whom. The reason for starting on the Sussex board will emerge a few lines down.
A Monsieur Andre Chaussedent came to England in 1905, initially on a six-months contract but he stayed here the rest of his life.
Would Andre have been expected to enlist in the armed services, either in England or in France, in WW1?
He married an English woman (1908) and seems to have worked from London up to the second world war. However, his young wife died in July 1916 in Brighton.
I would like to understand why Ada died in Brighton. Did some people move out of London because of the war?
Or did people sometimes go to Brighton from London in this era if they were in poor health?
The causes of death were given as (1) septic endocarditis and (2) pneumonia. I have been told that septic endocarditis was commonly a result of rheumatic fever, a disease that was widespread in the 19th century but which often occurs in times of war, too. She could have been in poor health for some time.
Ada died at 6 St Peter's Place, Brighton, but a London (Kilburn) address was given on the death certificate for Andre.
Should I expect to find that Ada was buried in Brighton?
Any leads on these queries would be useful as I haven't managed to make contact with anyone from Ada's family. Andre's grand-daughter (in France) thought that her grandmother had died in the Spanish flu epidemic, but that, of course, was two years later.
Manui
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Hi Manui,
I'm no expert on this, but it might help if you knew Ada's maiden name, because she might have had family in Brighton, that being the reason why she, perhaps in poor health, went there and subsequently died there. Perhaps her husband was not in a position to look after her? I would think it's very likely that Ada was buried in Brighton. another thought, who registered the death?
Jane
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Ada was born Ada Howe, daughter of Arthur Wm Howe and Ada J Simmons.
In 1901, the family had been living in Kensington for six years or so, having moved there from Kilburn.
I suppose the fifteen years in between 1901 and Ada's death gives plenty of time for a house move - perhaps I had better start trawling through the deaths index for her parents, or for other family bmds.
Andre was 'present at the death' and registered the event himself. Their daughter was in France at the time, having been staying with her grandparents when war broke out, and everyone was afraid that, if she returned to England, the boat she was on might be torpedoed. By the time her mother had died, she was settled in France and it was easier for her to stay there than to return to live in Britain with her widowed father.
Thanks for the help. Any other suggestions welcome.
Manui
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Manui - just had a Google :D and found this
www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/military_hospitals_history2.
The French Convalescent Home, Brighton ;D
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Manui,
It might help to build a profile of the Howe family. To start, I found the marriage of Ada's parents on Free BMD ,
Arthur William Howe married Ada Simmons, Paddington March quarter 1888 (1a 39) so looks like they were a London-based family. Try & see if you can find them in the 1891 census. Meanwhile it looks like Suey has found something useful,
jane
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Thanks for those.
I am fairly confident I have picked up the right family members in the 1901 Census - I did it when you could 'hover' and get useful ID numbers, although I forgot to check those details when I was paying to view. So, I have various family members I could follow up.
A French hospital in Brighton is an interesting development - perhaps it was mainly for war casualties, but I know there was a French hospital in London for a long time . . .
Have to go out now, but I'll be looking up the hospital idea and then off to the Library again when I can get time.
Thanks,
Manui
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My name is Jerome chaussedent. I'm looking for relatives with the same last name and I found your comment on André Chaussedent. I would be interested in any information about him and his family.
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Re Monsieur Andre Chaussedent:
I am not aware that Andre had any brothers or sisters. He was not one of my relatives but I know is that he was born in Chomerac in Ardeche c1882, to Laurent Chaussedent (who worked as a railway clerk) and Clarisse, but Clarisse died early on and Laurent then married a lady called Constance. This couple were probably still alive at the end of WW2, I think living in Paris where they might have been for half a century or more. Andre's daughter was brought up by her grandparents in France and, I think, died in the 1990s.
Manui
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Manui,
I have just had a look at the 1915 Kelley's Directory, p150
http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/d.asp
Number 6 St Peters Place was in the center of town and is shown as the home of Charles R Murray. The French convalescent home is to the east of Brighton, just behind where the modern marina is.
Many people did come to the south coast resorts to recover from some illnesses, especially if their condition was aggravated by the London smog.
Hope this is of use
Rod
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Rod,
Thankyou. All bits of info such as you've provided are of use, even though it might take me a while to find out what that use is! I see that there was a 'Refuge' next door - could it have been a case of overspill? Who did a 'refuge' cater for in those days?
That website is one I hadn't come across before - I'll make sure I use it during the next two and a half years that it is available.
And I'll keep Charles J Murray in mind, as he could well have been there still the following year.
Manui
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According to the Encyclopedia of Brighton, the French Convalescent Home was designed for the French Government and opened in 1896 to give accomodation to poor and aged Frenchmen and women in Britain. It was connected with the French Hospital in Shaftesbury Avenue in London and was run by the Sisters of St Paul of Chartres
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Interesting info, thankyou. I don't know what Andre was actually doing during the war. He came here, I think, as an interior designer and he was certainly making success for himself in that career in the 1920s. Wartime might have put considerable restraint on his income and therefore put him into a 'poor' category. I suppose war-time rules might also have been different. However, St Peters Place was apparently not all that near to the French Hospital, so it might not be relevant.
Incidentally. does anyone know what a French national in his early thirties would have done during WW1? Would he have been expected to return home to enlist? Would he have been able to enlist here? I have a faded photo of someone in uniform - could have been Andre, but I'm not at all sure.
Also, can anyone tell me what restrictions there would have been on French and Belgian nationals during WW2?
Andre and his Belgian partner suddenly moved from London to Lincolnshire in September 1939 and seem to have had some restrictions on where they could go (info from Aliens Registration Card). Would they have been required to leave London and go to a designated rural area even though they were from allied countries?
Again, any further thoughts on these issues appreciated.
Manui
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Two ideas:
Could Ada have been working at the French hospital because of her (I'm making an assumption) ability to speak French? Of course, the hospital could be a red herring.
My mother suffered from rheumatic fever as a child during WW2. She had to spend long periods lying out in the sunshine (drinking milk). Perhaps Ada went to Brighton to convalesce.
Deborah
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Hi Jerome.
I don't know why I haven't seen your message earlier, but I hope you see this.
Andre Chaussedent came to work in England in 1905, initially only for 6 months, but he stayed for the rest of his life. He worked as an interior designer, and was of some repute.
If you get back to me, I will tell you more.
Manui
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Must add here, my family also went from the Kilburn area to Brighton. At this time Brighton and other places along the south coast (Bournemouth being another "in" place") was seen as on of THE places to move to for aspiring Londoners.
My g/grandfather moved to Brighton with his spinster daughter after his wife had died in 1904. And right up to his death in 1930, his family regularly went down to Brighton to visit and stay (in times of family upsets).