Mabel Bletsoe

[Rozy]

Hello
I am looking for my great-aunt Mabel Bletsoe. She was born in 1884 in Godstone, East Surrey, as "Deaf and Dumb". She has lived in Brighton.
In Sept. 1913, she was 28 years old, she died in the Lewes District.
I would like to know, how i can find out, where she did go to school,
work, did she ever got married ánd why did she died in Lewes District,
far from her family???
Help!

[Jane Masri]

Hi Rozy,
Mabel Bletsoe was born in the Godstone Registration district, Q4 1884 (2a 185)
The 1891 census shows the family living in St. Peter, Brighton.  Father John Bletsoe & mother, Lydia & states that Mabel was born in Caterham Surrey which comes under the Godstone reg. district.  Unfortunately the link from the Ancestry index does not give the correct image page so I can't see the full details.  1901 reveals that the family was living at 49 Lennox St. Brighton & the 1891 image page stops at 46 Lennox St & continues on the next page at 51 Lennox St so houses 47-50 (including the Bletsoe's) are missing.  Anyway, in 1901 Mabel is not with the family although the index shows an NK Bletsoe working as a servant in London, again I can't find her on the image I'm presented with on Ancestry 
As Mabel died Q3 1913 in Lewes reg. district (2b 169) it's clear that she didn't marry.  By getting the death certificate you might find a few more clues, perhaps with the name of the person who registered the death?

jane

[Rozy]

Hi Jane
Thank you for your reply.
It's very strange, that the census says John Bletsoe and Lydia, i came accross
that a few times before. I do know that John William was married to Louisa Berry. Maybe Lydia was his first wife, ór a mistress  . i also know that they lived in 46 ór 49 Lennox Street in Brighton. The NK Bletsoe you found, is Kathleen Norah, Mabel her sister.

[forester]

Hello Rozy,

There is a member of the Sussex Family History who also appears to have an interest in the Bletsoe family and has been trying to track the where-abouts of Mabel in 1901.

Apparently she was in a Deaf Institute in Wales. County of Glamorganshire, Canton St John the Divine. She is transcribed (I assume on Ancestry) as Mabel BLETSON, aged 16, born Caterham.

Phil

[Jane Masri]

Rozy,
I think Lydia & Louisa are the same person as on the 1891 & 1901 census she states she was born Handcross & the age is about the same.
The KN Bletsoe found in 1901 as working as a servant in London is a bit of a mystery as she also appears on the 1901 as living with her parents   I can only assume she was listed with her parents by mistake 
Well done, Phil 
The Institute in Cardiff in 1901 - 26 Romilly Crescent, Canton, Glamorgan (part of west Cardiff) RG13/4985/162/8, does indeed list Mabel (to me it does look like BLETSOE) age 16 born Caterham, Surrey.  The school was run by Elizabeth W. Melville a 72 year old widow born in Scotland.  The school had 18 pupils, so quite small.
I went back to 1891 & found her husband, Alexander Melville age 70 born Carlisle running the school with 28 pupils & Elizabeth listed as the matron.
Doing a little bit more research it would seem that Alexander Melville is in some way related to Alexander Melville BELL & Alexander Graham BELL the pioneer of the telephone but I couldn't find definate connections.

jane

[Rozy]

Hi Phil and Jane
As far as i know, Kathleen Norah ánd my granny Winifred Emily both worked in London. My granny met her husband there. The school you are talking about, was indeed from Alexander Melville. In 1871 his wife Hannah was the Matron, she was deaf from birth. She died in March 1885, before the end of that year Melville (aged 63) married Elizabeth (aged56) born in Brighton. By 1891 she was installed as Matron. Elizabeth was still running the school in 1901. About any relation with A.G. Bell, that is unsure and maybe not true at all. Mr. Melville was a bit of a character

[Rozy]

Hello Phil,

Could you bring me in contact with the member who has a interest in the Bletsoe Family?

[forester]

Hello Rozy,

I'm a member of the Sussex Family History Group, so I'll see if I can get in contact with them.
If you PM me with your email address, I can pass it on direct, if that's OK with you.

Phil 

[Jane Masri]

Hi Rozy,
The possible connection between Alexander Melville & Alexander Graham Bell really piqued my curiosity so I've been researching the matter. The father of Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) was Alexander MELVILLE Bell (1819-1905) who also had an interest in helping the deaf & dumb as too did his father, Alexander Bell (1790-?) so the name Melville & the common interest of elocution & phonetics seems more than just a coincidence.
Alexander Melville was of the same generation as Alexander Graham's father so there could be a connection there.  Anyway I'm going to take it further to see if I can find that relationship, perhaps throwing open the challenge to other Rootschatters 
It occurred to me that Mabel's family were obviously very carring towards Mabel as they had had the foresight to put her in an environment where she could get as much help as was possible in those days to help her deal with her handicap.  Such a shame that she died at such a young age, I wonder if it was an accident that might have been avoided had she not been deaf?

jane