Lucy and Alice day

Subject Names :    Lucy Day  (b 1853 – d ?) 
                                Alice Day  (b 1880 – d ?)

Researchers :        Val Pink and Mike Brock

Lucy Day, lucky to be alive after being found heavily pregnant collapsed in a hedge, had to go to court to get financial support for her second daughter Alice.  Lucy went on to successfully raise a family of seven in London with the errant father, but they lost their only son, killed in action in World War 1.

Lucy Day was born on 9th May 1853 with the given first name Jane in the village of Upavon, Wiltshire, the daughter of John and Eliza Day née Perry 1.  Jane spent her childhood in Upavon, on Salisbury Plain, some 10 miles (16km) north of Stonehenge, with her parents and siblings 2, 3, 4. 

When, sometime after the 1871 Census, or why, Jane chose to travel over 60 miles (96km) east to Guildford, is not known, but a newspaper article of July 1878 told the story of ‘Jane Day, domestic servant, Stoke’ being found lying in a hedge, due to give birth 5.  She was taken to the Guildford Union Workhouse where her daughter Lucy was born 6. The baby lived for just four days before passing away from ‘convulsions’ 7.  The newspaper article said that Jane had walked from Aldershot, some ten miles (16km) away, when she was found.

After such a dreadful series of events, did Jane decide to adopt for herself the name of her daughter? 

On daughter Lucy’s birth certificate, ‘Jane Day’ was recorded as a domestic servant living at Strudwick’s Passage, Chertsey Street, Stoke Next Guildford, and it was at number 24 Chertsey Street, on 3rd January 1880, that ‘Lucy Jane Day’, an unmarried domestic servant, gave birth to a second daughter, Alice Elizabeth Nye Harding Day 8.  Later records would show her name as either Lucy, Jane or both, so it does seem that she had adopted her late daughter’s name.  Lucy and Alice became inmates of the Guildford Union Workhouse shortly after Alice was born.

Once again, no father was named on the birth certificate but in October, James Harding, a butcher of Godalming, aged about 22, was summoned by ‘Lucy Day’ as Alice’s father 9, 10.  Lucy had been in service for James’ father at the Harding family home in Chertsey Street, saying that James had ‘frequently promised her marriage’ 11.  The hearing decided that James should pay Lucy 2 shillings (£0.10) per week. 

Lucy and Alice were in the Workhouse at the time of the 1881 Census, but this was not to last much longer 12.  James’ ‘frequent promise’ appeared to come true when he set up home with Lucy and Alice at 402 York Road (now known as York Way), Islington, close to King’s Cross Station.

Although no actual marriage record has been found, when Lucy gave birth to a third daughter, Annie Eliza Harding in May 1882, the birth certificate gave the mother as ‘Jane Harding, formerly Day’  13, 14.  James, no longer a butcher, was a ‘carman’ (a driver of a horse-drawn delivery vehicle).  

The family had moved around the corner to Torriano Avenue, St Pancras when Eleanor Maud was born in 1884, followed by Grace Lilian in 1886 15, 16.

The family made another very short move to Charlton King’s Road, where Ethel Louise was born in 1889 17. She passed away the following year 18.

The 1891 Census showed the family in Charlton King’s Road 19.  Lucy’s husband James was now a gardener, having been a greengrocer, groom and labourer in the previous few years.  With them were daughters Alice (10), Fanny (8) and Grace (4).  Eleanor Maud was with her maternal grandparents in Upavon 20.  Lucy and James’ only son Percy Tom arrived later in 1891, and Mabel Elsie their final child in 1894 21, 22.  

In 1901, Lucy and James, working as a carman again, were at home in St Pancras with Grace, Percy and Elsie 23.   Eleanor Maud was still living with relatives in Upavon, but she passed away in a Wiltshire hospital in 1907 with her mother ‘Lucy Jane Harding’ present at the death 24, 25.

Ten years later, James was a ‘motor car greaser’, and Lucy a ‘housekeeper’ looking after their two youngest children, Percy and Elsie 26.   Lucy and James’ daughter Alice, who was not with them on the 1901 Census, was mistakenly included on this 1911 Census as ‘Alice Harding 31 married’ before being crossed out – her sisters Fanny and Grace had similarly been incorrectly included.  However, no marriage has been traced for Alice, so her new name and therefore details of her later life have remained undiscovered.

After World War I broke out in 1914, Lucy and James’ only son Percy joined the 2nd Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry 27, 28. He was killed in action in Salonika, Greece, in December 1916, aged 25.

Lucy’s husband James passed away at home at 40 Charlton King’s Road in January 1920 from cancer, aged 61 29.  At the time of his death, he was a ‘milk company’s carman’.  Lucy remained at home but was alone apart from a lodger at the time of the 1921 Census 30.  However, her daughter Grace Wilson was living just a few doors down at number 24 with her second husband Harold and five children 31.

Lucy continued to live at 40 Charlton King’s Road.  The 1939 Electoral Roll was the last time Lucy was shown at this address, and is the last record found for her 32.  The Register later that year listed her daughter Grace and husband at 22 Charlton King’s Road, and number 40 had a family living there 33, 34.

No further record has been traced for Lucy/Jane Day Harding since that time, so, like her daughter Alice, their ultimate fates have remained a mystery.

 

January 2021, updated February 2025

Spike Lives is a Heritage project that chronicles the lives of inmates, staff and the Board of Guardians of the Guildford Union Workhouse at the time of the 1881 Census.  The Spike Heritage Museum in Guildford offers guided tours which present a unique opportunity to discover what life was like in the Casual/Vagrant ward of a Workhouse. More information can be found here

References

Note: the source is Ancestry.co.uk unless otherwise specified

  1. Jane Day 9 May 1853 England & Wales Civil Registration Birth Index; Pewsey, Wiltshire; volume 5A; page 164 Digital copy from Government Register Office GRO.gov.uk
  2. Fanny Day GRO Apr-May-Jun 1840; volume 8; page 377; 13 Sep 1840 Baptism; 18 Apr 1848 Burial
    Ann Day GRO Jan-Feb-Mar 1842; volume 8; page 39519 May 1842 Baptism
    Alice Day GRO Oct-Nov-Dec 1844; volume 8; page 390; 6 Apr 1845 Baptism
    Elizabeth Day GRO Oct-Nov-Dec 1847; volume 8; page 336; 11 Jan 1852 Baptism;  25 Aug 1855 Burial
    Fanny Day GRO Jul-Aug-Sep 1850; volume 8; page 418; 11 Jan 1852 Baptism
    Jane Day GRO Jan-Feb-Mar 1853; volume 5A; page 164; 5 Dec 1858 Baptism
    Mary Day GRO Jan-Feb-Mar 1856; volume 5A; page 15; 25 Dec 1858 Baptism
    John William Thomas Day GRO Oct-Nov-Dec 1858; volume 5A; page 149; 5 Dec 1858 Baptism
    Elizabeth Day GRO Jul-Aug-Sep 1862; volume 5A; page 156; 25 Jan 1863 Baptism;
    England & Wales Civil Registration Birth Index; Pewsey, Wiltshire; Government Register Office GRO.gov.uk
    Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, Chippenham; Wiltshire Church of England Parish Registers; Upavon; reference 2182/1 (baptisms) and 2182/3 (burials)
  3. John, Eliza, Alice, Fanny, Jane, Mary, Thomas Day 1861 England Census for Upavon, Wiltshire; Class: RG9; Piece: 1307; Folio: 56; Page: 3; GSU roll: 542793
  4. John, Eliza, Fanny, Jane, Mary, Thomas, Elizabeth Day 1871 England Census for Upavon, Wiltshire; Class: RG10; Piece: 1938; Folio: 8; Page: 8; GSU roll: 830877
  5. A Roadside Incident 20 Jul 1878 The Surrey Advertiser and County Times; page 5 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  6. Lucy Day 15 sic Jul 1878 England & Wales Civil Registration Birth Index; Guildford, Surrey; volume 2A; page 77 Digital copy from Government Register Office GRO.gov.uk
    Lucy Day 14 July 1878 Birth Surrey History Centre, Woking; Guildford Union Workhouse Births, 1866-1936; reference SHC BG6/37/1 Surrey.cc.gov.uk
  7. Lucy Day 17 Jul 1878 England & Wales Civil Registration Death Index; Guildford, Surrey; volume 2A; page 46 Digital copy from Government Register Office GRO.gov.uk
  8. Alice Elizabeth Nye Harding Day 3 Jan 1880 England & Wales Civil Registration Birth Index; Guildford, Surrey; volume 2A; page 77 Digital copy from Government Register Office GRO.gov.uk
  9. James Harding 30 Oct 1880 Affiliation; County Petty Sessions; The Surrey Gazette and West Surrey Times; page 6 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  10. James Nye Harding 1858, Oct-Nov-Dec England & Wales Civil Registration Birth Index; Guildford, Surrey; volume 2A; page 49
    James Nye Harding 14 Nov 1858 Baptism Surrey History Centre, Woking; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Stoke Next Guildford, St John the Evangelist; reference STK/4/2
  11. John, Frances S, William, Albert, James, Henry E, Harding 1871 England Census for Chertsey St, Stoke Next Guildford, Surrey; Class: RG10; Piece: 811; Folio: 30; Page: 8; GSU roll: 838696
  12. Lucy, Alice Day 1881 England Census for Guildford Union Workhouse, Stoke Next Guildford, Surrey; Class: RG11; Piece: 778; Folio: 93; Page: 8; GSU roll: 1341183
  13. Annie Eliza Harding 30 May 1882 England & Wales Civil Registration Birth Index; Islington, London; volume 1B; page 194 Digital copy from Government Register Office GRO.gov.uk
  14. Annie Eliza Harding 9 Jul 1882 Baptism; 30 May 1882 Birth London Metropolitan Archives; London Church of England Parish Registers; St Luke, West Holloway, Islington; reference P83/Luk/004
  15. Eleanor Maud Harding 9 Mar 1884 Baptism; 21 Jan 1884 Birth London Metropolitan Archives; London Church of England Parish Registers; St Luke, West Holloway, Islington; reference P83/Luk/004
  16. Grace Lilian Harding 23 Jan 1887 Baptism; 12 Dec 1886 Birth London Metropolitan Archives; London Church of England Parish Registers; St Luke, Oseney Crescent, Camden; reference P90/Luk/001
  17. Ethel Louise Harding 17 Apr 1889 Baptism; London Metropolitan Archives; London Non-Conformist Registers; Camden Road United Reformed Church; reference LMA/4335/A/002
  18. Ethel Louise Harding Apr-May-Jun 1890 England & Wales Civil Registration Death Index; Pancras, London; volume 1B; page 83
    Ethel Louise Harding 14 Apr 1890 Burial; Camden Deceasedonline.com / Ancestry.co.uk
  19. James, Lucy, Alice, Fanny, Grace Harding 1891 England Census for 18 Charlton Kings Rd, St Pancras, London; Class: RG12; Piece: 140; Folio: 52; Page: 35; GSU roll: 6095250
  20. John, Eliza, Fanny, Mary, Tom, James M Day; Maude Harding 1891 England Census for Upavon Village, Wiltshire; Class: RG12; Piece: 1612; Folio: 48; Page: 12; GSU roll: 6096722
  21. Percy Tom Harding Oct-Nov-Dec 1891 England & Wales Civil Registration Birth Index; Pancras, London; volume 1B; page 115
  22. Mabel Elsie Harding Apr-May-Jun 1894 England & Wales Civil Registration Birth Index; Pancras, London; volume 1B; page 127
  23. James, Lucy, Grace, Percy, Elsie Harding 1901 England Census for 16 Torriano Mews, St Pancras, London; Class: RG13; Piece: 157; Folio: 158; Page: 59
  24. Thomas, Fanny Day; Maud Harding 1901 England Census for Upavon, Wiltshire; Class: RG13; Piece: 1946; Folio: 48; Page: 8
  25. Eleanor Maud Harding 12 Sep 1907 England & Wales Civil Registration Death Index; Marlborough, Wiltshire; volume 5A; page 46 Digital copy from Government Register Office GRO.gov.uk
  26. James, Lucy, Percy, Elsie Harding (Alice, Fanny, Grace Harding crossed out) 1911 England Census for 16 Torriano Mews, St Pancras, London; Class: RG13; Piece: 157; Folio: 158; Page: 59
  27. Percy Tom Harding 7 Dec 1916 Death Western Front Association; London; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; references 739/11pp and 090/0408/Har-Har
  28. Percy Tom Harding Commonwealth War Graves Commission, London; British Commonwealth War Graves Registers, 1914-1918; Mikra British Cemetery, Salonika, Greece
  29. James Nye Harding 8 Jan 1920 England & Wales Civil Registration Death Index; St Pancras, London; volume 1B; page 142 Digital copy from Government Register Office GRO.gov.uk
  30. Lucy Harding 1921 England Census for 40 Charlton Kings Road, St Pancras, London; Reference: RG15/821; ED 36; Sch 557; Book 00821
  31. Harold, Grace Lilian, Harold James Wilson; Frederick, Lilian Audrey Phills, Elsie Louise, Doris Maud Smith, 1921 England Census for 24 Charlton Kings Road, St Pancras, London; Reference: RG15/821; Enumeration District 36; Schedule 538; Book 00821
  32. Lucy Harding 1939 Electoral Roll for 40 Charlton King’s Road, St Pancras North, Camden; London Metropolitan Archives
  33. Harold, Grace L, James, Alfred E, + 1 redacted Wilson 1939 England Census for 22 Charlton Kings Road, St Pancras, London; Reference: RG101/495J; Enumeration District ASTN; Schedule 198
  34. Fred, Ada E, Jean B, + 2 redacted Staddon 1939 England Census for 40 Charlton Kings Road, St Pancras, London; Reference: RG101/495J; Enumeration District ASTN; Schedule 216