JANE EADES

Subject Name :  Jane Eades (Edes, Ede) (b ca 1851 – d 1907)

Researcher :  Heather Turner

Born with learning difficulties at a time when these conditions were misunderstood, Jane Eades was labelled an ‘imbecile’ and ‘idiot from birth’. Whilst these terms sound cruel today, they were medically acceptable at the time when diagnosing certain learning difficulties and were not intended to be offensive. She had a caring and stable home with her parents until her mother died. Not long afterwards, Jane was admitted to the Guildford Union workhouse where she spent at least the last 25 years of her life.

Jane’s parents were possibly Henry Eades and Caroline Finch who were married in the church of St Philip, Clerkenwell on 26th January 1850 i. Why they were in Clerkenwell is not known as they were both born in the Guildford area, Henry at Stoke, Guildford, Surrey and Caroline at Worplesden, Surrey ii. The following year, on the 1851 Census they were living in Joseph’s Lane, Stoke Next Guildford, with Caroline’s mother Martha and a niece also called Martha, aged 2 ii. Henry’s occupation was recorded as a gardener. It is likely that Caroline was just pregnant with their daughter Jane when the census was taken, as on the 14th September the same year, Jane was baptised at St John the Evangelist, the parish church of Stoke Next Guildford iii. However, there is no record of a Jane Eades having been born to a woman with the maiden name of Finch on the General Register website anywhere in the country for that year.

Ten years later, Jane, age 9, was living with her parents, still in Josephs Lane, Stoke iv. Henry’s occupation was still recorded as a gardener. Neither Caroline’s mother or niece Martha was with them, but another niece, Emily Finch, 16, was noted.  Martha Senior had died in 1859, and was buried at St John the Evangelist v. It appears that Henry and Caroline didn’t have any other children as none were recorded on the 1861 census and there is no record of any more births or baptisms for the couple, so this lack of information possibly adds weight to the uncertainty of Jane’s parentage.

On the 1871 census Jane, 19, was still living with her gardener father Henry in Joseph’s Lane, but she now had a step-mother, Ann vi.  Sadly Jane’s mother Caroline had died in 1869, age 4, her burial being at St John the Evangelist, Stoke Next Guildford on March 13th vii. Henry had married widow Ann Combes, formerly Nash, on 7th October 1869 in Godalming, Surrey viii.

Unfortunately, this marriage was short-lived as Ann died at the age of 56 just over five years later. She was buried in the Nightingale Cemetery, Godalming, Surrey on 29th April 1875 ix.

Henry soon found another wife as he appears to marry spinster Sarah Atfield in the parish church of St Nicholas, Thames Ditton on December 29th of the same year x. His marriage certificate stated his occupation as ‘Gentleman’ and not gardener, most likely wrong as he was a gardener on all other Censuses.

It is not known where Jane was during this turbulent period of family life but by the 1881 Census she was an inmate in the Guildford Union workhouse xi. The census record cruelly noted her as an ‘idiot from birth’ and having ‘no occupation’. This was the first time she was recorded on a Census as having a mental health condition. Undoubtedly her family had not wished this to be noted on previous records because of the stigma attached at that time. Unfortunately, as the records for the workhouse no longer exist, it is not known when or why she was admitted.

Jane remained in the workhouse for over 25 years despite her father and his third wife Sarah continuing to live in the area xii, xiii. Early in 1907, both Jane and her father died within weeks of each other xiv, xv. Jane, 55, was buried on April 18th in West Clandon, Surrey but the whereabouts of her father’s resting place is not known xvi.

March 2023

References

  1. Henry Eades and Caroline Finch – 26 Jan 1850 Marriage, London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P76/PHI/010. Ancestry.co.uk
  2. Henry and Caroline Eades, Martha Finch (mother), Martha Finch (niece) – 1851 England Census; Civil Parish: Stoke next Guildford; Registration District: Guildford; County: Surrey; Class: HO107; Piece: 1594; Folio: 463; Page: 70. Ancestry.co.uk
  3. Jane Ede – 14 Sep 1851 Baptism, Surrey History Centre; Woking, Surrey, England; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Stoke next Guildford, St John the Evangelist; Reference STK/1/5. Ancestry.co.uk
  4. Henry and Caroline Eades and Jane Edes, Emily Finch (niece) – 1861 England Census; Civil Parish: Stoke; Registration District: Guildford; County: Surrey; Class: RG 9; Piece: 427; Folio: 21; Page: 33. Ancestry.co.uk
  5. Martha Finch – 18 Mar 1859 Burial, Surrey History Centre; Woking, Surrey, England; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Stoke next Guildford, St John the Evangelist; Reference: STK/1/5. Ancestry.co.uk
  6. Henry, Ann and Jane Eades – 1871 England Census; Civil Parish: Stoke next Guildford, Registration District: Guildford; County: Surrey; Class: RG10; Piece: 811; Folio: 4; Page: 1. Ancestry.co.uk
  7. Caroline Eades – 13 Mar 1869 Burial, Surrey History Centre; Woking, Surrey, England; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Stoke next Guildford, St John the Evangelist; Reference STK/1/5. Ancestry.co.uk
  8. Henry Eades and Ann Combes – 14 Jul 1869 Marriage Surrey History Centre; Woking, Surrey, England; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Godalming, St Peter and St Paul; Reference Number: GOD/2/5. Ancestry.co.uk
  9. Ann Eads – 29 Apr 1875 Burial Find a Grave ®; National Burial Index for England & Wales; Nightingale Cemetery, Godalming, Surrey. FindMyPast.co.uk
  10. Henry Eades and Sarah Atfield – 29 Dec 1875 Marriage Surrey History Centre; Woking, Surrey, England; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Thames Ditton, St Nicholas; Reference Number: 2568/1/10. Ancestry.co.uk
  11. Jane Eades – 1881 England Census Enumeration District: Guildford Union Workhouse, Stoke Next Guildford. Civil Parish: Stoke; Registration District: Guildford; County: Surrey; Class: RG11; Piece: 778; Folio:95; Page 11. Ancestry.co.uk
  12. Jane Eades – 1891 England Census Enumeration District: The Workhouse; Civil Parish: Stoke; Registration District: Guildford; County: Surrey; Class: RG12; Piece: 560; Folio: 203; Page: 9. Ancestry.co.uk
    Jane Ede – 1901 England Census Enumeration District: Guildford Union Workhouse; Civil Parish: Stoke next Guildford; Registration District: Guildford; County: Surrey; Class: RG13; Piece: 605; Folio; 63; Page: 2. Ancestry.co.uk
  13. Henry and Sarah Eades – 1881 England Census Street Address: Shackleford; Civil Parish: Woking; Registration District: Guildford; County: Surrey; Class: RG11; Piece: 772; Folio: 71; Page:15. Ancestry.co.uk
    Henry and Sarah Eades – 1891 England Census; Civil Parish: Stoke; Registration District: Guildford; County: Surrey; Class: RG12; Piece; 559; Folio: 116; Page: 11. Ancestry.co.uk
    Henry and Sarah Eades – 1901 England Census Ecclesiastical Parish: St Mary; Town: Guildford; Registration District: Guildford; County: Surrey; Class: RG13; Piece: 604; Folio: 32; Page: 20. Ancestry.co.uk
  14. Henry Ede – 1907 Jan-Mar England & Wales Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915; General Register Office; Death Registration Place: Guildford, Surrey; Volume: 2a; Page: 85. Ancestry.co.uk
  15. Jane Eades – 1907 Apr-Jun England & Wales Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915; General Register Office; Death Registration Place: Guildford, Surrey; Volume: 2a; Page: 69. Ancestry.co.uk
  16. Jane Eades – 18 Apr 1907 Burial Surrey History Centre; Woking, Surrey; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; West Clandon, St Peter & St Paul; Reference Number: CLW/4/1. Ancestry.co.uk