BIRTH
FLORENCE AMELIA GROSE was born on Tuesday 13th November 1855 in Rushen, Isle of Man (most likely at Ballacorkish) and baptised on Wednesday 28th November 1855 at Kirk Rushen.
Florence was the youngest daughter of Mine Captain, Matthew Grose junior (1819-1887) and his first wife, Annie Weston Grose (nee Read) (1818-1868). Matthew Grose did have other daughters with his second wife, Elizabeth (nee Qualtrough/Luff), but Florence was the youngest daughter with Annie.
CHILDHOOD
At the age of five, Florence appeared on the 1861 census, living at Ballacorkish, Rushen with her parents and siblings.
Her father, Matthew Grose was listed as “Lead & Copper Mine Agent” and mother, Annie, an “Agents wife”.
There were also Florence’s siblings, Matthew John (age 17), Emma (age 15), Walter Henry (age 14), Francis (age 8), Clara (age 6), Albert (age 3) and Horace (9 months). Her brother Alfred Matthew has not yet been found on the 1861 census.
In May 1868, when Florence was 12 years old, her mother, Annie, passed away. On 22nd September of the same year, her father, Matthew Grose remarried, a Butler’s widow, Mrs Elizabeth Luff (nee Qualtrough) at Bishopscourt. On the 12th October 1868, two of Florence’s older brothers (Matthew John and Alfred Matthew) were sentenced to two months hard labour for grand larceny (theft) of apples and peaches.
On the 1871 census, Florence was living on Ballakilpatrick Road (more commonly known by the Manx version Ballakilpheric -thanks Robert and Catherine!) as a fourteen year old scholar with her father, Matthew Grose, step-mother, Elizabeth and siblings, Matthew, Clara, Francis, Albert, Horace and half-sister, Beatrice.
A YOUNG WOMAN
By October 1879, Florence was 23 years old and working as a domestic servant.
On Wednesday 21st October 1879, she appeared at the Court of Criminal Inquiry, before His Honour, Deemster Drinkwater, charged with stealing wearing apparel – a cloth jacket, pair of gloves and other articles from 21 year old, Emily Mona Clegg (Clague), who resided with her parents at 9 Christian Road in Douglas.
Deemster William Leece Drinkwater is remembered as a judge whose record was..:
“…one of which any man would have had good reason to be proud. His profound knowledge of both English and Manx law, his common sense and his impeccable impartiality made him almost the perfect judge.”
The Manx Sun newspaper reported Florence’s court case on Saturday 25th October 1879 in a section called ROBBERIES BY SERVANTS (there were many that week – perhaps a common occurrence). Florence Grose pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to three months imprisonment with hard labour in Castle Rushen gaol.
IMPRISONED
Upon her incarceration she was unwell for many weeks
“We who live in prison, and in whose lives there is no event but sorrow, have to measure time by throbs of pain, and the record of bitter moments.”
Oscar Wilde
In 1879, Castle Rushen Gaol was no place for a young, sick woman.
The gov.im website describes how
“Unless prisoners were too ill they were expected to work and produce a set amount each day. Goods produced included mats, matting and scrubbers, stone breaking and oakum picking (picking out fibres from old rope so they could be re-used).”
On 26th February 1879, a writer reported on Castle Rushen Gaol and Manx Police in the Mona’s Herald newspaper …
“It is said there is even a time when the cat takes compassion on the captured mouse, but the law or its officers seem insensible to mercy.”
and continued…
“How little the world cares for the unfortunate waifs and strays.”
In 1900, “History of IOM” described how prior to 1891…
“The only prison was the old Castle Rushen, where it was impossible to adopt the system of solitary confinement in its full extent; and, indeed, it had been palpable for many years past, that the state of things existing there was, from the point of view both of humanity and of the maintenance of proper prison discipline, intolerable.”
DEATH
24 year old Florence Amelia Grose died in Castle Rushen Gaol on Tuesday 16th December 1879.
An inquest was held the following day and the outcome was described in the newspaper on Saturday 20th December 1879.
DEATH IN THE GAOL.—On Tuesday last one of the prisoners, a young woman, died in the Gaol of Castle Rushen. An inquest was held on Wednesday, and from the evidence given it appeared that she had been in a weak state of health when lodged in gaol, and had received constant medical attendance and proper care. A verdict of "Death from natural causes" was returned.
Death from natural causes? Would Florence and others have died if they hadn’t been incarcerated in a prison with INTOLERABLE conditions and gaolers “INSENSIBLE to mercy”?
An article in the Isle of Man Times, the following February questioned the conditions in the Gaol.
It would be satisfactory to know what are the sanitary arrangements of Castle Rushen Gaol and tbe military barracks at Castletown, for although tbe more direct and palpable effects of overcrowding and deficient ventilation may be unrecognisable, there are certain other conditions, perhaps equally grave though not so well pronounced, which should not be overlooked.
The gov.im website describes how…
By the 1880s it was obvious that Castle Rushen was not adequate to house in good conditions the number of prisoners in custody. There was no possibility of separating prisoners and it was very hard to keep order. The first inspection by the chairman of the Commissioners for Prisons in England and Wales took place in 1885. His report recommended that a new prison should be built.
Florence Amelia Grose was buried at Rushen on Thursday 18th December 1879.
“Physical ills are the taxes laid upon this wretched life; some are taxed higher, and some lower, but all pay something.” – Lord Chesterfield
Adventurous Ancestors 