The local parish registers have proved extremely useful in attempting to locate additional information about members of staff at Moss Side hospital. Keith Larkin, a volunteer on this project, spent a great deal of time searching the records and found the information below in the registers.
Charles Biglowe, born 1879 in Liverpool, married Florence Ellen Trow in March 1914 at St. Lawrence`s Church, Kirkdale, and died in Liverpool in 1943. A staff member at Moss Side for 49 days. Keith located Army/Militia, Marriage, and Merchant Marine records. [Florence was then a witness to the marriage of Charles brother Alfred, a month later].
Arthur Botwright, born 1889, married Lizzie Murray Clerkin in 1916 at St. Andrews, Maghull. Both then residing and working at Moss Side. Keith located their Marriage record. Born in County Antrim, Lizzy [Elizabeth] had previously worked in an Asylum in Thurstonland, West Yorkshire
Gertrude Read Champion, born 1890, and Baptised at St. Cleops, Toxteth. Worked as a Maid for three weeks at Moss Side in 1915. Keith located her Baptism record.
Albert James Cobham, born 1896 in Lydiate and Baptised in Maghull. A General Porter while at Moss Side, he was killed in action in 1918 in France.
Robert Victor Crockett [Not Victor Arthur], born 1884 in Edmonton. Married Ada Cowland in 1910 and had a daughter, Ada Margaret born in 1916 baptised in St. Andrews, where he is described as a Sergeant Major in the RAMC. Mentioned in the London Gazette of 04/05/15, along with Charge Nurse Emily Harlow and Nurse Ellen Nichols. In 1939 was Head Attendant at Calderstones Asylum, Clitheroe.
Matron, Helen Reeve Cooper, and husband James Woodman Astley Cooper, Assistant AMO married in Norfolk. However she was originally from Swinton, and daughter of a Surgeon. Keith located her Birth and Marriage Banns. [See also Ormskirk Advertiser of February 1917 where it appears Dr. Coopers Christian name has been misspelled].
Freda Louise Cornelius, born 1892 in West Derby. Keith was unable to find anything from Parish Records, however her Estate was granted Probate on the 28th July 1976 in Liverpool leaving over £100,000.
Henry Newman Crane, born 1886 and Baptised at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Toxteth. Married Mary louisa Costello in Birkenhead 1918. This is likely to be the M l Costello that was a Nurse at Moss Side in 1915. Henry listed as an Electrical Fitter on the 1911 census living in Southport Rd. Scarisbrick.
Lena Price Halstead, born 1896 in Burnley. Worked at Moss Side in 1915 as a Nurse, and was still in the profession in 1939 as a Radiographer at Chester Royal Infirmary.
Aubrey Ernest Haughins, born and married in Newton Abbott. Keith was unable to find anything from Parish Recrods, though his army service records show he was working at Moss Side when enlisting, and spent the war there as a member of the Royal Army Medical Corp. He then moved to Rampton in 1925.
Alfred Thomas Hedges, born 1888 in Oxford and married in Aintree. Storekeeper at Moss Side before joining the Royal Artillery in 1916, and resuming duties at Moss Side after the War.
Walter Henretty [not Hennerty], born 1891 in Maghull. Keith located Baptism records and 1911 census, which has a hand written note, stating that Walter and family lived in the lodge attached to the institution. Walter joined the Loyal North Lancs Regiment and was killed in France 30/11/17, and by then the family address was Burleigh Rd. Everton.
John Thomas Kirby, born 1883 in Maghull. Keith located Baptism records and Marriage records to his first wife. A Probate record from Death in 1948 naming his second wife, and 1911 census was also located.
Annie Maud Lavender, born 1887 in Manchester the daughter of a Gold dealer. Strangely her Baptism record is in a set from 1893 in Manchester. She is listed on the 1911 census as a Hospital Seamstress at Qxford Rd. Hospital, Manchester.
Percy John Watkins Lewis, born 1880 in Shanghai. Joined the RAMC while working at Moss Side, and was discharged from the Army after contracting TB, and died from this on 31st Jan 17. He was buried at Toxteth Park Cemetery.
Charles Foster Liptrott, born 1890 in Maghull. Joined the Royal Garrison Artillery while at Moss Side and survived the war but died in 1924. We assume the Mrs Liptrott listed is his mother Elizabeth [Foster] who married father Richard in 1883.
Nancy Lythgo[e], born 1893 in Lowton near Wigan, worked at a Hospital in Leigh in 1911, and appears to have left Moss Side to marry a few weeks later.
Colin Francis Frederick McDowall, born 1881 in Morpeth. Son of a Scottish Physician and a Danish mother studied at Durham University, where he is named on the Memorial for the first war, becoming a Doctor in 1904. In 1911 he was working in an Asylum in Staffordshire prior to a move to Moss Side. He married in 1918.
Percy James and his brother Aubrey Charles Muscutt, born 1888 and 1891 in Irthlingborough, Northants. Percy was working in an Asylum in Epsom prior to Moss Side and both brothers continued to work as Mental Health Nurses until at least 1939. Percy in Surrey after his Army service, Aubrey at Rampton.
Frances Lillian Neave, born 1893 in Bath. The daughter of Lt/Colonel Charles Alexander Neave OBE, who served in the Royal Artillery before the war, and sister of Alexander Lionel William Neave a Captain in the Indian Army, who was killed in action in 1918 in Palestine. During the war, she held the rank of Lady Dispenser in the East Africa Medical Supply Corp.
Ellen Jane Johnson, born 1875 in Aspull and married Albert Edward Nicholson in Hindley in 1897.
Charles and Bartholomew O`Brian, likely to be the brothers living at Brook Farm, Hall Rd. in 1911.
Tom Hatherley Pear, born 1886 in Norfolk. Was a Lecturer at Manchester University before the War and a Conscientious Objector. After the War, reportedly, he became the first Professor of Psychology in England.
Frederick James Petett, born 1888 in Wandsworth and Baptised with two siblings in 1890 in Wandsworth. He was still a registered Mental Health Nurse in the 1930’s.
James Herbert Pooley, born 1886 in Liverpool and Baptised with twin brother Joseph in St. Georges, Everton in January 1887. After dismissal from Moss Side, enlisted in November 1915 and died of apparent suicide in December that year, and is buried in Wimbledon.
Richard Prescott, born 1895 in Maghull, is likely to be the same one living in Turnpike Rd. in 1901 and the School House in 1911.
David Pye, born 1861 in Lydiate. The son of William Pye, who was a landlord of both the Coach and Horses and Weld Blundell Arms. He worked for his father on occasion and was a farm labourer on the 1911 census.
Mary Ida Raban, born 1893 in Northampton. Worked as a Nurse in Northampton Lunatic Asylum prior to moving to Moss Side. Left and returned to Northampton to marry in 1919.
Henry Alexander Rea, born 1874 in Liverpool, was an Attendant prior to joining the Royal Army Medical Corp in 1915. He was discharged shortly before being appointed to Moss Side due to High Myopia.
Lt Ernest Frederick Reeve, born 1876 Croyden. Married Head Nurse Alice Wenham 10/10/18 at St. Andrews the day after she left Moss Side. Margaret Winefred Slaney, Lady Dispenser from the Hospital was a witness. Reeve had earlier been working at Rainhill, and it appears the rank was granted in recognition of his ability.
Daisy Ellen Robbins, born 1892 in Bidford, Warwickshire. Was a Nurse at the Hertfordshire County Asylum, St Albans before moving to Maghull.
Arthur Henry [Not Edward] Rogers, born 1890 and married Alice Cross at St. Andrews 1916. Her father was Landlord of the Red House in Maghull, and she was born there.
William T P Shufflebotham, born 1893 in Stoke on Trent was an Electrical Engineer living in Newton le Willows before his appointment to Moss Side. [See also Ormskirk Advertiser of February 1917 where it appears Dr Coopers Christian name has been misspelled].
Oscar Reginald Terry, born 1892 Solihull. Married Elizabeth Alice Tickle [Lady Clerk at Moss Side Number 450] in November 1916. No Parish records available, but they had six children and can be found on the 1939 register living in Somerset.
Grace Smith Thompson, born 1880 in Coatbridge. Confirmation of 1911 census and 1917 award from the King.
Florence Ethel and Elizabeth Rose White born 1887 and 1886, sisters from Cublington. Their father was a local man and mother from Limavady in Londonderry.
Mabel Paull Williams, born 1894 in Caernarvonshire, a domestic servant on the 1911 census.
Alice Caroline Wisdom, born 1888 in Portsea, was a Nurse at Maghull before moving to London in 1917 and was still registered as a Nurse in 1943.
The details we were able to discover from these records highlights that there were members of staff from all walks of life working at Moss Side hospital. The upcoming blog posts will provide more in-depth biographies of a few of the individuals who worked at Moss Side Military Hospital, including Jimmy Rimmer and Mary Dendy.
Written by Keith Larkin
Edited by Amy Walling, Manchester Metropolitan University
Posted on 18 June 2018 under Moss Side Military Hospital
