Ada May Youell
Anyone who may have the surname, Youell, in their family history will perhaps know how much of a nightmare it can be researching the name. Mistranscriptions I have found include; Yonnell, Zonell, Yowell to name a few.
Ada May Youell 29 May 1875 – 27 Feb 1951, was my Great Grandmother’s youngest sister, the youngest child of Edward Youell, carpenter/joiner and Ann(ie) Brown.
Ada was born in Camberwell on the 29th May 1875
The1881 census showa Ada living with her parents and siblings, Edward, Edith, Eliza, Jane and Gertrude at 53 Trafalgar Rd, Camberwell.
By the 1891 census, the household has changed. In the same year as the 1881 census was taken, on the 2nd August at St Thomas’ Hospital, Annie died. On Christmas Day 1883, Edward married Mary Ann Davis, who gave birth to Ethel Mary in 1884. On the census return, still living at 53 Trafalgar Rd. Mary, Ethel and a 16 year old Ada are all at home but Edward is a patient in St Thomas’ Hospital.
There are no documents to suggest when Ada may have left home but in the 1901 census she is with the Emery family in Dorking, working as a Maternity Nurse. This is the first indication of Ada’s nursing career. Although there are many indications of her long nursing career documented, she does not appear on the Nursing Register, but cites herself as a ‘professional’ nurse on the 1939 register.
Despite extensive searches I have been unable to find Ada on the 1911 census. One reason suggested is that she may have been a suffragette, some of whom refused to complete the 1911 document, whilst others spoilt or made political comments on their forms. Another possibility was that she was out of the country, although I have not found any evidence of travel overseas on passenger lists etc. Or of course I could be another document that has been mistranscribed.
However using newspaper articles I believe that I have been able to follow Ada’s nursing career.
The first possible mention may: 28 Jul 1900 Greys & Tilbury Gazette
ORSETT BOARD OF GUARDIANS
EXTRAORDINARY COURSE TAKEN AS TO THE APPOINTMENT OF MR BIDDELLS SUCCESSOR - Miss ADA YOUELL , assistant nurse resigned her position and it was decided to advertise for her successor.
As previously shown Ada was working as a Maternity Nurse at the home of Nelson Emery in 1901, so it possible that the Orsett mention may have been her.
2 newspaper reports in 1904 and 1905 report on Market Harborough Nursing Association. In both cases 2 district nurses for the area are reported as Nurse Tyrrell and Nurse Youell.
1915 Leamington Spa Chronicle 1st Jan: Report on the funeral of Rebecca Thomas Hughes died 23rd Dec 1914 age 58 yrs of Kenilworth. Nurse Youell noted within list of mourners.
1916 Coventry Standard 7th July: Funeral of Mr John Foster of The Cedars Kenilworth. Amongst mourners, Nurse Youell and Nurse Priest
1919 Leamington Spa Courier 27th Jun: Funeral of Dr Crowse of Kenilworth. Amongst chief mourners, a detachment of nurses and orderlies from the Kenilworth V. A. Hospital, Nurse Youell
1928 Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 6th Jul: Mr George Radley farmer of High Bray at Brayford and High Bray, late of Ebberley Lawn, Barnstaple. Sympathisers include Nurse Casey and Nurse Youell
1938 North Devon Journal 18th Aug: Mrs Christine Ffinch of Torrs Park, Ilfracombe. Sympathisers include Nurse Youell.
So why did I believe that these mentions of a ‘Nurse Youell’ relate to Ada, when the Nursing Register shows the registration of a Nurse Lucy Youell in 1928? Well those mentions in Kenilworth would be pre Lucy. Whilst there are 3 documents that place Ada in these area’s
- 1: 1939 register: Is at Oakhurst Nursing Home In Torquay Devon. Her profession is given as ‘Private Nurse (Professional) Travelling.
- 2. In 1951, Ada’s death record gives her address as 22, The Square Kenilworth.
- 3. Ada’s probate record shows that an earlier address for her was Pine Cottage, Bideford, Devon. Probate was granted to Ada's spinster sister, Gertrude.
crown copyright
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