52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Mothers Day

MARGERY ROSELLA RANDOLPH 1823-1863

This week I am focusing my blog on my 2x Great Grandmother, Margery Randolph, more regularly documented as 'ROSELLA'.

Margery was the 4th child and 3rd daughter of Surgeon John Randolph and his wife, William Mary. 

She was born in New Romney Kent in 1823 and was baptised there on 1st June 1823. The Romney Marsh area of Kent historically has been described as; 'one of the most sickly and unhealthy places in Kent.' Despite this John and William Mary managed to bring up 5 physically healthy children, just their 6th child Jane Blizard died at the young age of 4 in 1830, because this was in the years before registrations there is no documentary evidence of the cause of death. However the family moved to Westminster in London in 1834, where her younger sister Margaret Isabella, married at a young age of 15/16 in 1837 and died a year later of TB.

Rosella married George Pye, a surgeon and the youngest son of a Gentleman farmer, Thomas Pye at the Parish Church Islington, on 1st Jun 1842 by license. Being 19 years old at the time of her marriage she is documented as a minor or the church register. George's sister, Jane was one of the witness', the 2nd witness Joseph Roberts does not appear related to either family.

At some time between 1843 and 1848, George and Rosella made the arduous journey to Chile, to make a new life in the Atacama region, although whether this was to be short or long term we can only guess at. Rosella's brother William Wilson Chisolm Randolph also relocated to Chile. There is no evidence at this time to discover whether they travelled together or arrived seperately.

Bernardo O’Higgins considered the possibility of bringing British colonists to Chile to contribute to economic development but did not pursue the idea in the face of the opposition of certain priests who feared this would open the door to Protestantism in Chile (see Prain 2007). However, once independence for Chile was secured, the government’s early policy was to facilitate selective immigration, and with this in mind a law was passed in 1824 to encourage Europeans to establish businesses in urban centers and to settle in the sparsely populated regions in the south. Those who came were mainly German, Swiss, and British. Other laws followed. In 1845, a decree was passed aimed at enticing settlers from Europe by providing, under certain conditions, the passage to Chile and an allotment of land with seed and tools on their arrival. This was the Law of Selective Immigration, passed during the presidency of Manuel Bulnes, and it focused on colonizing lands south of Valdivia toward modern-day Puerto Montt. 

Edmundson W. (2009) British Communities in Chile. In: A History of the British Presence in Chile. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230101210_8

Whilst those Europeans who took the opportunity to make a new life in the Southern part of Chile, George, Rosella and William travelled further north to the mining area of the country in the Atacama region. Whilst the main 'rush' was over, there were still large deposits of silver and copper to be mined. The government decided the way forward to establish the best trade routes to the rest of the world, was for the development of the railway from Copaipo to transport goods to the coastal ports. Engineers were encouraged to work on these projects, so George, as a surgeon, would have been an important part of the whole structure of these developments.

 modern day map of Vallenar and Copiapo

However George and Rosella's first child Rosa was born in Vallenar, her baptism being recorded in 1848. 3 years later in 1851 their son, George Arthur was born and baptised also in Vallenar. However by the time of their 3rd child Beatrice's baptism in 1854, they were in Copiapo. 

So now with 3 young children, it would appear that George and Rosella made the decision to return to the UK. William remained in Chile. Was George already unwell? All we know is that on his father's gravestone at St Peter and St Paul, Charing Kent, the inscription reads:-

'Thomas Pye of this parish died Sept 6th 1833 aged 46. George his youngest son died at Buenos Aires. South America 21st October 1855 in his 37th year.'

Rosella now faced the long journey across the Atlantic with 3 young children in tow, now a widow. They arrived safely back to England and by the 1861 census were living at 6 East Cottages Lambeth

 Lambeth High St 1860 theundergroundmap.com

Rosella and her family were living at the same address at the time of her death in 1863. A copy of the inquest indicates that up until a month prior to her death, Rosella had been well. But she became anxious about her finances and became concerned about paying her bills and an increase in her rent. In the final month of her life her father had periodically looked after her at his home, but after a few days she would appear brighter and go home to look after her children.

It would appear that this occurred several times within the month, her son, George Arthur running from his home to his Grandfather's whenever he was concerned about his mother. 

On the 21st July, she was again taken to her parents home in Marsham St, Westminster, where, as had occurred on previous occassions, she appearred to 'pick up in spirits. On the 23rd July John and William Mary took George Arthur on a trip out, leaving Rosella with the maid Mary Ann Stanley. When they left Rosella was occupied 'sewing handkerchiefs.' The family returned and they all sat down to dinner about 3pm. During the meal Rosella excused herself, complaining of 'sickness' and made her way to the 'privvy' (outdoor toilet)

The maid observed her 'stagger as a tipsy person.' down the garden and after 5 minutes followed her to the closet. At the maid's request Rosella unlocked the door and she found her crouching on the floor in the corner. Initially Rosella refused to return to the house but eventually did so. 

When challenged by her father she admitted she had stolen some laudenham from her father's surgery, which she had taken. Her father treated her by using emetics, stomach pumps until 26th July when Rosella died. Another surgeon, Mr George Peacock of Regent Street was in also in attendance for approx 9 hours, walking her, administering emetics and stomach pumps. It was he who performed the post mortem (autopsy) and was in no doubt that death occurred due to the taking of Opium.

The verdict of the coroners court was:- That deceased destroyed herself by taking laudanum whilst in a state of temporary Insanity.

I have read much about Women's Mental Health in the Victorian era, much is made of  the oppression of the females of the age and yet looking at Rosella's history there is a theme of loss and grief, that endures throughout history. Of course the accounts of those to the coroners court would all have been made under oath, and yet whilst John Randolph states that Rosella's episode of 'illness' was of short duration, I would wonder whether she had experienced periods of depression for some time. 

I have also read about the common taking of  opium by women, both as a prescribed medication, as a treatment for 'hysteria' or 'the vapours.'  The wealthier classes were also known to use it as a recreational diversion, Opium, Cocaine and Arsenic were all freely available over the counter from the chemist until legislation in 1868.

With a background in mental health, I have been interested in the accounts of Rosella's death. Before obtaining access to the Inquest report, I did wonder if she had a history of Opiate misuse, gaining access to her father's surgery to feed her habit, but on reading the inquest report and post mortem evidence, this does not appear to be the case. However the account of her father and the maid appear rehearsed, with accounts being almost word for word. I am aware I do like a bit of a conspiracy but I have often wondered about the fact that after the death of John Randolph's wife and Rosella's mother, he married the maid Mary Ann Stanley.

What cannot be disputed is that Rosella committed suicide. From my research of my Great Grandfather, Rosella's son, George Arthur, much of his behaviour and decisions could perhaps be explained a little, by the death of his father at a very young age and what he witnessed in these late stages of his mothers life. I do not have any evidence or knowledge of any effects on her eldest daughter, but her youngest daughter, Beatrice was described as 'a very nervous women.' by her doctor at the inquest of her own death, where the verdict was that she had broken her neck when falling down the stairs.'

Margaret Isabella Randolph story:- Margaret Isabella Randolph 1822-1838 (mypynthdev.blogspot.com)

George Arthur Pye's story:- GEORGE ARTHUR PERRY 1851-1934: WHO ARE YOU MR P? (mypynthdev.blogspot.com)

Beatrice Jenny Pye's story:- In search of the family (mypynthdev.blogspot.com)