52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2022: Curiosity.

 CURIOSITY

On reading this weeks theme, my initial thought was that 'curiosity' was a fundamental part of my 'family history,' journey. The stories I have uncovered all stem from personal curiosity, or in my case, 'dog with a bone-itis' to find out more. A list of dates for births, deaths and marriages are all very well, but my interest is trying to establish how these people lived.

So which of my ancestors or their wider families is the subject of this weeks post. Well, so many of those 'interesting' ancestors have already been written about, but a few days ago I thought, I wonder if anything has been added on-line about..... ? So this is her story.

STELLA CECILIA RUST 1874-1908

Stella was the youngest child of Thomas Parker Rust, a General Medical Practitioner (G.P), and his wife Mary Muir Rust nee Randolph. Whilst she and her siblings were born in London, where her father was working as a surgeon, in later years in partnership with his father in law, much of Stella's life was spent in Wells next to Sea, a seaside resort on the Norfolk coast and the birthplace of her father.

The family home was Garden House, Bolts Close a narrow lane just off the seafront. Stella, her sister Viola and mother, Mary M were living here at the time of the 1891 census, whilst Thomas, her father, Thomas, is staying with Neville Whitney and his family, Neville was also a GP.

On 3rd January 1900, Stella is mentioned in the newspaper, the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser, having won 2 prizes at the Taunton & Somerset Hospital, annual prizegiving to Nurses.

At the time of the 1901 census, Stella is still working in the West County and is found nursing at the Newton Abbot Workhouse Infirmary, in Devon.

In 1905, Stella is identified in the UK Midwives Roll, having previously attaining a recognised a qualification with the London Obstetrical Society. The first Midwives Act of 1902 came into force in 1903, whereby the Central Board of Midwives in England and Wales was responsible for the regulation of certification of examination of Midwives. The approved period of training was 3 months and from 1905 no woman could assume the title of 'midwife' unless they held the certification issued by the Central Board of Midwives. The date when Stella attained her midwifery credentials is recorded as 1903.

Meanwhile in November 1904, Stella is shown on a departure passenger list, leaving Southampton bound for Trinidad on the SS Tagus, a Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Vessel. She is travelling with her brother Randolph Rust, an oil pioneer in Trinidad, her sister in law and her nephew McDonald (Don) Allan Rust.

It may have been on this journey that Stella met Edgar Nicholas Darwent MDCM, a Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery (Edinburgh), who became the Administrator of the Colonial Hospital in Trinidad from 1907-1910 and appears to have been working as a Medic there for the previous 20 years. I believe Edgar may have been widowed in 1900, but am lacking evidence in the validity of this statement.

Stella's brother, Randolph Rust was working with Walter Darwent, the father of Edgar and it is likely that this is the relationship that introduced Stella and Edgar. As we know, Stella was a registered nurse/midwife, did she go to Trinidad hospital to work? Was Edgar setting his sights on a new wife and mother for his son? I can only speculate.

It looks as if Stella returned to the UK in January 1907, it would useful to find corresponding documentation for Edgar and Randolph too, however I have not as yet found this. However it is documented that Stella Cecilia Rust married Edgar Nicholas Darwent by licence at St Clement Danes Church, Westminster on the 3rd September 1907. Her brother, Randolph and her mother were both witnesses to the marriage. 

crown copyright

Norfolk News 14th Sept 1907.

Randolph returned to Trinidad on the SS Trent, the following day, 4th September 1907, but I have been unable to find the married couple's return to the West Indies. 

Sadly though, the marriage was only to last 3 months as a newspaper reported

Exmouth Journal 11th Jan 1908

Her grave stone can be found on www.findagrave.com

In Loving Memory 

of 
STELLA CECILIA

The dearly loved wife of Mr E N DARWENT

who died January ? 1908

Erected by her sorrowing husband and the entire staff of the COLONIAL HOSPITAL Port of Spain.

As is common with genealogy, every document we find may answer one question but often results in 2 or 3 more.

Stella appearred on subsequent publications of the Midwifery Roll until at least 1915. Initially this made me question whether the information for Mrs Darwent was correct, even with so much circumstantial evidence. However this most recent search review, bought up the Westminster marriage record and even more relevent is the Death Notice in the newspaper, validating the information.

As a retired nurse, I recall that in the 1990's the governing body at the time, the UKCC, implemented a 3 yearly registration levy, at the time citing the number of retired and deceased nurses who were still registered with them. As indicated by Stella's own registration post her death. Over the years the Nursing governing body, now the Nursing and Midwifery Council, have reviewed their terms for registration, implementing an annual renewal and evidence of maintainance of professional standards in relation to training and practice.

Whilst re-researching Stella, I also came across a number of images of a book related to Randolph Rust's son, genealogy treasure which someone has kindly uploaded to Ancestry. These images are gold dust to a family historian and offer an insight into the family life of Randolph Rust rather than the businessman. In this case curiosity about Stella, produced so many positive results.

I WONDER WHERE CURIOSITY WILL SEND ME NEXT?