Person:Alice Keating (1)

Childhood

Alice Keating’s origins are unclear; no birth or baptism record has been found for her. As an adult she gave her date of birth as 2nd October 1867. Family tradition held that Alice was born at Cahersiveen in County Kerry, Ireland, but this is not supported by Alice’s answers to the censuses in which she appears, giving her place of birth variously as Kingston, Woolwich or London. Her parents were a washerwoman called Honorah Keating, formerly McCrohan, and her husband Patrick Keating, a labourer.

Alice’s parents were both from Ireland, but had been living in the area around London from at least the early 1850s. Some of their older children had been baptised at Richmond in Surrey, Woolwich in Kent and in London itself.

Alice’s first confirmed sighting is on 22nd May 1868, when she was described as being one year old. She was admitted to the Havil Street workhouse at Camberwell, in the southern suburbs of London, accompanied by her parents, Patrick and Honorah, and three older sisters, Margaret, Julia and Catherine. The workhouse admission register records the whole family as having their ‘place of supposed settlement’ as Ireland. It also records that they had spent the previous night at Kingston and were on their way to Woolwich, helping to explain some of the places that Alice later claimed to be her birthplace.

The family clearly made it back to Woolwich. Whilst they have not been found in the 1871 census, they do appear several times in the registers of the Woolwich Union Workhouse at Plumstead. Alice and her parents and sisters were admitted to the workhouse in October 1872. This visit was relatively brief, being 12 days. After it, the Keatings appear to have managed to stay out of the workhouse for the next four years, although things may not always have been smooth – the eldest daughter, Margaret, married a John Murphy in 1874 at Pontypool in Wales. Margaret’s descendants have an oral tradition that Patrick ran away with the girls to Wales, then abandoned them there, causing the 17-year-old Margaret to marry in desperation as a way of looking after herself and her sisters.

By 1876 the family was back together and on 28th December 1876, they were back in Woolwich workhouse. Margaret was not with them, having married, but both parents and the three younger girls were there. They stayed for nearly two months, being discharged on 20th February 1877. 1877 was not a good year for the family. On 1st October Honorah and the three younger girls were admitted with a note in the register saying “Husband left her”. They only stayed eight days on that occasion, but were back again on 15th December, staying over two months until 11th March 1878. Patrick does not appear in the Woolwich workhouse records himself after 1877 and is mentioned only by his absence: “husband left her”, “father deserted”, “address of father not known”. His wife and children, however, became regular inmates, staying for sometimes quite long periods. They were next admitted on 21st November 1878 and stayed for over five months until 2nd April 1879. Later that year they were back again, admitted on 4th December 1879.

From this stay, Alice was not discharged to her mother’s care. Instead, on 6th January 1880, aged 12, she was sent to the Sisters of Providence Convent School and Catholic Children’s Orphanage at Hampstead Green on the other side of London. Her sisters Julia and Catherine did not go with her – they were both in their late teens or early twenties and worked as servants. Her mother Honorah was discharged “to Poplar” on 17th January 1880, likely to Poplar Workhouse which at the time offered any spare capacity it had to other workhouses.

Alice stayed at the convent for nearly two years. She appears there as a scholar in the census taken on 3rd April 1881. At the convent on the census night, there were 142 pupils and 14 nuns, along with 7 people of no occupation and 1 pupil teacher. Alice left the convent on 21st September 1881 and was taken to the workhouse at Woolwich where she was discharged back to her mother later that day.

After that, Alice stayed out of the workhouse for over a decade, although other members of the family did go there. Her eldest sister Margaret spent a week there in November 1883 with her four children, describing herself as a 26-year-old widow. She went on to remarry in 1885 and lived with her second husband Caleb Forrester at Swanley.

Alice’s father Patrick appears to have died in 1884 at Bermondsey Infirmary in Southwark. When Alice married in 1889 she gave her father’s name as John Keating, whereas the workhouse records, her siblings’ baptisms, her sisters’ marriage certificates and oral tradition are quite clear that his name was Patrick.

In November 1888, Alice’s sister Julia (and her baby son Patrick) were admitted to the workhouse, with a note saying that Julia’s mother was then living at 12 Rope Yard Rails in Woolwich – although Honorah followed Julia into the workhouse the following month. From this time onwards, Honorah gradually spent more and more time in the workhouse, often spending the winter in the workhouse and coming out for a few months in the summer.

Adulthood

On 18th June 1888 Alice gave birth to a son. He was baptised with the name Aubrey a couple of weeks later at the Catholic church of St Peter the Apostle in Woolwich. His parents were said to be a James Meachan and Alice Meachan formerly Keating. In fact, Alice was not married, and Aubrey’s father’s name was Henry Meekins rather than James Meachan. Aubrey later became known as Edward.

On 17th June 1889, the day before Edward’s first birthday, Alice married Henry Meekins at St Peter’s Church in Woolwich. He worked as a coal porter and general dealer. He was a widower (although their marriage certificate mistakenly calls him a bachelor) and he had two surviving sons, Harry and John (known as Jack), from his first marriage. At the time of her marriage, Alice described herself as a field hand, a job that both she and her mother seem to have occasionally undertaken, which may help to explain why many of their visits to the workhouse were in winter, when employment in the fields was hard to come by.

The 1891 census shows Henry and Alice living at 4 Cannon Row in Woolwich, with ten-year-old Jack and two-year-old Edward. They only had one room in the house; 27 people lived in the house in total. Henry’s elder son was being raised in Lambeth by relatives of Henry’s first wife.

On 3rd December 1891, when Alice was about eight months pregnant with her second child, Henry left her. A week later, having managed to keep out of the workhouse for a full decade, Alice had to admit herself and her stepson Jack. Alice was only in the workhouse itself for one day before being transferred to the Infirmary next door, where she later gave birth on 29th December 1891 to a boy. She registered his birth, giving him the name William. Jack stayed in the workhouse until the following February, when Alice was able to collect him. At what point Henry returned is unknown, but it appears that he disliked the name William for his new son – the boy was baptised as James George and generally known as George.

In February 1894 Alice had a daughter, Mary Ann. The following month, Henry’s twelve-year-old son Jack spent six days in the workhouse, having been placed there by the police and discharged to the police. He seems to have then gone to live at St Vincent’s Roman Catholic Industrial School in Dartford. Industrial schools were used by the authorities for raising children of parents who were unable to raise them themselves.

Three years later, on 23rd May 1896, Alice was back in the workhouse. Henry had deserted her again when she was about eight months pregnant – and this time with twins. Alice was transferred to the Infirmary while her children stayed in the workhouse. On 15th June 1896, Alice gave birth to twins Joseph and Catherine (known as Kate). She collected her other children from the workhouse three weeks later, on 4th July. With the new twins, the family left Woolwich and moved a few miles east to Dartford. There they lived at 35 South Street, but whilst living there the baby Joseph contracted whooping cough. He died aged two months on 15th August.

The family returned to Woolwich and developed a sort of routine of Henry deserting and the rest of the family being admitted to the workhouse whilst he was gone. He deserted them on 5th March 1897, causing the family to be admitted for 13 days. Just over a year later, Henry deserted them on 25th April 1898, causing them to be admitted for 56 days. On 23rd November 1898 (by which time Alice was expecting her sixth child), Alice and the children were admitted with no sign of Henry. They were discharged on 28th November, but readmitted the following day, staying a further 49 days until 17th January 1899.

On 6th June 1899, Alice gave birth to a daughter, Hannah.

Through the late 1880s and 1890s, there are occasional references to addresses in Woolwich outside the workhouse where the family lived when not inmates. Many of these are from the addresses Alice’s mother Honorah gave for her relatives when she was admitted to the workhouse – but on a couple of occasions she told the workhouse authorities that her daughter was “Alice Meekins, address unknown”. It is clear that Henry and Alice did not stay in any one house for very long. Their addresses were given variously as: 12 Rope Yard Rails (1888/9), 9 Collingwood Street (1889), 13 Collingwood Street (1889), 11 Rodney Street (1890), 4 Cannon Row (1891), 9 Cannon Row (1891), 51 High Street (1892), 77 High Street (1893), 24 Cannon Row (1893/4), 6 Warren Lane (1895/6), 83 High Street (1896), 77 High Street (again) (1897), and 74 High Street (1902).

These streets were all in an area of central Woolwich known as the “Dust Hole”. It was a notorious area – when the social reformer Charles Booth visited in preparing his survey into Life and Labour in London in May 1900 he described it thus: “10.15[pm] The Dust Hole – Rope Yard Rails was quiet, dark: the kitchens of the Lodging Houses as far as could be seen from outside with only a few persons in them. Not much being done in the beer house. One man asleep drunk on the pavement, most doors open. Smell of dirt, dark stains along the pavement on either side where men & women had relieved nature. Badly lighted, figures would emerge suddenly from dark corners & disappear again as mysteriously as they had come. Some old men & women of the draggled tramp life were laboriously slouching down the street towards the Canal Ward lodging house as I passed... The majority of young & old; male & female are Irish. No law runs in these streets. The priest is powerless & seldom seen. The police only come when there is a bad row & they are summoned. No man would go alone. When called he waits for at least one other. Missiles are showered on them from every window when they interfere. It is out of bounds for soldiers & the military patrol can capture & confine any soldiers found there.”

On 19th October 1899, Alice was admitted to the workhouse again, with her children Edward, George, Mary, Kate and baby Hannah. There was no sign of Henry. On this occasion, the three elder children were sent away from Woolwich. Edward and George were sent to a Catholic Home at Orpington, whilst Mary was sent to Hampstead – quite likely to the same convent that Alice had herself spent time in as a child. The arrangement was not permanent. Edward, George and Mary returned to the workhouse on 24th and 25th May 1900 and Alice was allowed to leave on 25th May with all five children. On this occasion, she had spent over seven months in the workhouse.

For the next eighteen months, the family kept clear of the workhouse, although Henry was still not always at home. The 1901 census was taken on 31st March, and Henry was in a house full of dock labourers in Woolwich High Street, whilst Alice and the children appear not to have been recorded in that census.

Alice became pregnant again – so Henry did his normal thing and abandoned her. Alice and the children were admitted to the workhouse on 7th November 1901. The authorities again sent the children away. By the end of that month, Mary and Kate had been sent to Hampstead. The following January, George was sent to Orpington, whilst on 1st January 1902, Edward was sent to HMS Exmouth – a ship retired from the Navy that was by then owned by the Metropolitan Asylum Board and used for training purposes.

Edward never returned to the Woolwich Union Workhouse. He joined the Navy on 24th February 1905. His naval records describe him as being 5’6” tall, with light brown hair, blue eyes, a fair complexion with scars on the left side of his forehead and upper lip with a tattoo of clasped hands and a heart on his left wrist. His naval record was chequered – on some ships his conduct was described as ‘very good’, but on four occasions he spent a few days in the cells and in 1909 he deserted, but was recovered after a fortnight at large. He was invalided out of the Navy in 1912, and shortly afterwards emigrated to Australia.

Back in Woolwich in 1901, with Edward, George, Mary and Kate having been sent away, only two-year-old Hannah was left staying with her mother at this time – and she spent most of December and a couple of weeks in March 1902 at the Infirmary next door. On 8th April, having spent the last five months of her pregnancy in the workhouse, Alice was transferred to the Infirmary, where she gave birth on 15th April 1902 to a girl, Alice. Hannah remained in the workhouse, and was joined there by her mother and new baby sister Alice on 29th May 1902 – with a note explaining Henry’s absence: “husband in prison”. A few days later, on 5th June 1902, George returned from Orpington and Mary and Kate returned from Hampstead. Alice was allowed to leave with George, Mary, Kate, Hannah and baby Alice the following day.

Six months later, they were back – and this time (for the first time) Alice's husband Henry joined them in the workhouse. They were admitted on 2nd December 1902. After two days, Henry discharged himself, leaving Alice and the children in the workhouse for another two weeks before they were discharged on 18th December 1902.

A month later, on 19th January 1903, Henry deserted again – Alice and the children spent two short spells in the workhouse in January and February in consequence, being discharged on 13th February. Ten days later, Henry was admitted to the infirmary, so Alice and the children went back to the workhouse for another fortnight.

That October, Henry deserted again. Alice and the children went to the workhouse, and again George was sent to Orpington, whilst Mary, Kate and Hannah were all sent to Hampstead. In February, Henry was arrested and charged with having unlawfully run away from his family leaving his wife and children being looked after at the expense of the authorities. He was sentenced to two months in jail. Only once he was released from jail in April 1904 were the children returned from Orpington and Hampstead and the family allowed to leave the workhouse. A couple of weeks later they were back, including Henry, for two days during May, then discharged.

Matters came to a head with the authorities in November 1904. Alice’s daughters Mary, Kate, Hannah and Alice were all found wandering destitute in the streets of Woolwich on 14th November 1904. They were crying and told the police constable that they were cold and had nowhere to go. They were taken into custody at 12.45pm. Just over four hours later the constable found Alice, who said that she had heard her daughters were at the police station but she was frightened to go there for fear she would be charged. Henry was found the following day and challenged as to why his children were in the street. He told the constable “I can’t help it, I’ve got no money; and it’s a job to get lodgings here with children”. He also said that Alice regularly got drunk with the money he gave her.

Alice, Henry and the four girls were all brought before the Woolwich Police Court. Alice was charged with being drunk and disorderly and neglecting the children, whilst Henry was summoned for neglecting the children. The girls were also charged with “wandering without visible means of subsistence”. The court sentenced Alice to one month’s hard labour. The four girls were taken from the family and sent to St Mary’s Roman Catholic Industrial School for Girls in Croydon, with Henry ordered to pay four shillings a week towards their maintenance.

This did not, however, change Henry and Alice’s frequent to-ing and fro-ing from the workhouse, but it did reduce the number of children affected. They had another daughter, Margaret on 12th February 1905. Just a couple of months later, Alice and baby Margaret were in the workhouse, with a note saying “Husband Henry in Prison for 10 days”. That November, Henry deserted on 7th November and so two days later Alice, George and Margaret were admitted to the workhouse. Henry reappeared and got himself admitted to the workhouse on 14th November. The whole family was discharged on 18th November.

The following year they were back again – Henry and Alice with their children George and Margaret, with a note saying “four children at school in Croydon”. They stayed on this occasion for a month, being discharged on 22nd February 1906. However, practically as they were discharged, Henry deserted – Alice was back the following day with the register recording “Husband Henry left her in Plumstead Road”. She was released on 3rd March 1906.

Just over a year later, two-year-old Margaret was admitted to the workhouse on 26 Apr 1907: “Father Henry unknown. Mother Alice 14 days for being drunk.” Alice returned from wherever she had been held on 10th May and collected her daughter.

Henry deserted again in November 1907, causing Alice and Margaret to spend 13 days in the workhouse. In December, after just nine days out of the workhouse, they were back, this time with Henry as well. On this occasion, they stayed nearly five months until 1st May 1908, when Henry, Alice and Margaret were discharged. Later that day, Alice and Margaret were readmitted for another twelve days, Henry obviously having disappeared.

Alice gave birth to her youngest child, Norah, on 7th June 1908. Norah was obviously named after Alice’s mother, who often appeared as Norah (rather than Honorah) in the records. Honorah was still alive at this point, but was living almost continuously in the workhouse, being in her eighties with no other form of care home available to poor families. Having spent at least part of each year from 1896 to 1908 in the workhouse, Alice managed to stay out of it for all of 1909 through to 1912. Her husband Henry was admitted for four days in January 1910, but with a note saying “wife Alice and two children 9 Rodney Street”.

In June 1909, Alice’s daughter Mary left the school in Croydon and travelled to Canada. She was one of many seemingly unrelated young people travelling together, who sailed from Liverpool to Quebec and then continued their journey by a special train to Ottawa. It would seem therefore that she was sent to Canada as part of the British Home Children movement of ‘orphans’ to Canada. Mary went to work as a servant in Ottawa. After just eighteen months there she contracted typhoid. She died in Ottawa on 25th January 1911, aged sixteen.

Back in England, the census of 2nd April 1911 found Henry, Alice, Margaret and Norah living in two rooms at 75 High Street, Woolwich. Alice reported that she had had ten children, seven of whom were still living, suggesting that there was another child who had died but whose identity has not been established.

Alice’s son George by that time had joined the army and was stationed on the Isle of Wight. He married in 1912, and Alice’s first known grandchild was born to George and his wife on the Isle of Wight early in 1913. Later that year Alice’s son Edward became a father too, on the other side of the world in Adelaide in South Australia.

In 1913, the family was back in the workhouse. Henry was admitted first, on 21st October, with a note saying “wife Alice, Castle Street, Swanley Junction”. Their daughters Margaret and Norah followed their father in on 22nd and 23rd October, with Alice joining her husband and daughters on 28th October. Margaret and Norah were both sent to the Catholic Home at Orpington, but were only there ten days, returning on 1st December and being discharged with their parents on 2nd December 1913. Just a week later, they were back. On 3rd January 1914, Margaret and Norah were sent to Orpington again. Henry absconded himself from the workhouse on 21st April 1914, but returned on 13th May. Henry, Alice and Margaret and Norah were discharged on 20th May – but the girls were both readmitted later that day. Alice joined them the following day. They were discharged on 26th May.

Alice’s mother Honorah died on 26th July 1915 at the infirmary adjoining the Woolwich workhouse. She was said to be 92 years old, and she had spent most of the last two decades of her life in the workhouse.

By 1917 the family was living at 17 Crossfield Street in Deptford. On 26th January 1917 Alice and her daughters Margaret and Norah were admitted to the Greenwich workhouse, whilst Henry was in the adjoining infirmary. The next day, Margaret and Norah were sent to Norwood. They returned three months later, on 30th April 1917 and were discharged with Alice.

On being discharged from the workhouse they went to stay with Alice’s sister Margaret, who lived at 22 Alexandra Terrace in Swanley.^[10] Henry died there less than a month later, on 28th May 1917, of pneumonia. He was 56 years old, and Alice was present at the death.

A few months after Henry’s death, Alice was admitted to the workhouse one final time in January 1918. Margaret and Norah were sent to Orpington, but returned and Alice and the children were released on 16th February 1918.

Between 1868 and 1918, from babyhood up to the age of about 50, Alice had been admitted to workhouses at least 37 times. In total she had spent over 1,500 days in workhouses, mostly at the Woolwich Union Workhouse, but she had also stayed in the workhouses at Camberwell and Greenwich. From 1896 to 1908 she spent at least part of each calendar year in the workhouse. Her shortest stay was less than a day, whilst her longest stay was for over seven months, from 19th October 1899 to 26th May 1900. Her father had deserted when she was ten. Her husband Henry had deserted her at least twelve times, and he had been sent to jail at least twice. She herself had spent 14 days in custody for drunkenness. Having spent time in a convent as a child, she saw some of her own children brought up in convents.

From 1918 onwards, she appears to have lived with her surviving children, who were now adults. Most of them settled in the Dartford area, with the exceptions of Kate and George who moved to the Isle of Wight (although George later returned to Kent) and Edward who had emigrated to Australia. At the outbreak of the Second World War, Alice was living at Combourne Farm, Goudhurst, Kent. She had one her daughter Margaret’s daughters living with her, whilst her daughter Norah and her family were also living at Combourne Farm. There seem to have been many households listed there – quite likely they were seasonal workers staying on the farm.

Alice died on 26th January 1945 at Gildenhill Farm, Swanley, where she had been living with her daughter Margaret. She was about 77 years old. At least 29 grandchildren had been born in her lifetime, although some had died young and she probably never met some of them as they lived in Australia. She was also a great grandmother.

1.   Various Boards of Guardians. Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1659-1930. (London: London Metropolitan Archives).

   Admitted	Discharged	Workhouse	Notes
   22 May 1868	not specified	Camberwell, Havil Street	Listed in admission book "for Wayfarers, Wanderers, and Foundlings, under the Metropolitan Houseless Poor Act, 1864." Alice Katin (1), admitted with Patrick (44, Labor), Hannah (44, Washing), Margaret (11), Julia (8), and Catherine (4). Place of supposed settlement Ireland, slept last night at Kingston, going to Woolwich.
   19 Oct 1872	31 Oct 1872	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with parents Patrick and Hannah, and sisters Margaret, Julia, and Catherine. Discharged with parents and sisters. Said to have been previously discharged from workhouse on 29 Apr 1872, although records of that stay have not been found. Whilst this entry is in a creed register belonging to the Woolwich Union Workhouse at Plumstead, other sources suggest that workhouse was still under construction at the time, not receiving its first inmates until 1874. Perhaps they actually stayed in the Greenwich Workhouse, which had previously been responsible for Woolwich's poor, but were logged separately in the registers.
   28 Dec 1876	20 Feb 1877	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with parents Patrick and Honorah, and sisters Julia, Catherine and Alice. Surname given as Caton. Discharged with parents and siblings.
   1 Oct 1877	9 Oct 1877	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with mother Hannah, "Husband left her", and sister Julia. Surname given as Cayton. Discharged with mother and sister.
   15 Dec 1877	11 Mar 1878	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with mother Hannah and sister Julia. Surname given as Caton. Discharged with mother and sister.
   21 Nov 1878	2 Apr 1879	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with mother Honora and sisters Julia and Catherine, "Father deserted". Catherine discharged to a Mrs Barry in Forest Hill. Alice discharged with mother.
   4 Dec 1879	6 Jan 1880	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with mother Honora, "address of husband not known", and sister Julia. Discharged "To the Convent of P. School".
   21 Sep 1881	21 Sep 1881	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted "From C. of Providence School". Discharged to mother.
   10 Dec 1891	11 Dec 1891	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with stepson John, "husband Henry Meekins left her on 3 Dec 1891". Occupation: Charing. Discharged to infirmary.
   23 May 1896	25 May 1896	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with sons Edward and George, "husband Henry deserted". Occupation: Washing. Discharged to infirmary.
   11 Mar 1897	24 Mar 1897	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with children Edward, George, and Catherine, "husband Henry left her Friday 5 March 97". Discharged with children.
   30 Apr 1898	25 Jun 1898	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with children Edward, George, Mary, and Catherine, "husband Henry deserted her 25th". Occupation: Charing. Catherine, George and Mary transferred to infirmary at different points during May. George returned to workhouse after six days in infirmary. Discharged with Edward and George.
   23 Nov 1898	28 Nov 1898	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with children Edward, George, Mary Ann, and Catherine, "mother Hannah Keating in the house". Occupation: Washing. Discharged with children.
   29 Nov 1898	17 Jan 1899	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with children Edward, George, and Mary Ann, "mother Emma Keating in infirmary". Occupation: Field hand. Discharged with children.
   19 Oct 1899	26 May 1900	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with children Edward, George, Mary, Catherine, and Ann [Hannah], "mother Hannah Keating in the House". Edward and George sent to Orpington 22 Feb 1900. Mary sent to Hampstead 15 Mar 1900. Edward and George return to workhouse 24 May, Mary returns 25 May. Discharged with children Edward, George, Mary and Ann [Hannah]. Daughter Catherine transferred to infirmary on same day.
   7 Nov 1901	8 Apr 1902	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with children Edward, George, Mary Ann, Kate, and Hannah, "husband Henry deserted". Edward transferred to infirmary 11 Nov 1901 and stayed there four days before returning. Mary Ann and Kate transferred to Hampstead 25 Nov 1901. George transferred to Orpington 20 Jan 1902. Edward sent to "Exmouth" 1 Jan 1902. Discharged to infirmary.
   29 May 1902	6 Jun 1902	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted from infirmary with baby daughter Alice, "husband in prison". 5 Jun 1902 George admitted from Orpington and Mary and Catherine admitted from Hampstead. Discharged with George, Mary, Catherine and Alice.
   2 Dec 1902	18 Dec 1902	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with husband Henry, mother Honorah, and children George, Kate, Hannah, and Alice. Henry discharged 4 Dec 1902. Alice discharged with children.
   24 Jan 1903	30 Jan 1903	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with children George, Catherine, Hannah, and Alice, "husband Henry, 42, left her 19th Jan 1903". Discharged with children.
   6 Feb 1903	13 Feb 1903	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with children George, Catherine, Hannah, and Alice. Discharged with children.
   23 Feb 1903	7 Mar 1903	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with children George, Catherine, Hannah, and Alice, "husband Henry in infirmary". Discharged with children.
   9 Oct 1903	24 Oct 1903	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with children George, Mary Ann, Catherine, Hannah, and Alice, "husband Henry left her 7th Oct". Occupation: Field hand. Mary Ann, Catherine and Hannah sent to Hampstead RC Schools 19 Oct 1903. Discharged with daughter Alice. George stayed in workhouse, being sent to Orpington 3 Nov 1903.
   5 Nov 1903	4 Jan 1904	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with daughter Alice, "husband Henry (42) deserted". Occupation: Field hand. Discharged with daughter.
   6 Jan 1904	16 Apr 1904	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with daughter Alice, "husband Henry deserted four children chargeable". Occupation: Field hand. 15 Apr 1904 George admitted from Orpington and Mary Ann, Catherine and Hannah admitted from Hampstead. Discharged with George, Mary Ann, Catherine, Hannah, and Alice.
   4 May 1904	6 May 1904	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with husband Henry and children George, Mary Ann, Catherine, Hannah, and Alice. Discharged with husband and children.
   2 May 1905	10 May 1905	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with daughter Margaret, "husband Henry in prison for 10 days".Occupation: Field hand. Discharged with daughter.
   9 Nov 1905	18 Nov 1905	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with son George and daughter Margaret, "husband Henry left her 7 Nov". Occupation: Field hand. Henry joined them in workhouse 14 Nov 1904. Discharged with husband, George and Margaret.
   23 Jan 1906	22 Feb 1906	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with husband Henry and children George and Margaret, "four children at school in Croydon". Discharged with husband and children.
   23 Feb 1906	3 Mar 1906	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with daughter Margaret, "husband Henry left her in Plumstead Road". Discharged with daughter.
   19 Nov 1907	2 Dec 1907	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with daughter "Alice", but whose date of birth given as Feb 1905 so presumably actually Margaret, "husband deserted". Discharged with daughter.
   11 Dec 1907	1 May 1908	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with husband Henry and daughter "Kate", but whose date of birth given as Feb 1905 so presumably actually Margaret, "five children in industrial schools". Discharged with husband and daughter.
   1 May 1908	12 May 1908	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with daughter "Kate", but whose date of birth given as Feb 1905 so presumably actually Margaret. Discharged with daughter.
   28 Oct 1913	2 Dec 1913	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted alone, but husband Henry had been admitted on 21 Oct with note saying "wife Alice Castle Street, Swanley Junction", and daughters Margaret and Norah had been admitted on 23 Oct. Margaret and Norah sent to RC homes, Orpington on 21 Nov 1913, returning to workhouse on 1 Dec 1913. Discharged with Henry, Margaret and Norah.
   9 Dec 1913	20 May 1914	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with husband Henry and daughters Margaret and Norah. Margaret and Norah sent to RC homes, Orpington on 3 Jan 1914. Henry absconded 21 Apr 1914 and readmitted 13 May 1914. Margaret and Norah returned from Orpington on 19 May 1914. Discharged with Henry, Margaret and Norah. (Margaret and Norah readmitted later that day, with Norah transferred to infirmary following day.)
   21 May 1914	26 May 1914	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted alone. Discharged with Margaret.
   26 Jan 1917	30 Apr 1917	Greenwich (Woolwich Road) Workhouse	Admitted with daughters Margaret and Norah, "Married Fieldhand 17 Crossfield Street Husband Harry in Infirmary". Margaret and Norah sent to Norwood 27 Jan 1917, returning 30 Apr 1917. Discharged with Margaret and Norah.
   4 Jan 1918	16 Feb 1918	Woolwich Union Workhouse	Admitted with daughters Margaret and Norah, "sister Mrs Forrester 22 Castle Street, Swanley Junction". Margaret and Norah sent to Orpington 1 Feb 1918, returned 14 Feb 1918. Discharged with Margaret and Norah.

2. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 168; Folio 33; Page 7, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Sisters of Providence, Hampstead Green, Hampstead (St John), Middlesex
   14 nuns, 7 people of no occupation, 1 pupil teacher and 142 pupils, including:
   Alice Keating, boarder, unmarried, female, 14 [1866/7], Scholar, b. Kingston, Middlesex

3. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 532; Folio 11; 15, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 4 Cannon Row, Woolwich, London
   1 room occupied
   Henry Meekin, head, married, male, 29 [1861/2], General Dealer Shop, neither employer nor employed, b. London
   [page RG12/532/11/16]
   Alice Meekin, wife, married, female, 23 [1867/8], b. London
   John Meekin, son, male, 10 [1880/1], Scholar, b. London
   Edwin Meekin, son, 2 [1888/9], b. Woolwich, Kent

4. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), (formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 2877; Schedule 79, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 75 High Street, Woolwich, London
   Two rooms occupied
   Henry Meekins, head, male, 49 [1861/2], married, Dock Labourer - Shipowners, worker, b. Southwark (London)
   Alice Meekins, wife, female, 42 [1868/9], married 24 years, 10 children born, 7 still living, Laundry hand, working at home, own account, b. Woolwich
   Margaret Meekins, daughter, female, 6 [1904/5]
   Norah Meekins, daughter, female, 3 [1907/8]

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 General Register Office. 1939 Register
   Cranbrook Rural District, 29 Sep 1939.

   Address: c/o E. Wickham & Son, Combourne Farm, Goudhurst, Kent
   Meekins, Alice / female / b. 2 Oct 1867 / married / Retired
   Cawardine [later changed to “Hampton”, then to “Prosser”], Norah / female / b. 12 May 1927 / single / at school

   Alice’s daughter Norah Springett and her family were also living on Combourne Farm.

6. ↑ Death certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   REGISTRATION DISTRICT Dartford
   1945. DEATH in the Sub-district of Darent Valley in the County of Kent
   No.	When and where died	Name and surname	Sex	Age	Occupation	Cause of death	Signature, description and residence of informant	When registered	Signature of registrar
   57	Twenty Sixth January 1945 Gildenhill Farm, Swanley Village, Sutton-at-Hone RD	Alice Meekins	Female	77 years [1867/8]	Widow of Harry Meekins (General Labourer)	Ia. Carcinoma of Liver b. Carcinoma of Colon Certified by R. Dawson Crawford MB	M. Carwardine Daughter Present at the Death Gildenhill Farm, Swanley Village, Swanley, n[ea]r Dartford	Twenty ninth January 1945	A.M. Langdon, Acting Deputy Registrar

   
7.   Woolwich Gazette, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 2, 25 Nov 1904.

   In the Police Courts
   WOOLWICH
   A DESTITUTE FAMILY.
   Mary Meekins, 10, Kate, 8, Hannah, 4, and Alice, 2, were charged with wandering without visible means of subsistence, and Alice Meekins, the mother, was charged with being drunk and disorderly and neglecting the children. Henry Meekins, of 4, Warren Lane, was summoned for neglecting the children. All the cases were taken together. – P.C. 283R said at 12.45 on the 14th he saw the four children crying in Powis street. They were cold and said they had nowhere to go. He took the children to the station where they were charged with wandering. About 5 p.m. the same day he saw the mother and asked her if she knew where her children were, and she said she had heard they were at the police station. He asked her why she had left them outside a public house in High street, Woolwich, and she said she did not leave them there, but had sent them to a woman in Powis street, and she supposed they had been turned out. Prisoner said she was frightened to go to the police station after the children, for fear she would be charged. Prisoner also said her husband was out of work; that they had no money, and that the husband was in a lodging house and did not care about his family. Prisoner also said her husband had fetched her up from the country and had then left her as he had done before. Witness saw the father on the 15th, and asked him why his children were in the street. He said, “I can’t help it, I’ve got no money; and it’s a job to get lodgings here with children.” He alleged that his wife got drunk with the money he gave her. – P.C. 26RR said on the night of the 13th he locked the prisoners up for being drunk. – Mr. Bristow, an inspector of the N.S.P.C.C., said he examined the children on the 15th. They were well nourished, but their clothing and boots were dirty, ragged and worn. Defendant told him that he had not had a home for seven years, and that his wife sold up the other and spent the money in drink. Prisoner told him that he earned on the average 25s. a week, and that he had sent his wife £3 during the last two months. Defendant’s employer said he was a good worker and a sober man. – Mr. Mark Bristow, relieving officer, said he had known prisoner’s family for seven years. The woman had been constantly in and out of the workhouse. – Mrs. Meeking denied that she sold the home up or drank the money. – Mr. Baggallay sentenced the woman to a month’s hard labour and discharged the man. – The children were sent to St. Mary’s School, Croydon, the man to pay 4s. a week towards their maintenance.

8. ↑ 1921 Census of England and Wales.

   Address: Homefield Farm, Sutton at Hone, Kent
   Alice Meekins / head / 53 [1867/8] / female / widow / b. Woolwich, Kent / Farm Labourer / J. Langlands, Farmer, Homefield Farm, Sutton at Hone
   Norah Meekins / daughter / 13 [1907/8] / female / b. Woolwich, Kent / Whole Time [school]

9. ↑ No plausible birth certificate has yet been found for Alice. She claimed in the 1891 and 1911 censuses to have been born in Woolwich or London, whilst in 1881 she gave her place of birth as “Kingston, Middlesex” – presumably intended to refer to Kingston upon Thames in Surrey. In the 1939 Register, taken at the start of the Second World War, Alice quoted her date of birth as being 2 Oct 1867. Looking at births in these areas the following have been ruled out:
   b. Alice COTON, March Quarter 1866, Greenwich Registration District, Volume 1d, page 733, mother’s maiden name Bagley: appears in 1871 census living with family.
   b. Alice E. CLAYTON, September Quarter 1866, Greenwich Registration District, Vol. 1d, page 686: presumably the Alice Emily Clayton d. JunQ 1867 in Greenwich aged 1.
   b. Female CLAYDEN, September Quarter 1866, Greenwich Registration District, Vol. 1d, page 646: died young in same quarter.
   b. Alice KEELING, March Quarter 1867, Greenwich Registration, Volume 1d, page 832: daughter of Joseph Keeling and Mary Elizabeth George.
   b. Alice CATON, December Quarter 1866, Camberwell Registration District, Volume 1d, page 585, mother’s maiden name Webb: can probably be ruled out as the Alice daughter of Charles Caton who appears in the 1881 census in London.
   
   Family tradition says that Alice was born in Ireland, probably in or near Cahersiveen, County Kerry, but no plausible birth or baptism record has yet been found there either.
   
   When visiting the workhouse as a child, Alice is recorded with sisters Margaret, Julia and Catherine. Baptism records have been found for each of these three sisters, and also a brother John. None of these children’s births appear to have been registered.
10. ↑ When Henry went into the workhouse in 1913, Alice was said to be living at “Castle Street, Swanley Junction”. Henry’s death certificate shows that he died at “22 Alexander Terrace, Swanley Junction”. When Alice entered the workhouse in 1918 she gave her sister Margaret’s address as “22 Castle Street, Swanley Junction”. A newspaper advertisement (South Eastern Gazette, Maidstone, 2 Jul 1918, page 5) was offering for sale “24 Freehold Cottages, Known as Nos. 1 to 24 Alexandra Terrace, Castle Road, Swanley Junction”. Old Ordnance Survey maps of Swanley from the time do not show either an Alexandra Terrace or a Castle Road / Street, but they do show an Alexandra Road, which had 24 houses in a continuous terrace on the north side of the road. It is therefore considered likely that this Alexandra Road was also known as Castle Road or Castle Street, with the houses on its north side being Alexandra Terrace, and therefore that the “22 Castle Street” Alice gave as her sister’s address in 1918 was the same house as “22 Alexander Terrace” where Henry died in 1917. It is likely that the houses were built to a poor standard – when offered for sale in 1918 they were said to be subject to a sanitary notice from the authorities and any purchaser was advised that further repairs would be necessary to comply with the notice. Alexandra Road was completely redeveloped around the 1950s to become Bevan Place.