Person:Mary Rice (99)

Childhood in Scotland

Mary Phippen was born at Sheddock in the parish of Whithorn, Wigtownshire on 7th June 1860. She was the fourth of six children of a ploughman named James Rice and his wife Jane Lemon, both of whom were originally from Ireland but had moved to Scotland before their marriage in 1850.

Mary grew up in Wigtownshire, living with her parents and siblings. By 1881 she had left home, but was still in Wigtownshire working as a nurse at a big house in Mochrum for a retired lieutenant-colonel and Justice of the Peace for the county.

Move to England and marriage

Mary's next sighting comes in 1889, over 400 miles away in Kent, when she married Robert George Phippen, a coachman and groom. He had been married before but his first wife, Clara, had died the previous year, aged 28. By Clara, Robert had a daughter, Edith Somers Phippen, to whom Mary became stepmother.

The 1891 census finds Robert, Mary, Edith and an as yet unnamed five day old daughter, along with the midwife staying with the family. At the time it was fairly common to have a midwife live in with the family for a period after the baby's birth. The baby was later named Marguerite Jeanne Phippen, but she died before the year was out. Robert and Mary did not have any other children, and Robert himself died the following year, aged 33, leaving Mary a widow at the age of 32.

London

Mary (standing) with brother Joseph and sister Margaret, probably early 1920s.

Mary appears to have lived with her sister Margaret for the rest of her life, moving out of 87 Sutherland Avenue to 5 Peploe Road, Kensal Rise, Willesden some time between 1911 and 1918.

In 1926 Mary took a holiday to Ramsgate in Kent with one of her nieces. She apparently had a heart attack, but was told by a local doctor that she was fit to travel. However, the following day, 7th August, she collapsed and died on the platform at Ramsgate Railway Station just after buying her ticket to return to London. She was 66. Her death was reported in newspapers locally in Ramsgate, in London, and in Lincolnshire, with the Grantham Journal noting that she had spent many years in the service of Mrs G.H. Rayner of Boothby Hall.

After her death, her brother Joseph secured a grant of administration for her estate, which was valued at £240 13s. 6d.

1. ↑ Birth certificate, in General Register Office for Scotland. Civil Registration.

   1860. BIRTHS in the District of Whithorn in the County of Wigtown
   No.39
   Name: Rice, Mary
   When and where born: 1860 June Seventh, 3h AM, Shaddock
   Sex: F
   Father: James Rice, Farm Labourer
   Mother: Jane Rice, maiden name Leeming
   Informant: James Rice, His X mark, Father
   Registered: 1860 June 23d at Whithorn, Robert Anderson, Registrar

2. ↑ General Register Office for Scotland. 1861 Scotland Census. (Edinburgh)
   900/00 002/00 002, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Shadock Cothouse, Whithorn, Wigtownshire
   1 room with windows
   James Rice, head, married, 30 [1830/1], Ploughman, b. Ireland
   Jane Rice, wife, married, female, 34 [1826/7], Ploughmans Wife, b. Ireland
   Margret Rice, daughter, unmarried, female, 8 [1852/3], Ploughmans Daur, b. Whithorn, Wigtownshire
   Peter Rice, son, unmarried, male, 6 [1854/5], Ploughmans Son, b. Whithorn, Wigtownshire
   James Rice, son, unmarried, male, 3 [1857/8], Ploughmans Son, b. Whithorn, Wigtownshire
   Mary Rice, daughter, unmarried, female, 9 months [1860], Ploughmans Daur, b. Whithorn, Wigtownshire

3. ↑ General Register Office for Scotland. 1871 Scotland Census. (Edinburgh)
   900/00 002/00 003, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Sheddock Cottages No.1, Whithorn, Wigtownshire
   1 room with windows
   James Rice, head, married, male, 42 [1828/9], Ag lab, b. Armagh, Ireland
   Jane Rice, wife, married, female, 44 [1826/7], b. Tyrone, Ireland
   Peter Rice, son, unmarried, male, 16 [1854/5], Farm Servant, b. Whithorn, Wigtownshire
   James Rice, son, male, 13 [1857/8], Scholar, b. Whithorn, Wigtownshire
   Mary Rice, daughter, female, 10 [1860/1], Scholar, b. Whithorn, Wigtownshire
   Joseph Rice, son, male, 8 [1862/3], Scholar, b. Whithorn, Wigtownshire
   John Rice, son, male, 5 [1865/6], Scholar, b. Whithorn, Wigtownshire

4. ↑ General Register Office for Scotland. 1881 Scotland Census. (Edinburgh)
   892/00 001/00 001, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: The Airlour, Mochrum, Wigtownshire
   17 rooms with windows
   John C. Wadling, head, married, male, 46 [1834/5], Justice of the Peace of Wigtownshire, Lieut. Col. Late 5n. foot, Retired on pension, b. Wales
   Alice C. Wadling, wife, married, female, 37 [1843/4], ditto wife, b. Govan, Lanarkshire
   Alice E.W. Wadling, daughter, female, 8 [1872/3], b. Ireland
   Daisy M.C. Wadling, daughter, female, 5 [1875/6], b. England
   Ellen C.C. Wadling, daughter, female, 4 [1876/7], b. England
   John W.C. Wadling, son, male, 2 [1878/9], b. England
   Sarah M Nee, servant, unmarried, female, 38 [1842/3], Cook Domestic Serv., b. Glenluce, Wigtownshire
   Maggie M Lauchlin, servant, unmarried, female, 26 [1854/5], Laundry Maid (Domestic Serv), b. Kirkinner, Wigtownshire
   Mary Rice, servant, unmarried, female, 20 [1860/1], Nurse (Domestic Serv), b. Whithorn, Wigtownshire
   Janet Steel, servant, unmarried, female, 23 [1857/8], House Maid (Domestic Serv), b. Glasgow, Lanarkshire
   James Black, servant, unmarried, male, 18 [1862/3], Groom (Domestic Serv), b. Mochrum, Wigtownshire

5. ↑ 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 682; Folio 106; Page 23, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: North Frith, Hadlow, Kent
   5 or more rooms occupied
   Robert G. Phippin, head, married, male, 32 [1858/9], Coachman (Domestic Serv), employed, b. Shepton Mallet, Somerset
   Mary Phippin, wife, married, female, 30 [1860/1], b. Whithorn, Wigtownshire, Scotland
   Edith S. Phippin, daughter, female, 7 [1883/4], b. Edenbridge, Kent
   New Born Child Phippin, daughter, female, 5 days [1891], b. Hadlow, Kent
   Eliza Caddel, visitor, married, female, 46 [1854/5], Midwife, b. Elstead, Sussex

6. ↑ England. England. 1901 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 RG13; Piece 14; Folio 38; Page 18, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 11 Hyde Park Street, Paddington, London
   5 or more rooms occupied
   Mary Phippen, servant, widow, female, 37 [1863/4], Cook domestic, b. Scotland
   Ellen E. Dudman, servant, single, female, 31 [1869/70], Maid domestic, b. Netley, Hampshire
   Emma E. Cudling, servant, single, female, 31 [1869/70], Maid domestic, b. Whitleford, Cambridgeshire
   Emma E. Terry, servant, single, female, 26 [1874/5], Maid domestic, b. London
   Mary Johnson, servant, single, female, 19 [1881/2], Maid domestic, b. Marryley, Cambridgeshire

   Household has no 'head' listed - presumably the family was away, but the servants were still in residence on census night.

7. ↑ 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 36 Schedule 87, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 87 Sutherland Avenue, Paddington, London
   10 rooms occupied
   Margaret Sweeney, head, female, 58 [1852/3], widow, Boarding house keeper, employer, b. Whithorn, Wigtownshire
   Mary Sweeney, daughter, female, 28 [1882/3], single, Assistant to above, b. Brixton, London
   Margaret Sweeney, son, male, 23 [1887/8], Assistant to above, b. Paddington, London
   Stephen Sweeney, son, male, 21 [1889/90], single, Railway Clerk, worker, b. Paddington, London
   Bride Connolly, boarder, female, 30 [1880/1], single, Elementary school teacher - L.C.C., worker, b. Mohel, Roscommon
   Dora Higgins, boarder, female, 22 [1888/9], single, Elementary school teacher - L.C.C., worker, b. Walthamstow, London
   Bryan G. O'Donnell, boarder, male, 21 [1889/90], Insurance clerk, worker, b. Kilmallock, Limerick
   Mary Phippen, visitor, 50 [1860/1], widow, Housekeeper (domestic), b. Whithorn, Wigtownshire
   [second household at same address - schedule 88]
   3 rooms occupied
   John Dick (brother), lodger, male, 69 [1841/2], married, Private Means, b. Mauritius, Scotch
   Rose L. Dick (sister), lodger, female, 66 [1844/5], single, Private Means, b. Mauritius, Scotch

8. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Mary PHIPPEN, September Quarter 1926, Thanet Registration District, Vol. 2a, page 1044, aged 65 [1860/1]

9. ↑ England. National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1858 onwards. (Ancestry.com).

   1926
   PHIPPEN Mary of 5 Peploe-road Kensal Rise Middlesex widow died 7 August 1926 at the Railway Station Ramsgate Administration London 21 December to Joseph Rice police constable. Effects £240 13s. 6d.

10.   Lancashire Evening Post
    p.7, 9 Aug 1926.

    Mrs. Mary Phippen (65), of Kensal Rise, returning to London, collapsed and died on Ramsgate Railway Station.

11.   West London Observer
    p.7, 13 Aug 1926.

    DEATH AT RAILWAY STATION.-Mrs. Mary Phippen, aged 65, of Peploe Road, Kensal Rise, died suddenly on Saturday on the platform at Ramsgate new railway station when about to return from a holiday.

12.   Thanet Advertiser
    p.6, 14 Aug 1926.

    VISITOR'S TRAGIC DEATH
    ON STATION PLATFORM.
    Mrs. Mary Phippen, aged 65, of 5, Peploe-road, Kensal Rise, N.W.6, who was visiting Ramsgate, died with tragic suddenness on the platform of Ramsgate railway station on Saturday, after having taken her ticket for the return journey.
    Mrs. Phippen, who was accompanied by her niece, had been staing at 7, Augusta road.
    She had suffered from heart attacks, but had the previous evening seen a local medical man, who had expressed to her that she was fit to travel.
    The motor ambulance was fetched, and Mrs. Phippen was taken to the Ramsgate General Hospital, where it was certified that life was extinct.
    The facts were communicated to the Coroner (Dr. F.W. Hardman), who decided that, in the circumstances, it was not necessary for an inquest to be held.

13.   Grantham Journal
    p.7, 14 Aug 1926.

    PHIPPEN.-On August 7th, very suddenly, Mary Phippen, of 5, Peploe-road, London, N.W.6, for many years in the service of Mrs. G.H. Rayner, at Boothby Hall.