Person:Victoria Moss (1)

Victoria Alberta Moss was born on 23rd August 1867, daughter of a bonnet sewer called Bethia Moss, formerly King, and her husband William Moss, an agricultural labourer. She was born at Aley Green in the parish of Caddington. Caddington parish at that time straddled Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, and Aley Green was in the Hertfordshire part of the parish. The 1871 and 1881 censuses each find Victoria living with her parents and siblings at Aley Green.

On 11th September 1886, aged 19, Victoria married Thomas Charles Warren in the nearby town of Luton. They went on to have nine children together between 1887 and 1907, although four of them died as infants. In 1891 they were living at 6 Windsor Street in Luton, with Thomas working as an engine and machine maker, whilst Victoria was a straw hat machinist.

The family briefly moved to Bedford, having a daughter there in 1900 and appearing there in the 1901 census at 75 Marlborough Road, when Thomas was described as a planing machinist in an iron foundry. By 1905 they had returned to Luton, having their youngest three children there between 1905 and 1907. Victoria's mother died in 1906. The 1911 census finds Victoria, Thomas and their children living in a five roomed house at 9 May Street, with Thomas described as an engineer in a motor works. Victoria's father died a few days after the 1911 census was taken.

In 1914 Thomas and Victoria separated. One Monday in February that year Thomas came home drunk and assaulted Victoria, accusing her of having a "fancy man". He was brought before the magistrates and bound over to keep the peace. It was noted that he appeared to have been drinking before his court appearance too. The following month he was brought back before the court and order to make maintenance payments of seven shillings and six pence a week to Victoria for raising their two youngest children, which was about a fifth of his income of 36 shillings a week.

Having left Victoria, Thomas moved in with a widow called Annie Maria Rosson, formerly Haynes, and had another family with her. In 1920 Thomas went to court to try and have the maintenance order he was still paying to Victoria varied, on the basis that he was earning less, having had his working hours reduced to twenty hours a week due to a coal strike. When questioned by the court, Thomas admitted that he was living with another woman and had another family to keep. The court declined to vary the order. Annie Rosson died in 1924. Thomas later moved away from Luton to Letchworth in Hertfordshire, where he died in 1933.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Victoria was living with her son Horace and his family at 34 Vicarage Street in Luton. Victoria died in Luton in 1948, aged 81.

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

   b. Victoria MOSS, September Quarter 1867, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 430, mother's maiden name King

2. ↑ Baptisms register, in Church of England. Caddington Parish Registers. (Bedford: Bedfordshire Record Office).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Caddington in the County of Bedford in the Year 1867
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parent's Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   1191	Oct[ober] 6	Victoria Alberta	Will[ia]m & Bethia	Moss	Tipple Hill	Labourer	Tho[ma]s Prescott, Vicar

3. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1568; Folio 28; Page 15, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Aley Green (listed immediately after "The Boot"), Caddington, Hertfordshire
   William Moss, head, married, male, 33 [1837/8], Lab[ourer], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Bethia Moss, wife, married, female, 34 [1836/7], Sewer, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   James Moss, son, male, 8 [1862/3], Scholar, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Susan Moss, daughter, female, 5 [1865/6], Scholar, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Alberta Moss, daughter, female, 3 [1867/8], Scholar, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Maude Moss, daughter, female, 1 [1869/70], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Ellen Moss, daughter, female, 8mo [1870], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire

4. ↑ 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 1653; Folio 136; Page 4, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Aley Green, Caddington, Hertfordshire
   William Moss, head, married, male, 42 [1838/9], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Bethia Moss, wife, married, female, 44 [1836/7], Bonnet Sewer, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Victoria A. Moss, daughter, female, 13 [1867/8], Bonnet Sewer, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Alice M.M. Moss, daughter, female, 11 [1869/70], Scholar, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Walter A. Moss, son, male, 9 [1891/2], Scholar, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Prince L. Moss, son, male, 6 [1894/5], Scholar, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   William A. Moss, son, male, 4 [1896/7], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Bethia Moss, daughter, female, 2 [1898/9], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire

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 1274; Folio 47; Page 14, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 6 Windsor Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   4 rooms occupied
   Thomas C. Warren, head, married, male, 25 [1865/6], Engine & Machine Maker, employed, b. Huntingdon
   Victoria Warren, wife, married, female, 25 [1865/6], Straw Hat Machinist, employed, b. Ally Green, Hertfordshire
   Linley [sic] R. Warren, daughter, single, female, 3 [1887/8], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Annie Warren, daughter, single, female, 6mo [1890], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ada S. Amos [sic], visitor, female, 9 [1881/2], b. Ally Green, Hertfordshire

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 1493; Folio 90; Page 33, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 75 Marlborough Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire
   Thomas Warren, head, married, male, 33 [1867/8], Planing Machinist Iron foundry, worker, b. Huntingdon
   Victoria Warren, wife, married, female, 33 [1867/8], Straw Hat Machinist, worker, b. Aley Green, Hertfordshire
   Lily Warren, daughter, female, 13 [1887/8], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   George Warren, son, male, 9 [1891/2], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ethel Warren, daughter, female, 1 [1899/1900], b. Bedford
   Annie Warren, daughter, female, 10 [1890/1], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

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 8995; Schedule 157, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 9 May Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   5 rooms occupied
   Thomas Charles Warren, husband, male, 43 [1867/8], 8 children born to marriage, 5 children still alive, Engineer Motor Works, worker, b. Huntingdon
   Victoria Elbertha Warren, wife, female, 43 [1867/8], Straw Hat Machinist, worker at home, b. Aley Green, Bedfordshire
   Lillie Warren, daughter, female, 22 [1888/9], Straw Hat Finisher, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Annie Warren, daughter, female, 20 [1890/1], Straw Hat Machinist, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   George Warren, son, male, 19 [1891/2], Apprentice Painter, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Eatherel Warren, daughter, female, 11 [1899/1900], b. Bedford, Bedfordshire
   Horice Warren, son, male, 6 [1904/5], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

8.   Luton Times and Advertiser, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 8, 20 Feb 1914.

   After Twenty-seven Years
   The story of the abrupt ending of 27 years of married "bliss" was told at the Borough Sessions on Wednesday, when THOMAS WARREN appeared to answer a charge of assaulting his wife, Victoria Bertha Warren, on Monday. The defendant, who took thinks very calmly and appeared unable to take much interest in the proceedings, said he knew nothing of the assault, and added "It is the finish of my married life."
   Mr. H.W. Lathom prosecuted, and after giving a brief outline of the case called the complainant, who said that she had been married 27 years. On Monday the defendant went out at six o'clock - she thought to go to work at Messrs. Kent's. He came back at one o'clock and was "boozed." - Mr. Lathom: That's short and expressive. - Witness continued, and said that the defendant went to the sofa and fell asleep for half-an-hour. She went on with her work, and when he woke up he said that she had got something on her mind. Someone came to the door, and the defendant said it was her "fancy man" come for her. He then struck her in the face with his fist, and also hit her on the chest. She was afraid of him when he was in drink. - When asked if he had any questions the defendant replied, "I have no questions to ask. It is the finish of my married life, and I shall not go home any more." - He was bound over in the sum of £5 to keep the peace for six months and ordered to pay 7s. 6d. costs, time being refused.

9.   Luton Reporter, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 7, 23 Feb 1914.

   GOING TO BE A BACHELOR.-"This has finished up my married life, and I shall never go home any more," declared a man named Thomas Warren, who is employed at Messrs. Kent's Works, when summoned at the Luton Borough Sessions, on Wednesday, for assaulting his wife, Mrs. Victoria Bertha Warren. Mr. Lathom, who appeared to prosecute, wondered whether the man was in a fit state for the case to be heard, as he appeared to have been drinking. The case was proceeded with, however, and Mrs. Warren told the Court how her husband, to whom she had been married twenty-seven years, arrived home at one o'clock last Monday, "boozed," lay on the sofa for an hour, then got up, and because his wife was not appearing very bright, the work of the morning having fatigued her, he declared that she had "something on her mind," and he was see what it was. He immediately struck his wife severe blows on the face and chest, and also on the arm, and in consequence of this conduct, Mrs. Warren declared that she was afraid of her husband when he was drunk, and she asked for the protection of the Court. The Magistrates ordered Warren to be bound over in the sum of £5, to keep the peace for six months and to pay the costs, 7s. 6d.

10.   Luton Times and Advertiser, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 8, 20 Mar 1914.

    Maintenance Order Made.
    At the Borough Sessions on Wednesday, Victoria Warren made an application for a maintenance order from her husband, THOMAS WARREN, on the ground of his desertion.
    Mr. H.W. Lathom appeared for the applicant, and stated that about a month ago the wife had to summon her husband for a serious assault, and at that time he said it was the end of his married life, and he would never go home again. He had not been home since.
    The defendant: What's that got to do with you?
    Mr. Lathom replied that he was paid to speak about it.
    Mrs. Warren then went into the box and bore out her advocate's statement. Her husband, she said, was earning 36s. per week.
    The defendant said the cause of the trouble was another man. He was willing to help to maintain the children. He had been home, but his wife would not have him in the house. He was willing to give her 5s. per week to maintain the two children.
    Mr. R.S. Tomson advised them to think things over and try to come together again and live peaceabley.
    An order for 7s. 6d. weekly was made.

11.   Luton Reporter, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 4, 2 Nov 1920.

    TWO FAMILIES TO KEEP.
    An application was made to Luton magistrates on Saturday by Thomas Warren, an employee at the West Hydraulic Works, living in Adelaide-terrace, for a variation of a maintenance order of 7s. 6d. a week made in favour of his wife, Victoria A. Warren, 9, May-street, in March, 1914. His case was that the order was in respect of the two children until they attained the age of 16, and one was now nearly 20, and the other would be 16 in March. Owing to the depression in trade due to the coal strike, his hours of labour had been reduced to 20 hours a week, and it was impossible for him to continue the payments, as his earnings last week amounted to only 32s. 9d.
    Mr. Edwin Oakley, who presided, pointed out that 7s. 6d. in 1914 was equal to the worth of a pound to-day, and Warren replied that the same applied to him.
    In reply to further questions, he admitted he was living with another woman, and had another family to keep.
    Mrs. Warren pointed out that her husband was before the court six weeks ago for being £15 in arrears, and her 20 year old daughter was getting married directly, so that she would get no help from her.
    The Bench declined to make any alteration in the order.

12. ↑ ^12.0 12.1 General Register Office. 1939 Register
    Luton Municipal Borough, 29 Sep 1939.

    Address: 34 Vicarage Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
    Warren, Horace / male / b. 24 Mar 1905 / married / Straw & Felt Works Steamer
    Warren, Rosa / female / b. 23 Jan 1903 / married / Milliner Hat Trade
    Warren, Victoria A. / female / b. 23 Aug 1867 / widow / Unpaid Domestic Duties
    Warnock [later changed to "Irons"], Evelyn I. / female / 21 Jun 1921 / single / Telephone Operator
    [two records closed]

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

    d. Victoria Alberta WARREN, December Quarter 1948, Luton Registration District, Volume 4a, page 137, aged 81 [1866/7]