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Hi'
I have
been in touch before regarding the Dauntons, whom I am researching. Being of an
inquisitive nature I could not resist
looking on the National Archives to find the
documentation regarding Elizabeth Daunton:
Court: Somerset : Sentenced for MURDER.
Yes, I'm
afraid Rooksbridge houses some dark secrets
and I may even be descended (very
indirectly) from a tragic murderess....
It
appears that Elizabeth was born in the
Workhouse (a fate not to be envied). Queen
Victoria had encouraged people to make the
new workhouses less "desirable" than the
previous type of Poorhouses, in order to
discourage people from relying too heavily
on others' charity. It would be fun to put
her in a hotseat alongside Tony Blair to
sort out todays' problems.
Anyway,
I am sure that the young daughter of Samuel
Daunton and Hester Hatch was taught in no
uncertain terms that she was a burden on
those around her. Her father, previously a
respectable shoemaker and agricultural
worker, obviously did not cope well with the
regime of guilt surrounding those in the
workhouse. No doubt he was a proud man,
devastated by the results of poverty. He had
several children with Hester (Caroline in
1838 (born Caroline Hatch) in Axbridge Union
Workhouse; then Charlotte in 1840 (Compton
Bishop) and finally Elizabeth in 1843
(again, born in the Workhouse). I expect he
passed the time with brawls and beers...
We do
not know why, but Elizabeth grew up into a
very disturbed young woman. She was arrested
and imprisoned for a year for manslaughter
when she was in her twenties; perhaps she
became embroiled in a drunken brawl? Perhaps
she killed somebody who was violent towards
her? Anyway, after that she was also given 2
weeks' imprisonment for breaking windows in
the workhouse. Maybe she could stand it no
longer....perhaps a lifetime of being told
that she was "of weak mind" and should be
made to pay for the sin of living off
charity finally broke her.
It
appears she became pregnant: in the
workhouse, babies were taken away from their
mothers after weaning. This may have been a
prospect she was unable to bear, or else she
saw in the infant a child as guilty as she
was: a burden on all those around her. She
took the life of her child (aged 1 month)
and was sentenced to be hanged.
Fortunately for her, there were several
doctors at the prison who decided to
interview her; they both agreed that she was
"morally weak and very ignorant"; she was
certified insane after two days of
consultations. The doctor suggested she be
sent to Broadmoor Lunatic Asylum.
Surprisingly, he also hinted that she might
be safe to release should she recover her
"intellect" at some time in the coming few
years.
The
tragedy was not over: Elizabeth was indeed
put away in the asylum. Perhaps this further
imprisonment affirmed her opinion that her
life was not worth living, because after
three years she had died. I do not know yet
how. Maybe other inmates found out that she
was a child-murderer. Perhaps she committed
suicide. Maybe she was just ill. When I can
afford to order the rest of the documents I
will let you know any more details!!
Yes, I
will be writing a novel based on the
adventures of various relatives.
Kathy
Kromm |
