Rosalie Berkley Hamilton

Rosalie may be pictured here at her sister Lilian’s wedding. There is some uncertainty surrounding who the woman is in the middle of the back row. Some think it is Rosalie, while others think it is Lilian’s mother Henrietta.

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Rosalie Hamilton d-1954

Francesca is on the left, holding one of her adopted children, with either Hennrietta or Rosalie although it is most likely to be Rosalie since she was a witness on the certificate. There are 3 possibilities for the young man’s identity – it could be Francesca’s 14 year old son Edward, whose name appears on the marriage certificate, possibly Alured, or the groom’s brother Arthur Albert. Interesting to note that Lilian was known as Isabella on the marriage certificate

Born: 1867
Died: 1954, aged 87

Rosalie never married. Her death certificate states she was a retired medical nurse, a spinster, aged 87.

Her body was found on the 11th September, 1954. The death was attributed to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning by the inhalation of coal gas. Alan Warren has found a clipping from the local Wothington newspaper about deaths from coal gas poisoning in 1958. It reads “There was a steady stream of inquests in the town relating to men and women who accidentally or deliberately gassed themselves by leaving the cooker on”.

Letter to Iris

In a letter to Iris in 1947, she has just learnt the news of Lilian’s death 6 months earlier, and is disappointed at the absence of any communication with Alured since the beginning of the war.

She lets on that she is struggling a bit financially, but is proud of still being able to look after herself at almost 80 years of age.
She is hoping that Trevor will come and stay with her for Christmas.