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Rosa Susannah Barrett 6 Jun 1877 - 10 Feb 1952
State Registered Nurse and community Midwife
My maternal grandmother


1877 June 6     Rosa was born at the following hotel which her father managed; her mother was 
Rebecca Elizabeth Barrett nee Harrison

1881 Census    The family (of 10) were living at the Cheshire Cheese Hotel, Doncaster.
 
THE  HOTEL

Image of Spired Cheshire Cheese Hotel
Image
 © woody - iow

1891 Census.   Rosa 14 at 36 Silver Street, Doncaster, annex of the St. Leger public house.
1901 Census.   Rosa, 23 and single, lived at 14 Robert Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester with parents.
1901 July         Registered with London Obstetrical Society. (L.O.S.)               
1905 March      Registered with Central Midwives Board (C.M.B. 17945).  Believed to have qualified Withington Hospital.
1905 April 22   Married Walter Hellings (engineer).  They were both residing at 86 Cottenham Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock.
1905 Q4          Son Herbert was born.
1907 Dec 20    Son Herbert died age 2 at Monsall Hospital, Newton Heath (following 34 days with enteritis).
1908 Apr 9       Husband, Walter died of tubercolosis due to small-pox at 378 Rochdale Road, Collyhurst, Manchester

  Photograph  
Rosa Susannah Hellings (nee Barrett) c.1920
and daughter Dora Phillips

1911  The Census shows Rosa as a widow and 'head' of the house at 4 Hallville Road, Poulton-cum-Seacombe, and her occupation as a "Trained Nurse".  Stewart Hay Phillips (my mother's father) shop manager was enumerated in the household as "Boarder".
1911  Aug 15, daughter, Dora Phillips was born at Seacombe, Birkenhead
1911 - 1919 at some time in this period the family moved across the river Mersey to Liverpool.
1919  The family moved again, this time away from Liverpool to live at 64 Mawson Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester. (nr Ardwick Green)
1919  For reference only.  It was this year, on Dec 23rd, that the Nurses Act received the Royal Assent. The battle for the Nurses Act was fought by Mrs Ethel Gordon Fenwick and her supporters which was to some extent a part of the political struggle of women's suffrage.
1920  Nov 18, date of letter from C.M.B. (Central Midwives Board) informing Rosa that she had been struck off the Midwives Roll, and her Certificate to practice was cancelled.   The reason given was her cohabitation with "the man Phillips", father of her only child Dora, to whom she was not married.
Then almost a year later :
1921  Oct  18, date of letter from C.M.B. informing Rosa that her name had been restored to the Midwives Roll, and that her new Certificate would follow, this was on condition she "cease to cohabit with the man Phillips".  
(What a draconian procedure when seen from the early 21st century.)  Webmaster has facsimile copies of all letters which passed between C.M.B. and Rosa throughout the above 1920-21 proceedings.
 
1923   Nov. 16   Rosa was added to Register for Nurses : Reg. no. 24494 ( see 1919, Mrs Fenwick etc ). And she moved with her daughter to 25 Bosworth Street, Openshaw, Manchester.  (Probably leaving "the man Phillips" behind, still at the previous address.)
1929   Kelly's Directory of Manchester and Salford and suburbs, page 1790, "Midwives \ Hellings, Rosa, 25 Bosworth St."
1935   July 28, her daughter Dora's first born (webmaster) delivered by Rosa, at 25 Bosworth St. 
1937  Rosa (60) moved with partner Stewart from Openshaw to manage an off-licence of Hydes Queen's Brewery in Whalley Range, Manchester.  Up to this time Rosa continued to practice as a community midwife, and the webmaster can remember that in the 1940s her 'tool-box', a Gladstone bag containing the tools and chemicals of her profession was still in the attic of the shop. It was embossed "Nurse Hellings SRN".   They were very happy there for eleven years until the death of Stewart at Christmas 1948.
   

B&W photograph of a corner shop c.1940s

Hydes off-licence 18 Greame St, Moss-Side, Manchester
Very large premises including attics and cellars, and was a wonderful playground.
Photograph by the webmaster, c.1947

1949   January, Rosa moved to live with daughter Dora and her family at 21 Broadstone Rd, Reddish, Stockport
1952   Feb 10, she died aged 74, and was cremated at Stockport Crematorium, Stockport, Cheshire.


Rosa's enamel badge
The Midwives Institute was forerunner of
The Royal College of Midwives
The Latin motto Vita Donum Dei = Life is the gift of God



Bangle_1911

This heirloom bracelet belonged to Rosa.
It is  hallmarked for the year Dora was born, 1911.


In the name of simplicity, data sources in general are omitted,
so  you will have to trust me.



© 2016 Geoffrey Royle G4FAS
UNLESS OTHERWISE ANNOTATED