Isabella Catherine Bennett (1861 - 1933)

Born 1861 in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Mark Chalk [send private message] and Jack Bennett [send private message]

Biography

Isabella's birth was registered in the Jan-Feb-Mar quarter of 1862 in the Birmingham district.^[1]

The two eldest sisters, Bella and Polly, were talented women, but somewhat different in character. Both inherited the generous traits and honesty of the Bennett line, and the zeal and energy of the Beilbys. Bella (Isabella Catherine, 1861 –1933) had a very sunny disposition, was a general favourite with everyone and had a host of friends. People came to her to relate their troubles to receive her sympathy and advice, and I know of few women who received so many confidences of their secret worries as she did. On the death of my father, my mother bravely carried on the business, but for a woman to carry on a business of that kind in those days was a difficult task, and the finances of the family steadily declined. [Notes from George Bennett, published in The Master Builders, by Jeremy Bennett] On that account Bella left home when she was over thirty to take up nursing at the London Hospital. There her abilities found ample scope, she rose rapidly and eventually became a sister. Later on the Matronship of the Metropolitan Hospital became vacant and she received the appointment. There she made her mark in the nursing world; during the great war a large annex was attached to the Metropolitan Hospital, and her labours increased enormously, and eventually she was summoned to Buckingham Palace to receive at the hands of the King the Royal Red Cross. It is very probable that the enormous work at the hospital during the war caused her to have a serious break-down a few years after the war. She had a severe stroke and was compelled on that account to give up her work at the hospital. She died at Findon in 1932. In religious matters she remained loyally in the faith of her ancestors, and no religious doubts appeared to affect her in any way. If a discussion on religion arose she was wont to say : "How can we with our puny minds attempt to fathom the mysteries of the Almighty and His works?" ^[2]

Research Notes

Matron Metropolitan Hospital, London. Royal Red Cross Medal

Sources

1. ↑ Birth Registration: "England & Wales General Register Office"
   GRO Online Indexes - Birth (accessed 26 August 2023)
   Bennett, Isabella Catharine (Mother's maiden name: Beilby).
   GRO Reference: 1862 Jan-Feb-Mar in Birmingham Volume 06D Page 218.
2. ↑ Notes from George Bennett, published in The Master Builders, by Jeremy Bennett.

• "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Y1-D1T : 23 June 2017), Isabella Catherine Bennett in entry for Alfred Bennett, 1871.