Louisa Wilston (Surtees) Cutbush (1862 - abt. 1944)

Born 12 Mar 1862 in North Shields, Northumberland

Wife of Richard Knox Tait — married 1881 (to 1890) in Tynemouth

Died about 1944 at about age 81 in Chichester, Sussex, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Louisa was born in 1862.

Sources

Louisa Wilston Surtees b. 1862 (Q2), mother's maiden name Buglass [1] [2]

1871 Census record gives family structure when she was 9 [3]

Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

Margaret Surtees Head Female 32 Hartley, Northumberland

Mary Surtees Daughter Female 12 North Shields, Northumberland

John B Surtees Son Male 10 North Shields, Northumberland

Louisa W Surtees Daughter Female 9 North Shields, Northumberland

Arthur Surtees Son Male 7 North Shields, Northumberland

Joseph W Surtees Son Male 2 North Shields, Northumberland

1890 divorce record in England

Married Richard Knox Tait at age 19 in 1881 (Q4), Tynemouth, Northumberland, England [4] [5] spouse Louisa Surtees [6] [7]

Child 1888 (Q1) Louisa Surtees Tait [8]

Sued for support: Report in Shields Daily News, December 23, 1890 [9] Transcription by DLM:

A MEDICAL MAN SUMMONED FOR WIFE DESERTION AT NORTH SHIELDS.

At North Shields Police Court, today, before the Mayor (Ald Whiteburn) and Mr Armstrong, Richard Knox Tait, surgeon, was summoned to show cause why an order should not be made upon him for the maintenance of his wife, Louisa Tait, he having deserted her in January 1889 - Mr Luke Johnson appeared on behalf of the complainant, and in opening the case said the parties were married in December of 1881, he, at that time carrying on a practice as surgeon in that town. Their married life went on happily for three years, but after that it was marked by continuous ill-treatment, which consummated in the defendant deserting her in Jan. of 1889, leaving her destitute. Since that time he had not contributed a single penny to his wife's maintenance. At the present time the defendant was practising as a surgeon and medical practitioner in Ayton, Berwickshire - his native town, and was in receipt of a fair sum per year. He had on several occasions promised by letter to provide for the maintenance of his wife and child, but his promises had never been carried out. Complainant said that since her husband left her destitute she had been living with her mother, and had managed to maintain herself and child by keeping lodgers. She had received nothing from him since he deserted her, but some time since he wrote to her stating that if she forwarded to him his instruments and surgical books he would send to her £1 per week. She did as requested, but had received nothing from him - The Bench made an order for payment of £1 per week.

Divorced in 1890 in England 3833 Tait (Louisa) v T (Richard Knox) [10] [11] record held in the National Archives [12]

note

Timeline

1862 Mar - Louisa Surtees born in N. Shields

1877 Aug - Richard Knox Tait, qualified as doc

1877 Sep - RK Tait established practice at 37 Borough Rd Chirton

1881 Jul - RK Tait MOH Tynemouth application

1881 Oct - Eyemouth disaster

1881 Dec - Louisa (19) married to Richard Knox Tait (25-29)

1884 Dec - still happily married

1885 Jan - breakdown of marriage per complaint

1887 Mar - conceived daughter

1887 Dec - birth of daughter

1889 Jan - desertion

1890 Dec - Louisa (28) sued for support

1890 ??? - sued for divorce

1891 ??? - census living at Dawson's Terrace, Chirton Louisa + Louisa +Margaret Surtees + 7 visitors

1901 ??? - census living in S. Shields + nephew + 3 boarders

1911 ??? - census living in Hammersmith, London with husband Walter John Cutbush and daughter

1931 ??? - electoral register, Acton (Mrs Cutbush + Louisa Surtees Tait)

1954 Q1 - daughter died at Tynemouth

In the 1891 census [13], Louisa Tait was listed as head of household in Chirton (N. Shields) with this family composition including 7 lodgers:

Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

Louisa Tait Head Female 28 Northumberland, England

Louisa Tait Daughter Female 3 Northumberland, England

Margaret Surtees Mother Female 49 Northumberland, England

Charles V Webb Visitor Male 36 Philipine Isles

Mary Webb Visitor Female 26 England

Enrique Webb Visitor Male 7 Philipine Isles

Anna M G Best Visitor Female 34 Philipine Isles

Henry Webb Visitor Male 64 England

Eva Lander Visitor Female 35 Cornwall, England

Antonio A Jebar Visitor Male 40 Vizenga Epand

This confirms Louisa Tait jr. as born in 1888

In the 1901 census [14] Louisa S. Tait (13) was living with her mother Louisa Tait (39) in S. Shields with a cousin (George A. Lyall) and 3 boarders:

Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

Louisa Tait Head Female 39 No Shields, Northumberland

Louisa S Tait Daughter Female 13 No Shields, Northumberland

George A Lyall Nephew Male 18 No Shields, Northumberland

Frances Bewick Boarder Female 38 Gateshead, Durham

Emily Bewick Boarder Female 32 Gateshead, Durham

Ernest B Davies Boarder Male 0 Whilley, Northumberland

The 1911 census [15] [16] Louisa Surtees Tait (23) was a millinery assistant living with stepfather Walter John Cutbush and Louisa (Surtees) Cutbush who had been married 7 years, and were living in Hammersmith, London.

Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

Walter John Cutbush Head Male 59 Harrietsham, Kent (Political Registration Election Agent)

Louisa Cutbush Wife Female 49 North Shields, Northumberland

Louisa Surtees Tait Stepdaughter Male 23 North Shields, Northumberland

- Address is given as 37 Thornfield Rd, Shepherd's Bush

In 1931 Louisa Surtees Tait appeared on an electoral register in Acton [17] [18] together with Louise (sic) Cutbush. As she was 43 at the time and living with her mother and using her maiden name, it may be deduced that she was a spinster and remained so.

The most recent available record, the Register of 1939 [19] lists the Tait household as:

Tait Household (2 People)

54 Downlands Avenue , Worthing M.B., Sussex, England

FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB SEX OCCUPATION MARITAL STATUS SCHEDULE SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER

Louisa S Tait 29 Dec 1887 Female Agricultural Nursery Hand Single 213 1

Louisa Cutb? 12 Mar 1862 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Widowed 213 2

Louisa Cutbush died in 1944 in Chichester, Sussex [20]

Louisa S Tait died at age 67 in 1954 at Tynemouth [21]