Charles Goodwin
KEY DATES:
Baptism: 16 August 1818, St Mary's Church, Lambeth, Surrey
Marriage: 22 July 1845, St Matthew's Church, Brixton, Lambeth, Surrey
Death: 17 June 1860, Wandsworth, Surrey
Burial: 24 June 1860, St Matthew's Church, Brixton, Lambeth, Surrey
BIOGRAPHY:
Charles was born to Thomas and Mary Goodwin, and was baptised on the 16 August 1818 in St Mary's Church, Lambeth. Little is known of his early life until the time of the 1841 census, where he is recorded living in Smith Street, Kennington, Lambeth with his elder brother, Thomas Goodwin. Four years later Charles Goodwin married Elizabeth Whitworth on the 22 July 1845 in St Matthew's Church, Brixton, Lambeth.
St Matthew's Church, 1826
At the time of his marriage, Charles' occupation was noted as coachman, an occupation held by several members of his family. The signs point to an impoverished life for Charles, Elizabeth and their children. They moved house at least eight times in as many years, whilst Charles searched for work, finding employment variously as a porter and coachman. The couple had seven children: Charles Edward, Emily, Henry, Elizabeth Mary, Alfred William, Edward James, and Elizabeth Jane Goodwin. Elizabeth Mary, Alfred William and Elizabeth Jane Goodwin died in infancy.
3 Archbishop's Place, 2000
Charles and Elizabeth's poverty is sadly witnessed in Elizabeth Jane's death, six months after her birth to 'marasmus'. A modern medical description of the word is: 'In poorer countries where there is a shortage of food, marasmus resulting from lack of food energy is common.'
Further tragedy hit the family when, on 6 January 1860, Charles Goodwin entered Wandsworth County Lunatic Asylum suffering from a form of mental illness. Below is a copy of the admissions for the asylum.
|
Number in order of admission |
Date of admission |
Name |
Age |
Married single or widow |
Occupation |
|
2176 |
6th January 1860 |
Charles Goodwin |
40 |
Married |
Porter |
|
Previous abode |
County |
Form of mental disorder |
Supposed cause of insanity |
Bodily condition and name of disease |
Duration of existing attacks |
Age of first attack |
Date of discharge or death |
|
3, Archbishop's Place |
Lambeth, Surrey |
Dementia |
Not known |
Is thin, but otherwise good health |
Not known |
Not known |
17th June 1860 |
Below is a copy of the entry for 'Male Deaths' at Wandsworth Asylum.
|
Number of register |
Name |
Age |
Date of admission |
|
2176 |
Charles Goodwin |
40 |
6th January 1860 |
|
Disease on admission |
Immediate cause of death |
Date of death |
Remarks |
|
Dementia |
Disease of brain |
17th June 1860 |
Present, A. Woolcock |
Following Charles' death, Elizabeth and her surviving children remained living at Archbishop's Place, crammed into a tiny house with another widow and her children. She remarried a few years after Charles' death to John Hoare and had a further three children.
CENSUS:
© Copyright N. Goodwin MMII