More about C. A. Lucas

Thank you to Sara Wear and Becki Morris from Warwickshire Museums who gave us an hour of time on Saturday to discuss the life of Cicely Lucas.  Becki said she is one of only a few known Warwickshire suffragettes.

What we discovered.
Edwin's parents were Sarah and John, a carpenter.  They lived in Chetnole, Dorset.  Edwin was christened in 1st Nov 1846.  Therefore this must be his year of birth.  In 1871, aged 24 he is living with his sister Ellen (23) on the Bristol Road in St John's Highbridge, Burnham on Sea, Somerset.  He is described as a schoolmaster.

The Old St John's School, Highbridge (to the left).

A typical house on Mary Road Stechford, Birmingham.

The house Cicely bought for her parents when they came back together was on Mary Road, Stechford, Yardley, Birmingham.  When Sarah Neale, Cicely's mother (interestingly born in Winterbourne-Stoke, Salisbury) died, she was buried in the cemetery of St John the Baptist Westwood Heath, on 1st March 1910 by the Rev B Haywood- Browne, She was  67 years old.  We could not find her grave.  In 1911 only Edwin filled out the census form stating 'Daughter is a Suffragette'.

There is no mention of Ernest.  Edwin describes himself as a widower of private means, aged 64, living at Mary Road in an 8 roomed house.  When did the family move to France?

It was easy however to find Cecil and Kate's Grave.

Kate died at The School House on
21st November 1929, aged 52 years.
Cecil Furmage Neale, died
24th March 1953, aged 78 years.

We were given the 1891 census result. Edwin 44, Sarah 50, Cecil F 16 (Pupil Teacher), Eustace E 14, Cicely A 12 and Christopher W 9.

Cicely does not feature in the 1911 but Edwin states that his daughter is a suffragette (confirming my suspicion that she joined the suffragette boycott).

In Cicely's 'Albume' dated 1898, which collects best wishes from friends at DTC, and pictures and mementos from Ernest, Cicely has included signatures from three suffragette friends.

Christabel Pankhurst
Mrs Jennie Baines
Mary Gawthorpe

Mary Gawthorpe, originally from Leeds, a teacher and co-founder of NUT.
Badly injured by police a number of times.  Emigrated to USA in 1916

Jennie Baines, from poor Birmingham roots, was a regular at
Holloway Prison.

Jennie's Police Surveillance picture.
Her family whisked her off to Australia in 1913.

Christabel Pankhurst

And finally

A beautiful love offering from 'Ranji' to Cicely while she was away at DTC.