I have already written at length about Rosie's husband, war hero Sergeant Percy Ross DCM (week 27), but it would be sexist not to add some details about his wife, Rosie.
Rose Inskipp was born in Hastings in 1880 and was the youngest of six children. Her father was a cabinet maker. On the 1881 census they were all living at 41 Western Road in the town. Sadly, her mother, Eliza, died while she was still a baby, just after Christmas 1881, of "exhaustion" three days after giving birth to her seventh child in ten years. Hardly surprising some would say !
Whether Rosie was then brought up by her first cousin, Sarah Fermor, isn't known but she was aged 11 living with her and her family on the 1891 census at 13 Waldeman Street, also in Hastings.
By the time she was 21 on the 1901 census, she was a barmaid living at The Prince Albert public house at 28 Cornwallis Street in Hastings.
It must have been a coup for her to marry into a little bit of money when she married Percy Ross in April 1902. They married at St Leonards Church, St Leonards on Sea, Hastings. They must have then moved up to London as their two sons, Thomas (1905) and Robert (1910), were both born in Balham. On the 1911 census they were living at 26 Byrne Road, Balham with cousins, Edward and May Cotton, music hall entertainer and authoress respectively.
Rose Inskipp was born in Hastings in 1880 and was the youngest of six children. Her father was a cabinet maker. On the 1881 census they were all living at 41 Western Road in the town. Sadly, her mother, Eliza, died while she was still a baby, just after Christmas 1881, of "exhaustion" three days after giving birth to her seventh child in ten years. Hardly surprising some would say !
Whether Rosie was then brought up by her first cousin, Sarah Fermor, isn't known but she was aged 11 living with her and her family on the 1891 census at 13 Waldeman Street, also in Hastings.
By the time she was 21 on the 1901 census, she was a barmaid living at The Prince Albert public house at 28 Cornwallis Street in Hastings.
It must have been a coup for her to marry into a little bit of money when she married Percy Ross in April 1902. They married at St Leonards Church, St Leonards on Sea, Hastings. They must have then moved up to London as their two sons, Thomas (1905) and Robert (1910), were both born in Balham. On the 1911 census they were living at 26 Byrne Road, Balham with cousins, Edward and May Cotton, music hall entertainer and authoress respectively.
Her war hero husband died in 1915 fighting in France. Where Rosie was for the next 17 years is conjecture. Her direct descendants say that she apparently ran an establishment in Covent Garden and there was the suggestion that it was more than a pub and was some kind of bawdy house, probably frequented by ladies offering their services after the punters had attended the nearby theaters. Maybe and maybe not ...... we will probably never know.
Her mother in law, Hannah, was living at 69 St Helen's Road in Hastings, the house a Ross built in the 1870's (week 29), when she died in 1932 and it seems that Rosie, at some point, must have moved to live there - before or after Hannah's death isn't known. It is remembered as being a large house with a turret overlooking the park which was in a well to do area. She was eccentric and had a house full of eccentric things .
What we do know for sure is that Rosie was fined £3 by Hastings Police Court in 1940 for exhibiting lights contrary to the black-out regulations. Strange the footprints people unknowingly leave for future genealogists !
She was certainly quite a colourful individual by all accounts and it would be great if someday we could learn more of the truth.
Rosie died in 1955 aged 74 of heart failure due to fatty degeneration of the myocardium. She had continued to live in the family home at 69 St Helen's Road, Hastings right up until her death.
Her mother in law, Hannah, was living at 69 St Helen's Road in Hastings, the house a Ross built in the 1870's (week 29), when she died in 1932 and it seems that Rosie, at some point, must have moved to live there - before or after Hannah's death isn't known. It is remembered as being a large house with a turret overlooking the park which was in a well to do area. She was eccentric and had a house full of eccentric things .
What we do know for sure is that Rosie was fined £3 by Hastings Police Court in 1940 for exhibiting lights contrary to the black-out regulations. Strange the footprints people unknowingly leave for future genealogists !
She was certainly quite a colourful individual by all accounts and it would be great if someday we could learn more of the truth.
Rosie died in 1955 aged 74 of heart failure due to fatty degeneration of the myocardium. She had continued to live in the family home at 69 St Helen's Road, Hastings right up until her death.