Nurse Elizabeth Holley Alan Payne February 2021
Nurse Holley (courtesy Daily Mirror, 5 February 1913)
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Nurse Elizabeth Holley is the only Box person to have been awarded the Albert Medal for Lifesaving - a true heroine. On 22 November 1912, mental nurse Elizabeth Holley was escorting a 36-year-old patient, Lucy Geraldine Deykin (1876-1912) on an outing to Bath from Kingsdown House Asylum, where she was an inmate.[1]
They arrived in time to catch the 2.35pm train and waited on a bench until Miss Deykin suddenly got up and leaped upon the down line from the platform.[2] She knelt on the line facing the oncoming Paddington express train and held on to the rail line. Nurse Holley saw the train approaching at a speed of 55 to 60 miles per hour but, nonetheless, jumped down to try to save her. Miss Deykin thwarted Elizabeth’s efforts by gripping the rail and Elizabeth was unable to push her out of the way of the approaching train. Charles Henry Pullin, signalman, thought that both ladies were about to be killed as the train was so close to them but, at the last moment, the nurse crawled between the platform decking and the rail and saved her own life by half a second. |
Lucy Deykin was the daughter of the family who ran Deykin & Harrison Ltd, a Birmingham electro-plate manufacturing company. At the inquest, her younger brother, Ralph de Courcy Deykin, a director of the company, confirmed that she had been at Box since September 1912 transferred from a private London asylum. In the terminology of the time, she was a lunatic (deemed to be suffering with melancholia with suicidal tendencies by her family) but had not been certified (by a magistrate under the 1890 Lunacy Act as unlikely to make a recovery in society). Two days before her death, Miss Deykin had attended a music concert and a small dance at Kingsdown House and had seemed to greatly enjoy them. Accordingly, it was resolved that she might go to the Bath Pump Room for another concert under the supervision of nurse Elizabeth Holley. Elizabeth Holley had only been at Kingsdown House for two months when the tragedy occurred.
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The coroner thought no words of his could properly commend her plucky action. Contact was made with the Home Secretary and Nurse Holley received a reply that King George V wanted to personally award the Albert Medal Second Class to her at Buckingham Palace, in recognition of her gallantry in endeavouring, at great risk to her own life, to save the life of a lady patient in her charge.[3] It was reported that the King after pinning the medal to Miss Holley’s cloak, cordially shook her by the hand.[4] The medal was a recognition of efforts to save lives, given by royal warrant and named after the consort of Queen Victoria. Of course, these were confused political times, followed shortly after by the Suffrage Pilgrimage of July 1913 and an increased militancy with letter bombs sent to Members of Parliament including the Prime Minister. It is possible that other issues played a part in wanting to recognise the role of Elizabeth’s courage and bravery, who was a woman outside of political controversy. When going into the Home Office to receive her medal dressed in her nurse's uniform, she was heartily cheered by the crowd as she passed in.
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The Daily Mirror, 29 November 1912
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Nurse Holley’s bravery struck a chord with people throughout Britain and her story was repeated from Shipley (Yorkshire), Framlington (Suffolk) and Hartlepool (County Durham) to Dundee. The story was even reported by the national press, The Daily Mirror on 5 February 1913. Of course, the local area was extremely proud of her and at Chippenham Petty Sessions a year later she was presented with a Carnegie Hero Certificate and a donation of £15 (today approaching £2,000 in value) from the Fund.[5]
Trying to Trace Nurse Holley
Despite all the acclaim from the British Press, the newspapers carried virtually no personal details of Elizabeth Holley, little of her age, background, residence or parents. The details recorded by the Bath Chronicle refer to her as a young lady, of attractive appearance, apparently of about 23 years of age.[6] Dr Henry Crawford MacBryan, proprietor of Kingsdown House, added that she had not been on his staff long. She was trained at the Devizes County Asylum, but had not got a certificate. She had good references and, in his opinion, she had a good knowledge of mental cases.
So, we have to rely on educated guesswork to try to determine who Elizabeth was, and the starting point seems to be the Devizes Mental Asylum at Roundway. The 1911 census of Roundway County Mental Asylum gives a person, Elizabeth Holley, born in 1888 at South Stoke, on the southern boundary of Bath, making her the right age. The 1901 census of South Stoke show that a carpenter Frederick Richard Holley and his wife Mary Ann Wiltshire had a daughter Elizabeth.
Despite all the acclaim from the British Press, the newspapers carried virtually no personal details of Elizabeth Holley, little of her age, background, residence or parents. The details recorded by the Bath Chronicle refer to her as a young lady, of attractive appearance, apparently of about 23 years of age.[6] Dr Henry Crawford MacBryan, proprietor of Kingsdown House, added that she had not been on his staff long. She was trained at the Devizes County Asylum, but had not got a certificate. She had good references and, in his opinion, she had a good knowledge of mental cases.
So, we have to rely on educated guesswork to try to determine who Elizabeth was, and the starting point seems to be the Devizes Mental Asylum at Roundway. The 1911 census of Roundway County Mental Asylum gives a person, Elizabeth Holley, born in 1888 at South Stoke, on the southern boundary of Bath, making her the right age. The 1901 census of South Stoke show that a carpenter Frederick Richard Holley and his wife Mary Ann Wiltshire had a daughter Elizabeth.
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By 1901, at the age of 13, this Elizabeth was the only servant of William Winkworth (clerk to the Poor Law Guardians), his wife and seven children at Norfolk Buildings, Bath. It must have been overwhelming for the young girl and presumably contributed to her decision to undertake training at the Devizes County Asylum.
The last South Stoke reference is a local newspaper report that the eldest daughter of the late FR Holley married Corporal Edmond R Eddolls, MM, on 15 February 1919 at South Stoke. Her bridesmaid was her sister Elsie Ellen.[7] The newspaper reports that the couple went on honeymoon to Brinkworth, Wiltshire, Edmond's home. After this, the story of nurse Elizabeth Eddolls (nee Holley) becomes rather confused. |
Wedding report (courtesy Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, 22 February 1919)
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Uncertain Relationships
It has been pointed out to me that a different person, called Elizabeth (Bessie) Holley, could be the actual Box heroine.[8] This person was born at Monkton Combe, Bath (the parish next to South Stoke) in 1885 and she lived there with her parents William Holley (b 1851), also a gardener, and Elizabeth Taylor (b 1849). In 1901 this Elizabeth was living at home and working as a mother's help and in 1911 as a domestic house maid for a family at Bournemouth.
It has been pointed out to me that a different person, called Elizabeth (Bessie) Holley, could be the actual Box heroine.[8] This person was born at Monkton Combe, Bath (the parish next to South Stoke) in 1885 and she lived there with her parents William Holley (b 1851), also a gardener, and Elizabeth Taylor (b 1849). In 1901 this Elizabeth was living at home and working as a mother's help and in 1911 as a domestic house maid for a family at Bournemouth.
Whichever parents relate to Elizabeth Holley, her subsequent life remains uncertain. It is unclear if her husband was Corporal Edmond R Eddolls, MM (as per the newspaper report) or if his name was Private Edward Rawley Eddolls (1899-1951) for whom there are later references. The similarity of names might suggest that they are the same person but it could be a coincidence.
So I tried to obtain the original marriage certificate for the marriage at South Stoke, only to be told it couldn't be traced. However, I did find that Edward Rawley and Elizabeth Eddolls had two children: Joan (born 1920) and Rawley (1922-29). I then tried to trace descendants but had letters returned unknown by the Post Office. Finally, I looked for the date of Elizabeth's death, only to discover the death of one person with this name in 1923 in Bristol. This seemed possible as Edward Rawley Eddolls was born in North Bristol but it wasn't our Elizabeth because the probate of this death confirmed her husband was Alfred William Eddolls. Another record indicates the death of a person called Elizabeth Eddolls in 1927 in Bristol but gives no other details.
Edward Rawley Eddolls remarried in 1928 to Annie A Hamlen from West Ham, London. There appear to be no further children.
So I tried to obtain the original marriage certificate for the marriage at South Stoke, only to be told it couldn't be traced. However, I did find that Edward Rawley and Elizabeth Eddolls had two children: Joan (born 1920) and Rawley (1922-29). I then tried to trace descendants but had letters returned unknown by the Post Office. Finally, I looked for the date of Elizabeth's death, only to discover the death of one person with this name in 1923 in Bristol. This seemed possible as Edward Rawley Eddolls was born in North Bristol but it wasn't our Elizabeth because the probate of this death confirmed her husband was Alfred William Eddolls. Another record indicates the death of a person called Elizabeth Eddolls in 1927 in Bristol but gives no other details.
Edward Rawley Eddolls remarried in 1928 to Annie A Hamlen from West Ham, London. There appear to be no further children.
Conclusion
The tragic suicide of Miss Deykin isn’t a new phenomenon and the short-term reaction of the news media to heroes like Elizabeth Holley is similarly often repeated in modern times. Unfortunately, we have inadequate ways of identifying or predicting emotional turmoil likely to cause death and we have no way of permanently recording the heroism of those who have to deal with those circumstances. If anyone has further information to confirm the history of Nurse Elizabeth Holley, we would be delighted to hear from you.
The tragic suicide of Miss Deykin isn’t a new phenomenon and the short-term reaction of the news media to heroes like Elizabeth Holley is similarly often repeated in modern times. Unfortunately, we have inadequate ways of identifying or predicting emotional turmoil likely to cause death and we have no way of permanently recording the heroism of those who have to deal with those circumstances. If anyone has further information to confirm the history of Nurse Elizabeth Holley, we would be delighted to hear from you.
References
[1] The Bath Chronicle, 30 November 1912
[2] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 11 January 1913
[3] North Wilts Herald, 7 February 1913
[4] The Globe, 6 February 1913
[5] Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer, 19 December 1913
[6] The Bath Chronicle, 30 November 1912
[7] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, 22 February 1919
[8] This possibility kindly sent to me by Allan Stanistreet, who wrote More Heroes of the Albert Medal, Token Publishing, 2016
[1] The Bath Chronicle, 30 November 1912
[2] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 11 January 1913
[3] North Wilts Herald, 7 February 1913
[4] The Globe, 6 February 1913
[5] Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer, 19 December 1913
[6] The Bath Chronicle, 30 November 1912
[7] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, 22 February 1919
[8] This possibility kindly sent to me by Allan Stanistreet, who wrote More Heroes of the Albert Medal, Token Publishing, 2016