Ellen Jane Richardson (1884-)
Chopwell woman served with Red Cross in France
Ellen Jane Richardson’s name appears on the Absent Voter’s List (AVL) for Chopwell in 1918. According to the list, she had been in France at the 72nd General Hospital at Trouville. However, it seems likely that Ellen would have been back in England by the time of the election in December as the medal rolls record that she was “invalided home” on 28 May 1918 after just over a month in France. Before nursing in France, her Voluntary Aid Detachment record card shows that she worked at the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham.
It has been possible to trace Ellen on the 1911 and 1901 censuses. On the 1911 census she is recorded as Eleanor Jane but the address is the same as on the British Record Cross VAD record card and on the AVL, where she appears as Ellen. It also seems that she may have knocked a few years off her age for the census and when registering with the Red Cross; the ages on both of those records would mean that she was born in 1883, whereas her age on the 1901 census indicates 1880.
A search of the marriage indexes show that John Henry Richardson (her husband on 1901 and 1911 censuses) married Ellen Mowbray in 1901. The 1881 census shows a one-year-old Ellen Mowbray. However, it appears as if Ellen may have been an orphan or foster child as she is living with the McWilliams family in Consett. It has not been possible to find her on the 1891 census. It seems, however, that she does appear on the 1939 register with her son, John G Richardson, living near Ryton.
Civil Parish: Chopwell
Birth date: 05-May-1884
Armed force/civilian: Civilian
Residence: 2 Puddler’s Rest, Conside and Knitsley (1881 census)
544 Leadgate, Iveston (1901 census)
New House Cottage, Chopwell (1918 VAD card, AVL, 1911 census)
Organisation membership: British Red Cross
Employment: Nurse
District nurse (1939 register)
Family: Husband: John Henry Richardson
Children: Elizabeth Jane Richardson, John Graham Richardson
Military service:
1st General Hospital, Birmingham: 10 July 1916 - 29 October 1916
72nd General Hospital, Trouville, France: 23 April 1918 - 24 May 1918
Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal
Gender: Female
Contributed by Durham County Record Office