Cusworth Hall and the 1921 Census
The release of the 1921 census has allowed us an intriguing glimpse into life at Cusworth Hall 100 years ago.
The Battie-Wrightson Family of Cusworth Hall
At this time of the 1921 census, the Cusworth Hall estate was owned by Robert Cecil Battie-Wrightson. Robert was 32 years old and living at the Hall with his wife Louie Evelyn, although the couple were to separate later on that year. The census also reveals who else called Cusworth Hall their home. Louie’s youngest sister, fifteen-year-old Margery Bunting was staying at the Hall. However, we cannot know for sure whether she was there for a holiday or was living there permanently, as the census only recorded residential information for one night of the year.
The Oliver family
The remaining residents were all servants to the Battie-Wrightson family. The census reveals a few interesting facts. Robert Cecil’s manservant was Charles William Oliver. Charles lived inside the Hall with his wife Maude, a domestic servant, and most unusually, their eight-year-old son Charles Frederick. Charles William and Maude were both living at Cusworth Hall and working for Robert Cecil at the time of the 1911 census, so had remained in his employment for at least a decade. They married soon after this census was taken, but both retained their employment status and were allowed to remain in the Hall once their child was born.
Female Domestic Servants
There were four other female domestic servants living at Cusworth Hall in 1921. Kate Wilkinson was 20 years old. Kate was originally from Wadworth, the sixth child of John Wilkinson, a horseman on a farm. On the 24th October 1921, Kate married a man called William Downham. Less than six months later, their first child was born. Presumably Kate left service at Cusworth Hall at the time of her marriage. The other servants were Adeline Bell, who was seventeen and originally from Conisbrough, and Mary Dawson, aged 22 and from Mexborough.
The youngest servant was Edna May Greening, who was only fifteen and originally from Wakefield. She was the youngest of 10 children, of whom only seven were still living. She would have had to make her own way in the world from a young age. Edna May would have left school at fourteen, so maybe her situation at Cusworth Hall was her first venture into the world of domestic service. She was the same age as Margery Bunting, who because of her different background, had the luxury of continuing her education. Edna May would have instead spent her days cleaning, fetching and carrying for Robert Cecil Battie-Wrightson.
