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Note: Mabel Florence was born in Brentford on the western outskirts of London in 1890. Her father, David Henry, was a night station master at Willesden Junction. At the age of four her mother died having had a total of nine children and by the age of 10 years old her father had obtained a post as station master at Trent Valley, Lichfield in Staffordshire. Unfortunately, her mother became ill not long afterwards and died on Feb. 21st, 1902.
David Henry married Margaret McCague, Matron of Lichfield Hospital and consequently MF acquired 4 further half-siblings.By the time she met Thomas William Pickett she undertaken training as a nurse and this complemented his training in Poor Law. They married in Lichfield in 1914. T.W. was declared unfit for military service and in that same year they moved to a workhouse in Towcester, Northants. There, her first child, born the previous year in Lichfield. died of meningitis. Both Eleanor Margaret and Victor were born at Towcester.
The career of Thomas William in the workhouse system was closely mirrored by that of M.F. with the exception that she was more closely linked to the nursing and medical aspects of the job. This was particularly true at the Pontefract Union workhouse - Paradise Gardens - after the erection of the new infirmary.
Having to leave the workhouse environment which was also a home as well as a stable, reasonably remunerated and respected profession must have been a severe blow particularly with four children. Eventually the family settled at " Church View, East Hardwick. No 2. was a semi-detached cottage and Mabel Florence also rented an allotment quite close by for the purpose of growing vegetables and collecting the apples from the trees. Such measures were necessitated by the fact that Thomas William failed to provide maintenance for either her or the children.This also lead to a reliance on `Parish Relief` which was distributed after assessment by a `Relieving Officer` - a role that would have been familiar to MF whilst in poor law, but from an entirely different perspective.
The relieving officer was also responsible for the distribution of the `sick pay` referred to as the `Lloyd George` after the politician who introduced the scheme. However, the amount forthcoming was insufficient to sustain the needs of the family and M.F. supplemented it with income generated from making children`s clothes. Knowing that the parish relief would be terminated if this became known, John Charles (Chuck) and Fred would often keep a look out for Mr. Edmondson, the relieving officer, as they knew his car. If spotted then a hasty removal of sewing machine and materials would be effected.
Mabel Florence produced many articles of pantomime costume which were used in prestigious productions and materials were usually forthcoming even in the austere years of the Second World War. This opportunity came about as a result of a friendship with an Amy Moxon who also lived locally. Amy Moxon had taken her daughter to Leeds for regular dancing lessons and the instructor had been most impressed by the standard of the girl`s hand made clothes. This was made known to the wardrobe mistress at a Leeds theatre and commissions followed. It is said that they were so busy that an invitation to make costumes for the annual Buckingham Palace panto - who`s principal participants were the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret - was turned down in order not to disappoint regular patrons.
During the early years of the war M.F. obtained a regular job at the Pontefract General Infirmary as a seamstress. This seems ironic in view of her qualifications and long nursing experience but, at the time, very few , if any, married women were employed as nurses. She remained at the P.G.I. for over 20 years before retiring and going to live in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, with Nell and her family.
It was whilst staying in Pontefract with Chuck over Christmas of 1956 that Mabel Florence was first taken ill and had to return to Newport Pagnell. She was diagnosed shortly afterwards as suffering from cancer of the stomach and eventually succumbed in September of 1957.
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