[1] Agnes Price (1866-1943)

Agnes Price (1866-1943) (also known as Elizabeth Agnes Locke) was born in Hackney on 6th November 1866. William Samuel Price registered this birth under his own name. The place of birth was 41 Pownal Road, Haggerstone, Shoreditch and William Samuel Price registered the birth with his full name and occupation - ‘Teacher of Languages’. Her mother was recorded as ‘Louisa Price formerly Harris. At the 1871 census, ‘William Locke’ was the head of a household at 12 Park Terrace, Camilla Road, Bermondsey, together with his ‘wife’. Louisa. He was recorded as aged 40, born in Jamaica and she as 30, born in St Austell, Cornwall. His occupation was given as ‘Clerk Commercial’. Agnes was aged 5 and a scholar, born in Hackney. There were two younger children, Louisa (3) and Florence (1), both born in Pentonville. The ages of William and Louisa were incorrect, as was his place of birth and occupation.

At the 1881 census, Agnes was living at 15 Orchard Hill, Greenwich, with her mother, Louisa, and five younger siblings. She was recorded as Elizabeth A. Locke, aged 14. Her mother’s age was given as 34 and she was down as head of the household and born in Lambeth. In the occupation column ‘wife of Teacher of Languages’ was entered – William Samuel Price’s true occupation.

After her father’s death in 1882, Agnes ‘Locke’ was admitted to the Greenwich Union Infirmary on 28th March 1883. There were two occasions, in 1884, when she was admitted to Greenwich workhouse, ill and destitute. She was single and working as a servant. In March 1890, she was living at 60 Quintin Road, Lewisham when recorded as a family contact for her younger brother, Christopher, on his discharge from school.

Agnes never married and continued working in service and at the 1901 census was in Islington. In 1911, she was recorded as Agnes ‘Locke-Harris’, working independently as a professional sick nurse and an overnight visitor at the Dunn residence, 30 Cranley Gardens, Muswell Hill. She ended her career in Brighton and the 1939 Register recorded her as a housekeeper to Ernest de la Grave at 21 Port Hall Road. She died in Brighton in January 1943, aged 76.