We do need help here. She is bordering on being a Mystery Guest. Florence Elsie Marshall could fit, and thanks to Lady Margaret School, we have considerable details of her career. but there could well be stronger candidates out there – though we haven’t found them. The Lupton connection is a factor in her favour and being in education would work. We are already indebted to Lady Margaret School for providing considerable information on Florence, which we will add to this profile should she prove to be the right person.
We have also found a Florence E Marshall in the 1939 census Head Teacher born 5th January 1881 living at Castleford (Yorkshire West Riding). Single. But no reason for the E even though Florence Elsie of Lady Margaret School of course has one. And of course she doesn’t have to be a teacher.
A new intriguing possibility has arisen: in 1939, in Hunslet, Leeds, one Florence May Marshall (born 2nd May 1900) was a Lady’s Companion to the widow Margaret Anne Carr, née Firth, who was the daughter of a journalist Joseph Ramsden Carr, who in turn was the son of a Sarah Ann Ramsden married to a William Carr. In the house almost next door to Florence lived Arthur Wright Lupton, a university lecturer in pharmaceutics, himself the son of a chemist. So far I cannot connect either this Ramsden or this Lupton to Jessie Lupton née Ramsden, but it is not impossible that Jessie invited the 33 year old Lady’s companion to dinner in London. The triple incidence of Lupton, Ramsden and Marshall in close proximity is tantalising, though as all three names are quite common, it may be just coincidence. There is no obvious Frank Marshall closely related to Florence May. Curiously the widow Margaret Ann Carr left her estate later to one Albert Edward Marshall, a saddler, but that hasn’t led me to Florence. It may just underline how common was the name. I will keep rummaging.
Until then we shall let the 22 year old Florence Elsie Marshall enjoy her time at the Rembrandt.
SEATED BESIDE
If she is who she is, probably beside Mrs Lupton and perhaps beside Mr Frank Marshall, if related.
WHAT’S ON HER MIND?
If she is who she is, meeting with guests in education.
FLORENCE’S STORY SO FAR
Florence Elsie Marshall, future headmistress, was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 12th March 1911 to Frederick Percy Marshall, coach painter, and his wife Florence Gregory. Her mother died in the 1919 flu epidemic and she didn’t get on with her stepmother. Part of the rift was that whilst she had been encouraged to apply for Cambridge, her stepmother thought the local training college was quite adequate – where she read mathematics. From there she went on to a notable teaching career till retirement in 1971. At the time of the dinner she was still 2 years off starting her first job and probably still studying her maths, one of 4 girls in a class of 12.
The idea of Mrs Lupton bringing this young lady to the dinner also works quite well.
WHAT FLORENCE DID NEXT
In 1935 Florence Elsie Marshall started her first teaching job, in Leeds and in 1938 taught in Lincoln. In 1947 she came south to St Margaret’s, Parsons Green, where she became head of the school. That we should note was nine years after the death of Mrs Lupton, though the Lupton connection might still have been relevant. It would have been in Leeds she probably connected with the Lupton, leaving there for Lincoln in the same year as the death of Mrs. Lupton. The case for her being at the dinner remains un-proven.
Florence Elsie Marshall died in Wandsworth aged 86 in early 1997.
BACK TO TABLE 15
[1] Lady Margaret School, Parsons Green http://www.ladymargaret.lbhf.sch.uk/school-history
The Dinner Puzzle 