Lucy Castle (1843-1921)

Christ Church Schools, Cubitt Town, London E

Lucy Castle's life was affected by the responsibilities that she had to take on at an early age.  Her father, a cooper, died when she was 19, and her only brother died when he was 25.  She became the sole support of her mother, and worked her way up from Pupil Teacher to headmistress.  She was fortunate to have a career path as a Board School teacher already begun at the age of 18.  It would have been her own hard work and ability which would have encouraged her teachers to train her as a pupil teacher.  It is not clear how she came to sign the petition, but it could be that her father had connections with the Radical artizans in the city, or maybe she knew one of the teachers who belonged to the London Association of Schoolmistresses.

Born in about 1843, In 1861 18 year old Lucy was a pupil teacher at St Mary’s National School. Whitechapel.  Her father Charles was a wine cooper, and they were living at 8 Back Court, St Mary Colman in the city. Her brother Charles, aged 15 was a messenger.   The next year her father Charles Castle died.  When she signed the petition, she was teaching at Christ Church Schools, Cubitt Town, on the Isle of Dogs.   In 1871 she was lodging at 23 Spencer Street, Islington with her mother Martha who was dependent on her.  She was a schoolmistress in a National School. It is likely that her brother Charles died the next year, leaving her as the sole support for her mother. In 1881 she was head mistress of a Board School. She lived  with her mother Martha in Birchanger Road, Norwood.  Her mother died in 1883.   In 1901 she was living alone, and was a headmistress of a board school. In 1911 she has retired to 78 Lowther Road, Preston, Brighton on a teachers pension. Again she lived alone, and her home had 6 rooms. When she died in Brighton County Borough  Mental Hospital in Haywards Heath in 1921 she left £1278 5s 7d.

1871 census Registration district: Islington Sub-registration district: Islington East ED, institution, or vessel: 23a Household schedule number: 144 Piece: 286 Folio

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