Gertrude Lucinda Roskell
Somewhat unusually, the Welwyn War Memorial carries the name of a woman - Gertrude Lucinda Roskell.
She was born in Penarth, South Wales in 1879 to John Burrow Roskell and Mary Gertrude Roskell.
As was the case with many of the VAD volunteers Gertrude came from a middle class family, father John described himself as a ‘Gentleman’ at her baptism and as a ‘Commercial Clerk’ in the 1881 Census, when the family was in a position to be able to employ a Cook as well as a General Servant. John Burrow Roskell died in 1887, leaving an estate of £519 to his widow Mary Gertrude.
Mary Gertrude was a musician and used this skill as her profession. In 1891 the family is still living in Penarth and Mary is a ‘Professor of Music’. Mary was clearly a talented pianist and after her husband’s death played many classical concerts, particularly with the Carl Elderhorst string quartet. Mainly of these concerts are very favourably reviewed in the press.
Mary married Carl Elderhorst in 1903. In 1911 Carl, Mary and Gertrude are boarding in London, presumably whilst they took part in a concert. A connection with Welwyn had certainly developed by 1913, when they held a concert in St. Mary’s Hall, the proceeds of which were donated to the Woolmer Green Church Organ Fund.
Gertrude Lucinda Roskell served with the Voluntary Aid Detachment in Egypt in 1915. She had only been at the hospital a few weeks when she was taken ill.
She died of appendicitis on 31st October 1915.
Her obituary reads
‘A cable has been received from Alexandria to the effect that Miss Gertrude Lucinda Roskell, elder daughter of the late John Burrow, and of Gertrude Roskell (Mrs Elderhorst, of Knebworth), Penarth, South Wales, died suddenly while nursing in Alexandria, Egypt. Miss Roskell was on active service with the Voluntary Aid Detachment (Herts, 36), and was nursing in the enteric fever ward. She left Knebworth but a few weeks ago.’
(Note - Mary Gertrude Roskell often referred to herself simply as Gertrude)
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