The Illustrated Police News – Thursday 20th January 1921
BURGLARS AT ILFORD CUT PLUCKY GIRL’S HAIR OFF.
Burglars forced their Saturday night into house at Cranbrook-rise, Ilford, occupied Mr. and Mrs. George Broad, where they attacked the servant gin, Maud Corner, and cut off her hair, because she resolutely refused to tell them where the family’s silver and jewellery were kept.
Mr. and Mrs. Broad were spending the evening with friends at Chigwell. They were not due home until nearly midnight, and the servant went to bed at 9 p.m. She heard knock the door, end, putting on a coat and clippers, went downstairs.
A young man on the doorstep politely stated that he had an appointment with the householder. He was told that Mr. Broad was not in and that he had better call on Monday.
At that moment second man appeared, and with a rush they forced their way in. One of them made for the bedroom, and the other pushed the girl into the hall. She struggled with him and escaped from his clutches, but he chased her into the kitchen, and as she was about smash a window to shout for assistance closed with her again, pushing her down.
She caught the window curtain falling, and her weight tore away the woodwork of the window in three places. The intruder again insisted on being told where the valuables were to be found, and once more she refused. He thereupon produced pair of heavy shears and cut off all her plaited tresses at the top.
She fainted, and recovered to find herself alone, with bruised lips, bleeding, and weak from the shock. She bravely went upstairs from room to room, and, finding the men gone, called a neighbour, who fetched the police.
It is thought that the visitors believed that their victim was dead, as they took little away, altogether plenty of valuable silver was available. The booty included the girl’s diamond engagement ring.
The Illustrated Police News – Thursday 20th January 1921
Two Victorian maids
Two Victorian maids, photographed by Lionel Bartram,
of Commercial Road, Landport, Portsmouth
Victorian Nurse – Cabinet Card
Another cabinet card that I received today, at first I thought that the woman could be a nurse, the bottle of “medicine” or “tonic” and spoon on the table with a pair of scissors suggesting this, looking at the brooch on her collar I thought could be a hospital badge, the Workhouse Infirmary Nursing Association issued one of the first in 1879 and the picture looks to be from that period. However, on closer examination I could see an image of Saint George and the Dragon, it is much too small to be a mounted sovereign which was about 20mm in diameter and after searching I found a silver coin brooch c1820 with a similar design measuring 3.8 mm or 1.5 inches in diameter therefore suggesting she was a maid wearing a brooch rather than a nurse.