Midwife Sarah Price

If you had an ancestor born in Great Marlow between the late Victorian era (at least) and 1910 you may well have Sarah Ann Price to thank for their safe delivery. She had by 1903 delivered according to her around 900 Marlow babies- and counting. 

Sarah was born in 1836 as Sarah Ann Waters. She was baptised at Iver to Elizabeth and Richard Waters. Dad Richard was a miller, and moved around with his family several times to different mills including to Bray Mills and Temple Mills. The latter are by Marlow.

In 1859 Sarah married Marlow man William Price. I am uncertain at what point she began practising as a midwife but it was well before 1901. Her experience meant that when midwife's came to be registered she was able to continue despite not having medical qualifications.

In 1903 Sarah was a witness at an inquest when a baby which she had delivered died around 12 hours after birth. This was the child of Mr and Mrs North of West Street Marlow. The jury had to consider whether the mother might have accidentally rolled over in bed and suffocated the child, whether foul play may have occurred or if the child had been improperly attended to at birth. It must have been an anxious time for Sarah but the surgeon who had examined the dead child said that she had done a proper job at the birth Mr North who also gave evidence in support of Sarah. Nor were any signs of violence on the child which might have cast suspicion on the North family. A verdict of natural causes due to debility at birth was returned.

It is a sign that Sarah's expertise was highly valued that when the North parent's thought their child to be dying it was to her and not a doctor or surgeon they went to for help to save him.

On the midwives roll of 1905 Sarah is registered as living at number 7 York Road. She was still there in 1910. Earlier in her married life she and her husband had lived in Dean Street.

Sarah died in 1917 and was buried in Marlow Cemetery.

Related Posts:

Biography of Dr John Dunbar Dickson, of Marlow Cottage Hospital and council medical officer: here

Call the Apothecary here

Marlow Hero Nurse Cassidy here

Matron Mary Cole here

Benjamin Atkinson, surgeon here

The first Cottage Hospital and Provident Nursing Club here

More about the Cottage Hospital and the move to Glade Rd site  here 

©Marlow Ancestors.

Sources:

Marriage certificate.

The Midwife Roll, The Wellcome Trust London. Ref b24389596-:377959x. Ancestry. Com Operations Inc Provo, UT. Database online. 

Census Great Marlow 1861-1891. Transcribed by me from microfilm.

Census for Bray and Hurley transcriptions by Jane Pullinger.

GRO Death Registration Index.

South Bucks Standard 10th April 1903. Paper copy held at the British Library. Accessed via the BNA [Inquest].