The recent news highlighting the medical condition scoliosis reminded me of Sophia Pleasance Sparham. Sophia is a daughter of Great Ellingham Baptist Minister, Thomas H Sparham. She lived with the same , or similar, condition.
Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine. Although, historically, there have been treatments available with some success, it is only in relatively modern times that there has been such an advancement in successful treatments, including spinal fusion surgery.
Sophia Sparham died on the 28th September, 1897, at the age of 45. I found a report of her death in the Norfolk News of Saturday 2nd October 1897:
GREAT ELLINGHAM
DEATH OF MISS SPARHAM
We regret to record the death of Miss Sophia Pleasance Sparham, the daughter of the Rev. T.H. Sparham, the respected Baptist Minister, which took place on the 28th ult., at the Manse, Great Ellingham. The deceased had been ailing, more or less, for a long period.
A far as her health permitted, she was a great help to her father in his ministerial and other duties, and has won many friends by her unpretentious and amiable life and character. She threw herself into all kinds of Christian work, and will be missed. The greatest sympathy is expressed with Mr Sparham in his sad bereavement.
Born in Diss
Sophia was born in the town of Diss, Norfolk to Thomas Henry and Harriet Eliza Sparham. The fifth child of her parents, Sophia was most likely born at the family’s home in Church Street, Diss. Her birth is registered between January and March 1852. Accordingly, her actual ‘birth-day’ may have been at the very end of 1851.
Thomas Sparham worked as a cabinet maker and upholsterer. Nonetheless by 1861 he is also involved in Ministry work.
1861 census
The 1861 census finds the Sparham family still in Church Street, Diss.
Brighton born Thomas Sparham and his Gissing (Norfolk) born wife Harriet are in their thirties. They have six of their surviving children with them, including 10 year old Sophia.
Loss of Children
Thomas and Harriet Sparham married in the Depwade District of Norfolk in 1843.
Between 1843 and 1865, Harriet Sparham gave birth to 14 recorded children. Tragically seven of these children died whilst just infants. Ebenezer, Mary Lois, Priscilla Alice and Sarah Ann died 1856, 1857, 1858 and 1859 respectively. James Samuel died in 1862, James Booty in 1863 and Joseph Preston in 1864.
There is no doubt that the loss of these children will have had a negative impact on the members of the Sparham family. In particular, the mental health of Sophia’s mother, Harriet Sparham.
1871 census
The national headcount of 1871 captures the Sparham family again living in Church Street, Diss. 47 year old Thomas Sparham is still working as an upholsterer. In addition, he is also the Minister of the Baptist Church at nearby Shelfanger Chapel.
Infirmity
This census also includes a requirement with regard to any infirmity. In particular, whether a person was ‘blind, deaf or dumb, imbecile or lunatic’. Of course today we find such expressions or words offensive.
48 year old Harriet Eliza Sparham is noted as a ‘lunatic’. Clearly she had been suffering with her mental health. In the past, mental illness was often poorly understood.
Many sufferers were ‘put away’ in asylums and other similar institutions. Sadly in the June of the following year (1872), Harriet (as Eliza) Sparham entered the Norfolk Asylum in Thorpe St Andrew. She died there over 20 years later, on the 20th February 1895.
This is also the first census in which Sophia’s condition is noted. The word ‘deformed’ appears in the column requesting details of any infirmity. 20 year old Sophia is also recorded as an ‘invalid’.
Parish Charge
Sophia’s younger surviving siblings Frederick 17 and five year old Anna are also in the household along with 14 year old boarder, William J Smith. He is also described as an ‘invalid’ as well as a ‘Parish Charge’. Sadly, he died during the latter part of 1873.
Move to Doncaster
With his wife in the Norfolk Asylum and the death of his ‘charge’ William Smith, Thomas Sparham moved with his two daughters, Sophia and Anna, to Doncaster.
The 1881 census finds 57 year old Thomas, with 30 year old Sophia and 15 year old Anna at 3 Whittaker Road, Doncaster. Thomas is once again working as an upholsterer. It appears that whilst in Doncaster, Thomas could not find a Baptist Church. Consequently, he worshipped and preached with the Wesleyans.
The census also refers to Sophia’s condition as ‘spinal deformed’.
Return to Norfolk
By 1891, Sophia Sparham moved back to Norfolk with her father. The 1891 census captures 67 year old Thomas Sparham with his 40 year old daughter, Sophia, living in Necton. Thomas Sparham is a Baptist Minister. The census again refers to Sophia’s medical condition as ‘curved spine from childhood’. Despite living with this condition, Sophia is able to keep house for her father.
Move to Great Ellingham
The Manse, Long Street, Great Ellingham, once the home of the Reverend Thomas Sparham & his daughter, Sophia
In 1893, Sophia moves to Great Ellingham with her father. Thomas Sparham had taken up the pastorate at the Baptist Church in Great Ellingham. Father and daughter lived at The Manse in Long Street, which is next to the Baptist Chapel.
In 1895, Sophia’s mother dies at the Norfolk Asylum where she had been a resident for over 20 years.
Death of Sophia
It was around one o’clock on the 28th September, 1897, that 45 year old Sophia Pleasance Sparham died at The Manse, Great Ellingham. She was buried in the Baptist’s Cemetery in Great Ellingham on the 2nd October.
The registration of her death confirms that Sophia’s cause of death is ‘valvular disease of the heart & congested lungs’. These conditions may well be connected to her scoliosis.
It was soon after this that her father stood down from his pastorship owing to both the bereavement and his own ‘weakness’. The Reverend Thomas H Sparham died in the July of the following year.
Sophia’s Life
There can be no doubt that Sophia’s life had its challenges and difficulties.
Between the age of 4 and 11 years old, Sophia will have witnessed the passing of seven infant siblings – some possibly within weeks or months of their birth.
It was perhaps not long after the deaths of her siblings, that Sophia’s medical condition came to light.
The newspaper report of Sophia’s death tells us that she had been living with the condition for a long period. Indeed, the 1891 census mentions that she had had a curved spine since childhood.
Sophia was 20 years old when her mother entered the Norfolk Asylum. Harriet Eliza Sparham remained in the asylum for the rest of her life. Did Sophia or any other members of the family visit (Harriet) Eliza during this time?
The report also gives us an insight of Sophia’s life. That she was ‘a great help to her father in his ministerial and other duties’ and that her life and character were ‘unpretentious and amiable’.
Sources:
1861 census RG9/1232/96
1871 census RG10/1834/87
1881 census RG11/4691/4
1891 census RG12/1575/73
Eliza Sparham UK Lunacy Patients Admission Registers 1846-1921. The National Archives of the Uk; Kew, Surrey, England; Commissioners in Lunacy, 1845–1913. Lunacy Patients Admission Registers, Series MH 94; Piece: 22. Ancestry.com. UK, Lunacy Patients Admission Registers, 1846-1921 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Commissioners in Lunacy, 1845–1921. Lunacy Patients Admission Registers, Series MH 94. The National Archives, Kew, England.
Bugden, David. ‘The Story of 300 years of the Baptist Church at Great Ellingham‘
GRO Index. Also available FreeBMD website
Death Registration Image. Sophia Pleasance Sparham obtained via GRO.
1897 Oct 2. Norfolk News. Viewed via The British Newspaper Archive