To better understand this establishment, I am also researching the staff at Temple Lodge. I have identified 32 people as having professional connections with Temple Lodge, and will write biographies of them in due course. They are: Caroline Erskine, Gwenydd Frances Erskine, Hugh Henry Erskine, Maria Balsh, Margaret Webster (Assistant Matron), Etta Elliott (Kitchen Matron), Mary Collins (Matron), Susannah Moule Hooper (Matron – House), Florence Winterbottom (Matron – Sewing), Katherine A’Court (Assistant Matron – dressmaker), Jessie Allen (Superintendent), Miss Caton (Superintendent), Mrs Gibson (Kitchen Matron), Margaret Dale (Kitchen Matron), Miss Tye (Superintendent), Etta Beare (Kitchen Matron), Mrs Parry (Kitchen Maid), Mrs F E Teale (Registered Owner), Helen ____ (Superintendent), Miss James (Superintendent), Augusta Jones (Superintendent), Susie Hooper (Superintendent), Nita E Bicknell (Superintendent), Miss Berry, Rev E P Gregg, Mrs Gregg, Mrs Jacob, Mrs Alice Majendie, Mrs Ethel R Sandford, Miss Storrs, Mrs Charlotte S Tucker, Mary Adams James.

Future research

I’ve heard that staff were often the wives of ministers, especially non-conformists, and I would like to find out whether this is the case for Temple Lodge. Certainly the Erskine family were active Rechabites. I would also like to find out what drew them to work at Temple Lodge? Were they local? What jobs did they do before? Why did they leave – to go to other jobs? To get married?