How sad

[ElizabethHerts]

I have found out something that I never knew.

I have been looking at an offshoot branch on my tree. My 3x-great-grandmother Anne Parrott had a sister, Jane, who married Richard Randolph.
Richard and Jane's daughter, Susannah Elizabeth, married George Wilson Partridge. I've been looking at their children.

The last child was William Henry, born in 1868 in Pancras district in London.
He was baptised at the age of 15 at St Paul, Pancras.

I found him on the 1891 Census in Sheffield, given as a Comedian (Singer).
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-g&gsfn=William&gsln=Partridge&msydy=1868&cpxt=1&catBucket=rstp&uidh=xt1&cp=4&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=5906877&db=uki1891&indiv=1


I tried to find him on subsequent censuses, but had no luck, so I searched the newspapers. To my surprise I found an account of his death:
http://www.findmypast.co.uk/records/newspapers/view/BL/0000273/18980608/008/0003?&firstName=William&lastName=Partridge&county=ALL&keywords=&fromYear=1878&toYear=1911&includeVariants=true&pageNumber=1

For those of you without FMP it appears he was a dwarf, which would account for him becoming a performer. He was lodging at Bury and died overnight. The age fits, as it says he was 31 in 1898.

I wonder if anyone else in this family suffered from dwarfism, or whether he was the only one. I'll have to look at the others in more detail.

[ElizabethHerts]

He was better known as "Major Tit-Bits"!

http://www.findmypast.co.uk/records/newspapers/view/BL/0000053/18980618/027/0012?&firstName=William&lastName=Partridge&county=ALL&keywords=&fromYear=1897&toYear=1900&includeVariants=true&pageNumber=1&publicTag=Births,%20Deaths,%20Marriages%20and%20Ob ituaries

[kiterunner]

If you search for the name Major Tit-bits in the newspaper search, loads of reviews etc of his performances come up. He seems to have been pretty successful. Not sure what's particularly sad? But I couldn't use your direct links as my sub is to the US findmypast site, so I probably missed something in the particular articles that you linked to.

[ElizabethHerts]

At first I thought he might have had a sad life, as I know that many physically challenged people in Victorian times found it hard to earn a living and were exploited for other people's entertainment. At first I thought this might be the case - probably because he was given as "comedian" on the census, and I felt uncomfortable with people laughing at him.

However, as you say, Kate, he seems to have had talent and good reviews, and it seems he managed to earn respect. I also said "sad" because he died so young, only 31, and I wonder if he had underlying health problems associated with his stature.

I have looked at his siblings and only one lived to a good age.
George Wilson Partridge aged 38 at death
Louisa Partridge aged 43
Jane Mary Ann Partridge aged 36
Arthur Randolph Partridge aged 64

I wonder if some of the other children were similarly affected.

[Shona]

Quite recently, Radio 4 broadcast a series called Disability: A New History. It was very revealing and made me rethink what I thought about the treatment of people with disabilities in the Victorian era. Well worth listening to - if it's still available. One episode was entitled 'The Only Dwarf in Liverpool'.

[kiterunner]

Most of the episodes are available online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b021mdwt/episodes/player

(the other two episodes look to have been omnibus editions of those 10.)

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Shona and Kate.

[Olde Crone]

There are many causes of dwarfism, but about 70% are genetic and I think it is very interesting that the age of the FATHER appears to have some correlation with "new" appearances of dwarfism in the family.

Dwarfism itself is not life-limiting, although if both parents have the faulty gene, the resulting child will only survive a few months at best.

Warwick Davies (himself a dwarf) narrated an interesting documentary about the Ovitz family, the largest known family of dwarfs, who went to auschwitz (and survived). One of them died aged 98!

I have deliberately used the word dwarf in this post because that is how Warwick Davies and many other dwarfs refer to themselves - they see nothing pejorative about the word, so I don't either.

OC

[kiterunner]

Though to be fair, Warwick Davis apparently sees nothing wrong with starring in that "Life's Too Short" series made by Ricky Gervais. I don't think this would be the place to discuss that though!

[Olde Crone]

I agree, he does come across as being deliberately provocative at times.

OC

[Langley Vale Sue]

I agree, he does come across as being deliberately provocative at times.OC

Do you not think that is his way of accepting and dealing with his condition?

[Olde Crone]

Sue

I'm not sure. He has always seemed very comfortable with his condition and certainly seems to have found the limelight a happy place to be. He had a very happy childhood and his parents made absolutely no allowances for his "difference" so maybe that has helped him be the very confident person he is.

OC