Margaret Adelphia Kempson was born in Castle Bromwich on 30th October 1833. She was the second daughter of the Reverend Edwin Kempson, Rector of the Parish, and his wife, Mary nee Holmes.
Margaret was very close to her older sister, Mary. There are many references in the diaries of Lady Charlotte Anne Bridgeman of the two sisters paying visits and socialising with her and her own sister, Lady Lucy. One entry from 23rd June 1853 stated, ” Miss Baker called with Mary & Adelphia Kempson & they (sic) staid to luncheon.”
Descriptions of the lives of the Kempson children show a gentile upbringing typical of the Victorian middle classes. There are frequent references to playing of the piano and church organ, as well as social visits to friends and associates.
It may therefore be a surprise to some that Margaret, known as Aldelphia, should succumb to Typhoid. But the reality was that Typhoid during the Victorian era was incredibly common. No section of society was spared, Prince Albert the husband of Queen Victoria contracted typhoid and died from it.
Typhoid is caused by Salmonella typhi and is usually spread by the ‘faecal oral’ route – the organism is in urine and faeces and a person becomes infected by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Globally, it is estimated 1 in 5 people today with a typhoid infection die if left untreated.
Access to clean water and food is the main way of controlling this disease. Good personal hygiene – washing hands after using the toilet and before preparing food are also important to prevent spread. These seemingly simple steps, alongside access to clean water and wholesome food have helped significantly reduce the spread of typhoid fever in Britain.
Unfortunately, these simple steps were not quite so simple in Victorian days and after 17 days of suffering Margaret Aldelphia lost her life on 27th December 1857. She was buried in the graveyard at Castle Bromwich on 1st January 1858.
