Page 68 - ‘A Blaker Family History’ The family history of Joseph Blaker (1916-2007; ‘Joe’)

© The Blaker Society
© The Blaker Society

Mary Ann died in 1960 in Dulwich Hospital. The cause of her death was
certified as ‘Cerebral Haemorrhage, Hypertension and Embolism in
Bronchial Artery’. Her body was cremated in West Norwood Cemetery.

After Mary Ann’s death, ‘Alf’ was cared for, at 15 Wolfington Road, by his
youngest daughter, Lily Foster (nee Blaker), who was herself widowed in
1955. In 1961, Lily married Ernest (‘Ernie’) Richard Caswell (1922-2010),
and they lived at 15 Wolfington Road, together with ‘Alf’. Lily and ‘Ernie’

started to decorate and improve the rented property, and eventually
bought the title to it from the owner, who lived in Cheyne Walk, Chelsea.
The agreed purchase price was £1,300.

Lily then became pregnant with twins, whom she lost as a result of a
miscarriage. She was advised by her doctor to rest, and to ask other
members of the Blaker family to help in looking after ‘Alf’. As a result, ‘Alf’
went to live with his daughter, went to live with his daughter, ‘Emmy’

Garner (nee Blaker) at 147 Glenister Park Road, Streatham. ‘Alf’ was
recorded in the 1964 Electoral List living with ‘Emmy’ and her husband
(‘Ernie’) and daughter, ‘Pat’, at that address in Streatham. ‘Alf’ had a
separate combined bedroom and living room, and various of his family
contributed to pay for newspapers and a rented television.

147 Glenister Park Road, Streatham: Contemporary View

‘Alf’ became ill and was admitted to hospital where he recovered. Instead
of returning to his daughter in Streatham, he entered a care Home at 294
Leigham Court Road, Streatham. After a while, ‘Alf’ absented himself from
the Care Home and was found early one cold winter morning in his
pyjamas, lying in the paddling pool at Streatham Common. His family
were very concerned that ‘Alf’ was losing his mental faculty, and were
relieved when, after a brief time in hospital, he returned to the Care
Home. However, their concerns became more substantial when ‘Alf’ tried
to set fire to his accommodation – whether this was an attempted suicide,
a cry for help or simply an irrational act is not known. This resulted in ‘Alf’
being admitted to Cane Hill Mental Asylum, near Coulsden, Surrey. It is
not known what form of mental deterioration ‘Alf’ had suffered, but he
was clearly in need of help in a secure environment.

Cane Hill was a huge, fearsome place that was founded in 1880 and, at its
peak, in 1954, housed 2,400 mentally ill patients, isolated from society as
‘lunatics’. I recall visiting ‘Alf’ – my grandfather – there in the mid 1960s.
The Victorian buildings were claustrophobic, the corridors were full of
deranged people, and the huge, locked doors served to emphasise that
this was a place of isolation and sorrow, not of hope. It was sad to see ‘Alf’

in such surroundings.

Cane Hill Hospital, Entrance