Grave 70
     

Maria Michael

1800  – 1878

Here lies
a modest and straightforward woman
Miriam daughter of Mr Mordecai
Wife of Mr Mikel
died day Shebbat 8 Tishri
buried day Sunday 9 of 5639
.... eight and seventy years of her age
May her soul be bound up in the bond of life eternal

פנ
אשה צנועה יישִִרה
מטרים בת ר מרדכי
אשת ר מיכאל
נפטרה ביום ש ק ח תשרי
ונקבר ביום ט בי תרלט
ויארבו ? ע?  ושמונה שבעים שנה ימיה

ת׳ נ׳ צ׳ ב׳ ח׳

IN SACRED MEMORY OF
MARIA MICHAEL.
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE
OCTOBER THE 5TH 5639
AND WAS INTERRED ON THE 6TH 1878
AGED 78 YEARS
“TRULY MY SOUL WAITETH UPON GOD. FROM HIM COMETH MY SALVATION.”


Maria was born in Bow (then in Middlesex), one of  five children of Mordecai Phillips and Ester Friedberg.  She  married Reuben Michael, a merchant, in the City of London in 1837. They lived at various addresses in London, France, and Dover and then returned to London. They had six children, four of whom survived. 

Maria was the victim of appalling domestic violence.  In 1861, four years after the secular divorce law was introduced in 1857, she petitioned on the grounds of cruelty which started a month after her marriage. For each of the places they lived the divorce petition lists Rueben's cruelty: beating, striking, throwing bottles, knives and plates at her and threatening to kill her. She must have been a remarkable woman to leave the marriage and bring proceedings for cruelty.
   
At the time of her divorce, Maria was living at 60 Guildford Street, London with her sons Mark, a clerk and shop worker, and Reuben, also a clerk. She is still in London in the 1871 census, living in 45 Westbourne Park Road with Mark now a racehorse owner and Reuben, whose occupation is not stated.

We assume Maria came to Bath to be looked after by her daughter Miriam and her husband Alfred Goldsmid. She died in 1878 at their home at 6 Belgrave Terrace of 'senile decay'. Her son Mark, then living in Paris, was present at her death.  In her will Maria left all her estate valued at under £1000 to her daughter Miriam.  
Alfred Goldsmid took over his brother in Law, Abraham Abrahams,  boot and shoe business at 17 Union Street, Bath between 1873-1877. He became president of  the Bath synagogue sometime after 1891. Their daughter Beatrice married in Bath in July 1894 at the family home, Effingham House, Upper Oldfield Park. The Bath Chronicle contained  a wonderfully vivid description of their wedding. They honeymooned in Paris - perhaps visiting their uncle Mark? 

Alfred died in 1904 in Bristol and Maria died in 1912 also in Bristol
We cannot find any records of Maria's sons Mark after Maria's death. 
Her son Reuben married Sarah Levy in 1881. They had two children. He died in London between 1887 and 1891. 
Census records
  1841   1  Mitre Street   London
Name | Age
Birth
Relationship
Occupation
  1851   5  Clarence Lawn   Dover
Name | Age
Birth
Relationship
Occupation
  1861   6   Guildford Street   London
Name | Age
Birth
Relationship
Occupation
  1871   45  Westbourne Park Road   London
Name | Age
Birth
Relationship
Occupation
Associated addresses
  1878-1878   6  Belgrave Terrace   Bath
  Place of death. Home of Maria's daughter, Miriam and Alfred Goldsmid