Bertha Barnshaw was born into an Army family; her birth was registered in Colchester, Essex, (Dec. quarter) as an Overseas Forces Birth; her father, Thomas Barnshaw, 45 yrs. was born in Cheshire, her mother, Helen aka Ellen, nee Noonan, 43 yrs. (Middx.)
Thomas married Helen at Christchurch, St. Marylebone, on 16th October, 1865, joined the Army in 1866 as a Private, (1st Battalion, 5th Fusiliers) and was sent to India in 1868, their first child, a daughter, was born at sea and three more children were born in India.
In 1891 Bertha, aged 3 yrs., lived with her father, Thomas. 48 yrs. who had left the Army and was working as a Labourer in a Gutta Percha (rubber) factory, her mother, Helen, 46 yrs. and 5 siblings: Agnes 12, George 10, both born in India, and Hannah 8, Fred 6 and Harriet 4, all born in Ireland. They lived at Barnham St. Buildings, St. Olave's, Southwark.
Bertha had developed Tuberculosis of the hip in childhood and in 1901, aged 13yrs, Bertha was at 10 Cecil Street, Margate, this was a Cripple Holiday Home run by the Ragged Schools Union. (This Union was first named in 1835 as it was formed exclusively for children raggedly clothed). Ragged schools were charitable organisations dedicated to the free education of destitute children in 19th century Britain, the schools were developed in working-class districts. In 1844 the RSU became the Shaftesbury Society, providing free care and education for children in extreme poverty.
Bertha Barnshaw died on 26th June 1909, in Worthing, Sussex, aged 21 yrs. Her address was given as 10, Heene Parade. The informant of her death was her brother, Thomas Barnshaw, of Earlsfield, London.
Death certificate cause of death Tuberculosis disease of left hip, amputation of leg, thrombosis of right leg, cardiac failure.