Woman of Courage Martha Finch

Because February is Women's History Month I wanted to share with my readers the story of strong and courageous women in my life. You will be able to follow along as you wish by choosing the label "Women of Courage" in the right side bar. I encourage my readers to join me in honoring women of courage in your own families.


My husband's 3rd great grandmother Martha Finch had one heck of a life. By the age of 20 she was in the Race Hill Workhouse in Sussex England. The Workhouse was where debtors were sent if they could not pay their bills. Soon Martha found herself pregnant and her daughter Esther was born. Little Esther was lucky. Her maternal grandparents took her in rather than see her live in the Workhouse. But Martha stayed and within four years she had another child born in the Workhouse - a son John. Little John also went to live with Martha's parents. 

Baby Edith, my husband's 2nd great grandmother, was born in the Workhouse in 1870. Martha gave no father's name on little Edith's birth registration. Sadly Edith, not as lucky as her two older sibllngs. She grew up in the Workhouse and was still there 20 years later.

Martha was finally able to leave the Workhouse by 1901 when she managed to obtain a job working as the cook in a private household. She was a woman of courage who suffered due to circumstances of her surroundings and the time period in which she grew up. 

Who do you have as a Woman of Courage?