PRENTICE, Bertha Frances
Bertha Frances Prentice was born at Cumberland Street, Ipswich on 20 December 1867 and baptised at St Matthew's Church, Ipswich on 30 August 1868, eldest child of Henry Prentice (26 December 1842-10 January 1924), a printer's reader, and his wife Sarah Ann née Day (1 October 1840-1915), who married at Ipswich in 1867, Bertha was the brother of William Robert Prentice. In 1871, Bertha was a 3-year-old living at Cumberland Street, Ipswich with her parents Henry and Sarah, both 29 and two siblings Florence Ann 2 and newly born Agnes Caroline. In 1881 they were living at 5 High Street, Ipswich with a further five siblings Arnold Thomas 9, Ellen Elizabeth 7, Eliza Ann 5, Henry Ernest 4 and newly born Percy John, all born at Ipswich, they had another son Stanley Richard born in 1885. Bertha was educated at Wherstead Road Infants' School and London Road School, Ipswich and from 1889 studied at the Ipswich School of Science and Art and in February 1900 won 1st prize for 'Time Sketching in Oil and Water' beating Sylvia Packard into 2nd place. In 1911, a 43-year-old head schoolmistress, living at 51 Orford Street, Ipswich with her parents, and three unmarried siblings, Agnes Caroline, Ellen Elizabeth and Eliza and Bertha was still there ten years later. In 1939, the four unmarried sisters were living at 39 Quilter Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk. Bertha Frances Prentice died at 39 Quilter Road, Felixstowe in 1940.