Henriette BERGEON (?)

Henriette Bergeon was the daughter of an old family friend of the Mourilyan family.  Mary Anna Robinson frequently mentioned her in letters written to her sister, Eugénie Sladden.

Henriette Bergeon was from St Girons, a commune in the Ariège department of south-western France.  She spent some time living in England, as a letter of 23rd January 1914 described her arriving back in Richmond on a Thursday having left St Girons on Monday for Bordeaux where she stayed and saw her married sister, left there on Wednesday for Paris, crossed from Dieppe at night and arrived in Richmond later on the Thursday.  She had English lessons with the Guthries.

In May 1914, Henriette started work as a Governess with the Wright family near Derby, but returned to Mary Anna Robinson’s home on 1st August.  On 6th August they joined Mary Anna’s daughter, Anna, and grandson, Dalgarno, at Malvern.  At the end of August, Henriette was back staying with Mary Anna.  She was trying to get a situation, but Mary Anna was glad of her being there as she could assist Mary Anna who had just had an operation, and could help Anna who was going to spend the winter at Marshgate House, by assisting with Dalgarno when his Nurse took her holiday.

On 1st September 1914, Henriette went to London for Anna to see the French Consul’s wife, to see how they could assist with Belgian refugees.

By October 1914, Henriette was back with the Wrights as Governess; Mary Anna said that they paid her well and were very nice, kind people.

Mary Anna Robinson invited Henriette for Christmas 1914, but Henriette wanted to return to Bordeaux, if it was safe.  The last we hear of Henriette was two months later when she wrote to say that the brother-in-law of her married sister had been killed near Soissons.

It is assumed that Henriette returned to France.