Major Rathbone's accomodation in Hannover

[Eva Elisabeth]

Yesterday I had a day off and went to Hannover and Hildesheim ( ~ 20 miles south of Hannover). I’d like to share the most interesting outcome.

The cloister was completely destroyed in an air raid on March 22, 1945, there is just one wall left.The minister told that although the hospital was modern and reputable, spine-chilling tales and rumors about the insanes were spread in those days (eg. they bowled at night with the heads of the figures of the saints in the church). Students dedicated a sculpture to remember the unjust towards the insanes showing three figures turning their backs to an insane.

According to the 1883 and 1911 interment register books and Clara Harris’ death report the couple lived in Heinrichstr. 27a , 2nd floor, rear side. Unfortunatelly their side of the street was totally destroyed in the war, the opposite houses are still original Wilhelminian style.
Clara Harris died on December 24, 1883, about 6 AM. The death report is, with regard to content, on the whole well-known, but still interesting and fascinating to read:

~ The person specified in the attachment was found assassinated by her husband, HR, in her bedroom, 2nd floor, rear side of her house in Heinrichstr. 27a on 24th of this month a few minutes before 6 AM. The latter (HR) caused a shot and a stab wound into the chest so that death yet resulted from this at 6 AM on 24th of this month.
Rathbone afterwards caused himself several perilous stabs into the chest whereby at present he is seriously laid low, shall at time have had a fit of mental confusion. (I tired to translate close to the old German language.)

Clara Harris was buried on Dec.28.
Major Rathbone’s funeral is registered in the month of October (20th), although he had died in August! (I discussed it with the archivist, she explained it by the fact that one might have tried to get contact to US relatives, also for the charges, 48,75 DM.) He passed away at 2.15 AM on Aug.14, 1911 due to infirmity. To find the gravesite was the most difficult part, the cemetery is a labyrinth, and it was quite touching then.

It remains strange that in non of the documents Rathbone is referred to as a consul, but always as a retired Major. The archive had a register for consuls assigned but the documents of 1881+1882 were missing.The only confirmation he should have held this position was in an email from the State Archive of the State of Lower Saxony (“Niedersächsisches Landesarchiv”), but it’s like with the creation of secret service on April 14, by now no documents came up to prove.