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Lucy Stark (19 July 1880 – 20 July 1956) was an English maid, nurse, and housekeeper, who spent several years of her career in Russia, before and after the Revolutions of 1917.

Until 1911, Stark was a housemaid and parlour maid in the service of the Hamshaw family in Leicestershire and Essex. She then migrated to Russia as a lady’s maid, when Eileen Hamshaw married Michael Tolstoy-Miloslavsky, and there she was the nanny of their son Dimitry. During the Russian Civil War, the two made a daring escape together to England. Lucy Stark became a housekeeper in the house of an architect, continuing until her retirement.

Early life
William Stark married Elizabeth Freeman in 1878. He was the son of Edward Starke, coal dealer, who appears in the 1861 census for Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire, at 151, North Street, aged 39, with his wife Emma, 36, and children Charles, 12, Sarah, 8, William, 5, and Henry, 3. Edward Stark had married Emma Brown at Barrow upon Soar in 1845. Edward was also living in North Street in the 1841 census, in the household of John (agricultural labourer) and Ann Stark, both aged 45, with his age given as 15, but ages were being rounded down to the nearest five years, except for children.

Lucy Stark was born on 19 July 1880 at Barrow upon Soar. In the 1881 census, William Stark, 25, Plaster Grinder, and his wife Elizabeth, 23, born Quornden, are at 36 Bridge Street, Barrow, with two daughters, Emma, aged two, and Lucy, aged eight months.

On 4 June 1882 three children of William Stark, "Plaster's Labourer", and Elizabeth Stark were baptized: Emma Elizabeth, "said to be three years", Lucy, "said to be one year", and Albert. Lucy's older sister Emma Elizabeth had been born at Barrow upon Soar on 23 December 1878, and her brother Albert was born there on 27 August 1881. Another brother, William, was born in 1883, a younger sister, Sarah Ann, on 16 January 1886, and then another brother, Charles Henry, on 13 April 1887.

William Stark, aged 35, was buried at Barrow upon Soar on 30 April 1890.

In the 1891 census, Lucy Stark, 10, Scholar, born Barrow-upon-Soar, is found living in South Street, Barrow-upon-Soar, with her uncles Edward Stark, 27, gardener, Henry Stark, 34, general labourer, and Henry's wife Julia, 34. Her mother Elizabeth Stark, 32, widow, seamstress, born at Quorn, Leicestershire, is living at 14, North Street, Barrow-upon-Soar, with her children Emma E, 12, Albert, 10, Sarah A, 5, and Charles Henry, 4, all at school and all born in Barrow.

In 1898, the widowed Elizabeth Stark married William Sharpe at Barrow.

Early career in England
In the 1901 census, Lucy's mother is now Elizabeth Sharp, aged 42, born at Quorn, the wife of William Sharp, 32, Frame Worker, both living at 162 Warner Street, Barrow, and living with them are Albert Stark, 19, Shoe Hand, Sarah Stark, 15, Hosiery Hand, and Charles Stark, 14, Elastic Polisher. In the same census, Lucy Stark, single, 20, housemaid, born Barrow on Soar, is with two other servants in the household of Harry A. Hamshaw, Coach Builder, Employer, and his wife Norah, at Humberstone Lodge, Belgrave Lane, Leicester.

In the 1911 census, Lucy Stark, 30, single, parlour maid, born Barrow on Soar, is in the household of Norah Hamshaw, widow, 50, coach builder, employer, born Tipperary, at The Priory, Brentwood, Essex.

In the 1901 census, Harry A. Hamshaw, Coach Builder, Employer, and his wife Norah, are at Humberstone Lodge, Belgrave Lane, Leicester, with three servants, including Lucy Stark, single, 20, housemaid, born Barrow on Soar.

In the 1911 census, Norah Hamshaw, widow, 50, coach builder, employer, born Tipperary, is at The Priory, Brentwood, Essex, living with her sister Mary Banks, 45, single, born Waterford, and her daughters Muriel Hamshaw, 27, single, private means, born Leicester, and Eileen Hamshaw, 25, single, private means, born Leicester; there are three servants, Frances Hackney, 27, cook, Lucy Stark, 30, single, parlour maid, born Barrow on Soar, Ruth Sheppard, 17, single, housemaid, and a visitor, Florence Foister (?), 24, sewing-maid.

Russian interlude, 1912–1920
Michael Tolstoy-Miloslavsky and Eileen May Hamshaw announced their engagement on 8 December 1911, and they were married in London in February 1912. They settled in Moscow, Lucy Stark going with them as a lady’s maid, and their son Dimitry was born in November 1912.

War broke out in 1914, and Michael Tolstoy-Miloslavsky served with the Red Cross on the North-West front, then returned to civilian life in 1915, as administrator of an imperial estate at Kazan. Eileen Tolstoy died on 4 January, 1916, when her son was three, and the boy was brought up by Lucy Stark, who was by then his nanny. The February Revolution of 1917 brought about the abdication of the Tsar on 15 March 1917, and then came the October Revolution and the Russian Civil War. In 1918, the Tolstoy family fled to Samara, but Dimitry, who was not well enough to travel, remained in Kazan, with his Aunt Lily. Michael made his way south and joined the White Army.

Nikolai Tolstoy later wrote that his aunt “had one other companion, the English nanny Lucy Stark, who did not for a moment contemplate leaving her charge. Her courage never failed, though she had no idea at all of what was going on."

During 1919, with the Russian Civil War continuing, there was British intervention in the war on behalf of the Whites, and in effect there was a state of undeclared war between Britain and the Bolsheviks. But by November 1919 Lloyd George began to come to terms with the new regime, and negotiations began in Copenhagen between the British and the Soviets. One of the issues was an exchange of prisoners and other nationals, and on 12 February 1920, an Agreement was signed to achieve this. The British foresaw Soviets excuses for not honouring the agreement in full. An Anglican clergyman in Moscow, Frank William North, took on the task of registering the British subjects who would leave by train for Finland, which by then was an independent republic.

Meanwhile, news of the planned repatriation reached Lucy Tolstoy-Miloslavsky in Kazan. It was only for British subjects, but that included Lucy Stark, and Dimitry was half-British; Aunt Lily saw an avenue of escape for her nephew. }}

Lucy Stark met F. W. North in Moscow and was able to persuade him to treat Dmitri as her illegitimate son. Early in May 1920, she took him by train to Finland, having some difficulty in persuading him to hide the truth of who he was, when questioned. They boarded the SS Dongola at Helsingfors.

England again
The Dongola sailed to Copenhagen, and then to Southampton, where she docked on Saturday 22 May. Lucy Stark and Dimitry were expected by his grandmother, now Mrs Storey, and his mother’s sister Muriel

Meanwhile, Aunt Lily moved to Petrograd, eventually escaping to Estonia, after exchanging passports with a former maid. She travelled to London, where she saw her sister Maroussia and Dimitry, before joining other White Russians in Paris. Michael Tolstoy-Miloslavsky survived the Civil War and settled first in France and later in England.

Lucy Stark returned to a life of domestic service in England, while Dimitry was educated in England and eventually became a barrister. They maintained contact with each other. In the 1921 census, Lucy was living at Charnwood, Holmfield Road, Leicester, as a mother's help in the household of Alfred Gee, aged 42, Managing Director of Hamshaws Ltd., coach builders and motor dealers, with his wife Eva, daughter Norah, aged 17, and son Wilfred, 12.

In October 1939, Lucy Stark was registered for the National Registration Act 1939 as the Cook Housekeeper of Algernon Peter Warren, architect, at Breach House, Cholsey, and his wife Mabel Doris, daughter of Sir William Norton Hicking. She was still at that address when she made her will in December 1947 and was still at Breach House in 1950.

Nikolai Tolstoy has recalled visits from Lucy Stark to the Tolstoy family at Wraysbury, Buckinghamshire, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, when she told him about her time in Russia and her journey to England in 1920.

Lucy Stark retired to her home village of Barrow on Soar, where she died at 42, Grove Lane, on 20 July 1956.

Stark family

 * Lucy's sister Emma Elizabeth Stark was born at Barrow on 23 December 1878. In 1891 she was aged twelve and was still at school, living with her mother, Elizabeth Stark, 32, widow, seamstress, at 14, North Street, Barrow-upon-Soar, and Albert, 10, Sarah A, 5, and Charles Henry, 4. In 1901, she was a domestic servant aged 22 in the household at Barrow of William McBride, 41, commercial traveller, and Fanny McBride, 53. William Edward Harold McBride (1860–1928) lost his wife Fanny, who died on 10 January 1907 in Leicester Asylum. In the first quarter of 1907, Emma Elizabeth Stark married William Edward H McBride at Peterborough. William Edward Harold McBride died on 20 October 1928 in Leicester. At the time of his death he was of 22 Dashwood Road, Leicester, and Probate was granted to Emma Elizabeth McBride, widow, and Charley Hammond, engine driver. The estate was valued at £565, later resworn at £319. In the last quarter of 1928, Emma E McBride married Charley Hammond at Peterborough. In 1939, they were registered at Rosedene, South Street, Peterborough, as Charley Hammond, born 8 August 1885, LNER Engine Driver, and Emma Hammond, born 23 December 1878. She died at Peterborough on 16 March 1954, still the wife of Charley Hammond, retired engine driver, leaving effects valued at £159.
 * [no children traced]


 * Lucy Stark was born on 19 July 1880
 * [died unmarried, believed no children]


 * Lucy's brother Albert Stark was born on 27 August 1881, married Harriett Worrall in the last quarter of 1902, and had two daughters, Dorothy, born 1903, and Lucy, born 1905. In the 1901 census he was at 162 Warner Street, Barrow, aged 19, and was a Shoe Hand. In the 1911 census he is 29, has been married for eight years, has had four children, of whom three are still living, and is a "Rubber down shoe Factory", living with his wife Harriet, 29, "Griswold Hand Hosiery Factory", daughters Lucy, 6, and Lizzie, 1, in Freestone Square, Barrow upon Soar. In 1939 he was registered in Barrow as a Charge Hand (Progress) Engineering, with Mary Stark, born 31 March 1875. Albert died in 1968 in Loughborough, aged 86.
 * Dorothy May Stark, born 1903
 * Lucy Stark, born 1905
 * Lizzie Stark, born c. 1910
 * [?] fourth child may be Albert Stark, born and died 1908


 * Sarah Ann Stark, Lucy's sister, was born on 16 January 1886. In the 1901 census, she was at 162, Warner Street, Barrow, with her mother and step-father William Sharp, and her brothers Albert and Charles, and was listed as "Sarah Stark, 15, Hosiery Hand". In 1922, she married John H. Kay at Barrow. A John Harold Kay was born at Keighley in 1892. In 1939, the Kays were registered at 21, Bridge Street, Barrow, as John H. Kay, born 8 July 1892, motor driver and haulage work, and Sarah A. Kay, born 16 January 1886, unpaid domestic work. A John Harold Kay died in the Loughborough area in April 1981, with his date of birth stated as 08/07/1892. A Sarah A. Kay died in Leicestershire Central in the last quarter of 1950, aged 64.
 * [no children traced]


 * Lucy's brother Charles Henry Stark was born on 13 April 1887. In 1901 he was living at 162 Warner Street, Barrow, with his mother and step-father and Albert and Sarah and was "Charles Stark, 14, Elastic Polisher". He was a labourer when he married Ruth Grudgings in January 1910 and was a hosier when he enlisted in the army in December 1915. They had two sons, Charles Reginald (July 1910 – April 1969) and William Arthur (May 1914 – 1991). In 1939, Charles H. Stark was registered at 61, Toothill Road, Loughborough, as a hosiery operative, with his wife Ruth, born 1886, a newsagent and general store keeper on her own account, William A. Stark, born 1914, newsagent, Theodora Stark, born 1916, unpaid domestic duties, and Derek W. Stark, born 1938, baby. Charles Henry Stark, born 13 April 1887, died in Central Leicestershire in the first quarter of 1972.
 * Charles Reginald Stark was born on 21 July 1910. Charles R. Stark married Olive Sleater at Barrow upon Soar in the last quarter of 1934. In 1939 the Starks were registered as Charles R. Stark, born 21 July 1910, Carpenter, Olive Stark, born 9 Oct 1911, unpaid domestic duties, and Keith Stark, born 28 Feb 1936, under school age. Charles Reginald Stark died in April 1969.
 * Keith Stark, born 28 February 1936 A Keith Stark married Lorraine A Fowler, Loughborough, in 1964.
 * Martin Julian Stark, born in the first quarter of 1966.


 * William Arthur Stark (May 1914 – 1991): On 21 August 1937, William Arthur Stark, 23, bachelor, newsagent, of 61 Toot Hill Row, Loughborough, son of Charles Henry Stark, Hosiery Knitter, married Theodora Lord, 21, spinster, daughter of John Edward Mackley Lord, House Agent, at Barrow upon Soar. They had two sons, Derek W. Stark, born 14 July 1938, and Alan, born 1948. Charles Henry Stark died in the first quarter of 1972, in central Leicestershire.
 * Derek W. Stark, born 14 July 1938: A Derek W. Stark married Marlene M. Orridge at Loughborough in 1961. In 2019 Derek William Stark was an elector in Derby D74 with Marlene M. Stark and Mathew J. Stark. Derek William Stark, born July 1938, hotel proprietor, was a director of Yew Lodge Ltd from 1991 to 1998. The address 12 Langley Drive, Kegworth, Derby, Derbyshire, DE74 2DN is included in his listing. Kegworth is in fact in Leicestershire and is six miles north of Loughborough.
 * Louise A. Stark, born Nottingham 1964
 * Philip Simon Stark, born Loughborough 1966
 * Mathew James Stark, born Loughborough 1970
 * Belinda Stark, born Loughborough 1972. A Belinda Stark married Mark S Davies in September 1996 at Loughborough.
 * Alan Stark, born 1948: an Alan Stark married Patricia M. Hyde at Loughborough in 1971. An Alan Stark is listed on 192.com at Loughborough LE11 for 2004-2005.
 * Warren Stark, born Leicester C, 1974
 * Andrew Stark, born Nottingham 1976