Ellen Jane BOND (1868-1908) was a private nurse to Miss Sharp of the well-known firm Sharp’s Needles.   Beatrix Potter used to visit Miss Sharp in her home at Highgate and became very fond of Ellen.   Sometimes Ellen’s mother Frances Ann BOND née PERRY (c1840-1924) would be there.   When Ellen died Beatrix Potter began to visit Frances at East Ham.

Another of Frances’ daughters, Beatrice Sarah WOODAGE née BOND (1969-1951) was living in the same house and her three children would be put in their best bibs and tuckers for tea and, after tea, would be shown into their grandmother’s room and asked to recite the poems they had learnt at school.   When she left, Beatrix Potter would give Frances £5 ‘because Ellen was no longer there to help her’.