HOME      FORUM      HELP      SEARCH      
News : The Surname Interests Table (SIT), the Database for Special Interests Groups (DBSIG) and Ancestral Anniversaries
are now "mobile friendlier" more here ...
The RootsChat Reference Library

RootsChat.Com »  RootsChat Reference Library »   Database for Special Interest Groups (DBSIG) »   British Home Children : Quick Search

Record #13932
Name :
: Emma Jane MORTIMER (1875 - 1975)
  aka : Emma Spencer


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 9 Nov 1875

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: Dec 1975   Notes : old age
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Midhopestones, Ecclesfield Parish
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialUnited States of America, Alameda, Alameda
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 2 Nov 1884
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Parisian

Placement Family
: McNaughton
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
: Maria Rye/Wortley Union

Agency
: Maria Rye
NotesEmma Mortimer was born in Midhope Stones, a village 11 miles northeast of Sheffield, in 1875. She was the second child of Eliza Hannah (formerly Milsom) and Charles James Jones Frederick Mortimer, who was the village schoolmaster. Charles was also a Chelsea Pensioner with 20+ years in the Royal Engineers, where he was trained as a civil engineer. Emma's sister Mary (also a BHC) was two years older, and her brother, Freddy, was two years younger. In, the family seems to have fallen on hard times and moved to Leeds, where they occupied a small apartment near the public dispensary on New Brigate. In September 1881, Emma's mother died in childbirth, and her father turned to drink. According to family lore, Eliza's family wanted to take Mary and Emma to live with them, but Charles, embittered by their treatment of him, insisted that the girls be sent to Canada to live with friends. We now know that Mary and Emma spent some time in the Wortley Union Workhouse and were in Miss Rye's party of 58 girls who sailed from Liverpool on the Parisian, arriving in Quebec on November 2, 1884. Mary and Emma were placed with different families in Ontario, Emma with Angus and Eliza McNaughton on a farm in Oxmead, and Mary with Thomas and MaryAnn McCarroll in Meaford. Thomas was a druggist. Emma stayed with the McNaughtons until her indenture was completed and learned to be a dressmaker. Mary ran away, probably to Toronto or Buffalo. At some point, Emma married Frank Spencer. Their son, Frank Jr., was born in Los Angeles in 1902. Emma's husband had a wandering eye, so after a few years of marriage, Emma divorced him and moved to Pasadena with her young son. She worked as a dressmaker. In about 1909, Emma's sister Mary came down with typhoid fever in New Jersey. She sent her daughter Hazel across the country to Pasadena, CA to live with Emma. Hazel stayed with her until about 1912 when Mary joined them. Emma died in Alameda, CA in 1975 at the age of 101. She was survived by her son Frank Spencer and niece Hazel McChrystal, a grandson, and fourteen great great nieces and nephews. Despite the barriers imposed by the BHC program, she managed to stay connected with her sister throughout her life. 
ContributorsCreated : 2011-03-23 20:26:34 / From original database

Last Updated : 2013-11-17 11:35:54 /

Family History ResearchersRootsChatters with family connections to Emma Jane MORTIMER:



 
Readers Comments

Surnames starting with:   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  30 Entries        
Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 832 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
3047 ABBOT, William1878ENG,     Apr 1895 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
3019 ABBOTT, Alfred1869ENG,     Aug 1887 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
3028 ABBOTT, Edith1887ENG,     Jul 1892 : Parisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
3031 ABBOTT, Ernest1865ENG,     Nov 1882 : Parisian CAN Unknown  
8354 ABBOTT, Frederick Albert Prosper1885ENG, LND, Homerton Apr 1895 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
3038 ABBOTT, Herman Henry1882ENG, MDX, Hoxton, London Apr 1895 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
3046 ABBOTT, Lily1873ENG, YKS, Leeds Sep 1883 : Parisian CAN Maria Rye  
3088 ABRAHAM, Maggie1875ENG,     Jul 1888 : Parisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
3094 ABRAHAMS, James1872ENG,     Apr 1886 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
3098 ABRAHAMS, Sam1872ENG,     Apr 1890 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
3109 ACASTER, Ebenezer William1867ENG, BRK, Newbury, Stockcross Aug 1887 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
3123 ACKERMAN, Arthur Edward1877ENG, LND, Wandsworth Jun 1888 : Parisian CAN Louisa Birt  
3124 ACKERMAN, George Abraham1875ENG, LND, Wandsworth Jun 1888 : Parisian CAN Louisa Birt  
3138 ACKLAND, William1869ENG,     Jul 1884 : Parisian CAN Fegan Homes for Boys  
3133 ACLAND, Arthur Edward1874ENG, MDX, Holloway Apr 1886 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
3163 ADAIR, Millicent1880ENG, LAN, Liverpool Jul 1897 : Parisian CAN Louisa Birt  
16636 ALABASTER, George William1877ENG, SSX, Chichester May 1890 : Parisian CAN Rev. William J. Pady  
20305 ALBONE, Cornelius1875ENG, BDF, Biggleswade Mar 1887 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
20306 ALCOCK, Daniel1877ENG, OXF, Sibford Gower Mar 1887 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
23343 ALDRIDGE, Charles Henry1888ENG, LDN, London Jun 1901 : Parisian CAN Waifs & Strays lostgirl19  
8850 ALEXANDER, Kate1885ENG,     Jul 1899 : Parisian CAN Waifs & Strays  
8467 ALGER, Ada1876ENG, LND, St Olave Jul 1886 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
9026 ALGER, Ellen 1872ENG, LND, St. Olave Jul 1886 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
23754 ALLEN, Annie E1879ENG,     Jul 1886 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
23757 ALLEN, Harriet L1875ENG,     Jul 1886 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
6522 ANDERS, Thomas1878ENG,     Jun 1888 : Parisian CAN Maria Rye  
12469 ANDERSON, Alfred1885ENG,     Apr 1895 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
23770 ANDERSON, Eleanor J1878ENG,     Sep 1888 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
4456 ANDERSON, Ethel Rows1884ENG, YKS, Normanby Aug 1890 : Parisian CAN Maria Rye  
13482 ANDERSON, George ENG,     May 1887 : Parisian CAN Board of Guardians (Various)  
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 832 Entries        
Surnames starting with:   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  30 Entries