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Record #27605
Name :
: Winnifred BIGGS (1904 - 1991)
  aka : WINNIE


Father
: Walter George Biggs
Mother
: Ann Elizabeth Gardner
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 1 Jul 1904   Notes : Gloucester, Gloucestershire

Marriage (1)
: 17 Dec 1935   Spouse/Notes : John Stanley MacDonald Sewell in Markham, Ontario
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 20 Jan 1991   Notes : Brandon, Florida
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Gloucestershire, Gloucester
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialUnited States of America, Florida, Brandon
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 6 Jun 1914   Notes : ship left Liverpool 29 May 1914
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Empress of Britain

Placement Family
: J. Davies in Dongola, Haliburton
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
: Gloucester Union Workhouse

Agency
: Salvation Army
Notes1904 Winnie GRO birth registered 3rd qtr
1904 birth on SA records 01 July 1904
1907 March 05 – mother Annie Elizabeth Biggs nee Gardner dies
1911 census Scattered Homes Gloucester Union Workhouse same one as Nora
26 May 1914 medical performed in the Gloucester Union Workhouse (Salvation Army notes)
29 May 1914 Salvation Army list of children going to SA, 105 Indian Road, Toronto on "Empress of Britain"
According to Salvation Army and Boards of Guardians records:
1916 August J. Davies Dongola, Haliburton
1917 The Salvation Army Home, Toronto
1918 November to 1923 November Fred Cole, Markham P.O. inspections completed

SA correspondence dated 14 September 1915 Winnifred Biggs is placed with Mr J. Davies, Norland P.O., Kinmount Station, Ontario

17 December 1935 Markham married John Stanley MacDonald Sewell
1991 January 20 died Brandon, Florida – husband died in 1993 – two sons John and Donald

Walter George Biggs born in Newport, Wales and Annie Elizabeth Gardner born in Gloucester, Gloucestershire married in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England on 31 July 1887

Known Children : Annie (b 1889 d 02 Jan 1892 (clothing caught on fire), Walter George Edgar b 1890, Ellen Louisa b 1892, Francis Charles b 1893 d 14 January 1915 WWI, Violet Eveline b 1895 – d 1895), Annie Elizabeth Sophia b 1895 d 1895, Nora Adeline b 1896, Ivy Dorcas b 1898, Frederick William b 1900 BHC sent to Canada 1912, Edward Victor b 1903, Willie b 1904 – d 1904, Winnie / Winnifred 01 July 1901 d 20 Jan 1991 BHC sent to Canada 1914, Hector Stanley b 12 January 1906 –name found in Middlemore application book 16 June 1916, Marjorie b February 1907 BHC sent to Canada 1914

1901 census Gloucester, 45, East End Road Biggs, Annie age 32 (1869) married , Edgar (aka Walter George Edgar) age 11 (1890), Ellen age 9 (1892), Francis age 8 (1893), Nora age 5 (1896), Ivy age 3 (1898) and Frederick age 1 (1900) *husband Walter George Biggs not with family – there is a Walter Biggs in Wales (boarder - working in a coal mine)

History of Neglect – Desertion and neglect charges start back in 1890 and carry through for 2 decades. There are dozens of prison records and newspaper articles about the family. I have found 12 entries in the Gloucestershire Prison records for the Father… many of the records indicate desertion and neglect of the family.

04 August 1906 Gloucestershire Chronicle ”Parental Neglect” article: noted Franks Charles Biggs caught stealing potatoes… father Walter is also implicated… note that one older boy (this is Walter) was in reformatory and a girl was caught pick pocketing (14 March 1904) (this is Ellen Louisa) and charged …Inspector Dennis gave testimony that “no doubt the children had been very much neglected. He had many complaints about them perhaps more than any other family in Gloucester.” School attendance officer: “visited the defendant’s house on a number of occasions and it was in a dirty state. On the last two or three occasions when he called at the house and found the children locked in and no one apparently taking care of them.”

1907 first quarter death Ann Eliz Biggs Gloucester Citizen 16 March 1907 Biggs - March 5 Biggs at the Infirmary Gloucester, Ann Elizabeth Biggs of 17 Oxebode Lane aged 38 years

01 Feb 1908 Gloucester Chronicle Newspaper Walter Biggs and Emma Jackson. 12. Vino-terrace, Kingsholm, “were charged with willfully neglecting six children. Mr A. C. Chapney prosecuted on behalf of the R.S.P.C.C. said Biggs’s wife died seven or eight months ago, …”

By the 1911 census of the fourteen children born (that I could find) to Walter George Biggs and Annie Elizabeth Biggs nee Gardner, four are deceased and seven are either in one of the Scattered Homes run by Gloucester Union Workhouse or in the Gloucester Union Workhouse. Three that I know of, Frederick William, Winnie and Marjorie are sent to Canada by the Salvation Army. Hector Stanley is in the Middlemore application book in 1916. 
ContributorsCreated : 2017-10-13 18:34:15 / janismccahill

Last Updated : 2018-02-23 17:33:39 / janismccahill

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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  7 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
27604 BIGGS, Frederick William1900ENG, GLS, Gloucester Aug 1912 : Laurentic CAN Salvation Army  
21781 BIGGS, Fredrick Charles1902ENG,    , Roxteth Jun 1910 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos  
20345 BIGGS, George1875 Mar 1887 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
9288 BIGGS, James1901ENG,     Oct 1910 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos  
27606 BIGGS, Marjory1907ENG, GLS, Gloucester Jun 1914 : Empress of Britain CAN Salvation Army  
17120 BIGGS, Stanley1893ENG,     Aug 1907 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
27605 BIGGS, Winnifred1904ENG, GLS, Gloucester Jun 1914 : Empress of Britain CAN Salvation Army