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b.1886-d.1918
Elizabeth’s parents and siblings
Elizabeth was born on 17th March 1886 at 16 New Fenwick Street, Woolwich. Her father James, who had been born about 1857 in Northern Ireland, was a Gunner in the Royal Artillery. Her Mother, Mary Ann née Bourke, was born 1864 in Woolwich. James and Mary had married during the June quarter of 1880 in Woolwich.
Their first child, a son, William Henry Thomas, was born at Woolwich in 1881. Annie Catherine (Catherine Annie) followed in 1883 then, following the birth of Elizabeth, another girl, Florence Agnes, joined the family in 1888 and Reubena was born in 1889. Three more children were born in the 1890s, James in 1891, Christina in 1893 and John Sidney in 1896.
The death of Elizabeth’s mother
Sadly in 1897 Mary Ann died of Tuberculosis. This clearly had an impact upon the family as in the 1901 Census Elizabeth, Florence and Reubena are all pupils at the Royal British Female Orphan Asylum in Devonport.
The 1901 Census
James had remarried in 1899 to Esther Payne, a nurse aged 33 in Sutton, Surrey. On the 1901 Census they have young James and Christina living with them. I can find no record of John Sidney who had been born in 1896. He may have been in the Army orphan asylum but so far I have not been able to locate him.
Their oldest brother, William Henry, was boarding in Southampton and gave his occupation as Ship’s Steward.
James and Esther do not appear to have had any children of their own but the 1901 Census makes it appear that James and Christina are theirs. Checking the GRO Index they were the children of James and Mary Ann.
Elizabeth is admitted to Long Grove
Elizabeth was admitted to the workhouse in Lambeth on 22nd May 1903 and discharged to Horton on 28th May1903.
In the 1911 Census Elizabeth is a patient in Long Grove. I found that Elizabeth was admitted to the Hitchen Union (Bedfordshire) on 11th April 1908. From limited information obtained she was working as a Housemaid. She was transferred to Long Grove on 2nd July 1908, so she was an inpatient there for some ten years prior to her death on 11th November in 1918. Unfortunately her hospital notes appear to be missing.
James marries for the third time
Esther, James’ wife, died in 1919 from Mitral heart disease.
On 25th January 192, at St Paul’s Church, Clapham, James married for a third time. His new wife was Ellen Louise Cranwell aged 36, a spinster. Christina, James’ eldest daughter, was one of the witnesses.
Elizabeth’s siblings after her death
- William Henry Thomas married Ada Florence Walters during the December quarter of 1902. They had no children. He died on 22nd May 1907 at the Corporation Infirmary Southampton from Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Asthma. His death was registered by his Brother in Law, A.C.Walters of 2 Crown Street, Shirley. Ada, William’s widow, went on to marry Cpl Matthias Dowding on 6th December 1917. He was killed in action on 23rd April 1918.
- Catherine Annie married William James Brain, an Engine Driver on 10th December 1910 at Charlcombe. They had two daughters, Catherine Nelly born in 1912 and Joan Eileen born in 1916. Prior to her marriage in 1901 Catherine had worked as a Scullery Maid in the household of Edward Norman, a Banker of Chelsfield House at Chelsfield, Kent.
- Florence Agnes married George Davidson Whyte on1st November 1914 at St George’s Hanover Square. George had been a Waiter at Brooks Club. Florence died in 1972. They do not appear to have had children.
- Reubena died on 27th December 1901 at the Royal British Female Orphan Asylum in Devonport. The cause of death was given as Bright’s Disease for six months and cardiac failure of one day. She was just 12 years old. Bright’s disease was the name for nephritis, particularly glomerularnephritis, which was named after the physician Richard Bright 1769 – 1858. He first described the disease in 1835.
- James was born 1891 but I have failed to find him apart from the 1901 census. It is possible that he travelled abroad. There are several men named James McCoubrey from various parts of the UK.
- Christina did not marry. In the 1911 Census she is a servant to Richard Carlyon Coode, residing at Werrington, Cornwall. She died in 1925. Probate was given to Ellen Louise McCoubrey, her step mother.
- John Sidney was born 1st August 1896 and the first sighting we have of him is his marriage in 1921 to Lily Sharratt. They had one son and John died in 1975.
Despite our subject Elizabeth being situated in one place for so long we know virtually nothing of her apart from these basic facts. So sad.
