Biography of Emma THOMAS
[Ref. P.56]
| Ancestors |  |
Profile | |
Dwellings | |
Index for THOMAS |
Biography of Emma THOMAS
[Ref. P.56]
| Ancestors | |
Profile | |
Dwellings | |
Index for THOMAS |
Emma Thomas was born on 19 April 1865 at Alma Terrace in Stone, Staffordshire, the eldest child of William and Sarah Thomas.
In 1871 the family were living in Old Road, Stone, Staffs, by which time Emma had two sisters. Ten years later, they were living at 13 Grey Friars Place in Stafford and the family comprised six girls and one boy, the boy, William, being the youngest. By that year, Emma was working in a shoe factory as a machinist.
Emma was living at 8 Lime Tree Avenue in Stafford when married Albert James Cook at the Presbyterian church in Stafford on Christmas Day 1886. The wedding was witnessed by Samuel Smith and Clara Bentley.
Their daughter Gertrude Bentley Cook was born at the house in Lime Tree Avenue on 25 September 1877. The name Bentley seems to have been after Clara Bentley who was probably a friend of Emma's from work as she was also a machinist.
The family were living at 30 Devonshire Street in Leicester when Emma's husband Albert died on 22 July 1889, when their daughter, Gertrude, was less than two years old. Emma and her daughter had moved to 5 Beacon Street in Wolverhampton when she married Alfred Dexter on 6 June 1891 at The Register Office at Wolverhampton. Her sister Ada was a witness at the wedding.
Their daughter Ada Louisa was born at 12 Southerland Place in Wolverhampton on 11 December 1902 and Annie at Market Place in Shepshed, Liecestershire on 26 October 1893. Doris was born at 22 Lovatt Street in Stafford on 20 February 1897 and son William Thomas on 30 June 1899 at 23 Ruby Street in Leicester. At the time the census of 1901 was taken, it shows them still living at 23 Ruby Street in Leicester, however, Emma's daughter Gertrude was living with her aunt Ada, Emma's sister, at that time. Alfred and Emma had two more sons, Harry born on 27 January 1902 at 79 Sylvan Street in Leicester and Alfred born on 17 January 1905 at 40 Marfith Street in Leicester.
On 13 June 1907, Emma and her children, with the exception of Gertrude, sailed from Liverpool aboard the Dominion Line ship Southwark bound for Montreal and a new life Canada. Her husband had travelled out separately.
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