Person:Emma Medhurst (1)

Emma Medhurst was born in 1840 at Weymouth in Dorset, daughter of Phoebe Hammond and a Tunbridge ware manufacturer named James Medhurst. Emma's birth does not appear to have been registered, possibly because Phoebe and James were not married, although they do appear to have lived together. Emma sometimes used the surname Medhurst, sometimes Hammond. Emma appears in the 1841 census living with her parents at Maiden Street in Weymouth with her parents.

Ten years later Emma and her parents were staying at an inn at East Lulworth on census night.

In 1860 Emma had a son, whose birth was registered as George William Alfred Mellhurst Hammond. He was apparently born at Charminster, near Dorchester. The 1861 census finds Emma and her young son staying on Mill Street in Dorchester. Emma described herself as married, but this does not appear to have been the case. She was working as a needlewoman. Sadly her son died when he was less than two years old in 1863, being buried in Poole under the name George William Alfred Medhurst.

Later in 1863 Emma was married in Oxford to a musician named Robert George Henry Delaporte or De la Porte. They appear to have had a number of children together, although at least one died young, and moved around extensively. The 1871 census finds them living at Ryde on the Isle of Wight. The 1881 census finds Emma living in Weymouth with her youngest son, George, whilst Robert was living alone in Poole. Robert died early in 1883 on the Isle of Wight, and Emma remarried shortly after his death to a harpist named George William Paris Jones.

By the late 1880s George and Emma were living separately. She ran the Somerset Arms on Canal Walk, Southampton, whilst George lodged in Gloucester. According to George's landlady, whilst George and Emma corresponded in this time, they were not on the best of terms. George drowned in the River Severn at Gloucester in 1890. The inquest into his death recorded that he had accidentally drowned while bathing, although the evidence presented to the inquest does appear suggestive that he may have meant to do it: as well as being estranged from his wife he had a "low state of mind", was not in good health, had money difficulties, had fallen out with members of the band he belonged to, had recently threatened to throw himself off a bridge, was not in the habit of bathing in the river and could not swim.

After George's death Emma continued to run a succession of beer houses in Southampton, changing premises five times between 1890 and 1892.

By 1899 Emma appears to have been in a relationship with a sailor named James Joseph Richards, who was rather younger than her. She took to calling herself Emma Richards, signing her son's marriage certificate under that name in 1899 and appearing in the 1901 census in Portsmouth, when she was working as a laundress. Emma and James eventually married a week after the 1901 census.

Emma died on 6th November 1907 in Portsmouth, aged 67.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 295; Book 16; Folio 22; Page 38, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Maiden Street, Weymouth & Melcombe Regis, Dorset
   James Medhurst, male, 40 [1796-1801], Turner, not born in county
   Phebe Medhurst, female, 30 [1806-11], not born in county
   Emma Medhurst, female, 11m [1840], born in county

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1856; Folio 275; Page 23, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: East Lulworth, Dorset
   Joseph Davis, head, married, male, 69 [1781/2], Innkeeper, b. Piddletrentive [sic], Dorset
   Mary Davis, wife, married, female, 70 [1780/1], Innkeeper wife, b. Beaminster, Dorset
   Charles Champ, son in law, married, male, 32 [1818/19], Carpenter, b. East Lulworth, Dorset
   Mary A.M. Champ, daughter, married, female, 29 [1821/2], Carpenter Wife, b. Poole, Dorset
   James Medhurst, visitor, married, male, 26 [1824/5], Manufactor, b. Tunbridge, Sussex
   Phebe Medhurst, wife, married, female, 39 [1811/12], Manufactor Wife, b. Tunbridge, Sussex
   Emma Medhurst, daughter, unmarried, female, 10 [1840/1], Manufactor Daur., b. Weymouth, Dorset
   Henry Snelling, servant, unmarried, male, 22 [1828/9], Labourer, b. West Lulworth, Dorset
   Jane Harvel, servant, unmarried, female, 19 [1831/2], House Servant, b. West Lulworth, Dorset

3. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 1354; Folio 6; Page 5, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Mill Street, Fordington, Dorchester, Dorset
   W[illia]m Bishop, head, married, male, 26 [1834/5], Masons Lab, b. Fordington, Dorset
   Mary J. Bishop, wife, married, female, 27 [1833/4], Dressmaker, b. Fordington, Dorset
   Emma Hammond, visitor, married, female, 20 [1840/1], Needlewoman, b. Weymouth, Dorset
   G.W.A.M. Hammond, visitor, male, 1mo [1861], b. Charminster, Dorset

4. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1166; Folio 91; Page 33, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 26 Hill Street, Ryde, Hampshire
   Robert G. De la Parta, head, married, male, 35 [1835/6], Musician, b. London
   Emma De la Parta, wife, married, female, 30 [1840/1], b. Weymouth, Dorset
   Alfred De la Parta, brother, unmarried, male, 28 [1842/3], Musician, b. London

5. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 2104; Folio 98; Page 21, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 1 Helen Lane, Melcombe Regis, Weymouth, Dorset
   Eliza Bishop, lodger, unmarried, female, 24 [1856/7], Laundress, b. Melcombe Regis, Dorset
   Emma De la Porte, lodger head, married, female, 41 [1839/40], Musician Wife [crossed out], b. Melcombe Regis, Dorset
   George W[illia]m De la Porte, son, male, under 1mo [1881], b. Melcombe Regis, Dorset
   Emma L. Collis, visitor, female, 2 [1878/9], b. Bournemouth, Hampshire

6. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 920; Folio 9; Page 11, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 37 Chandos Street, Southampton, Hampshire
   Emma Jones, head, widow, female, 42 [1842/3], Beer retailer, neither employer nor employed, b. Weymouth
   George Jones, son, male, 10 [1880/1], b. Weymouth
   James J. Richards, lodger, single, male, 20 [1870/1], Labourer, employed, b. Southampton
   Ada H. Preece, servant, single, female, 16 [1874/5], Servant, b. Southampton
   Andrew Mintram, lodger, single, male, 30 [1860/1], Labourer, employed, b. Southampton
   Samuel Wild, lodger, single, male, 24 [1866/7], Sailor, employed, b. Barbados, W. Indies, British Subject

7. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 992; Folio 85; Page 1, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 36½ Frederick Street, Portsmouth, Hampshire
   Emma Richards, head, married, female, 59 [1841/2], Laundress, own account, working at home, b. Weymouth, Dorset

8. ↑ Death certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   Registration District Portsmouth
   1907 Death in the Sub-district of Portsea and Landford in the County of Portsmouth C.B.
   No.	When and where died	Name and surname	Sex	Age	Occupation	Cause of death	Signature, description and residence of informant	When registered	Signature of registrar
   106	Sixth November 1907 31 Hawke Street Portsea UD	Emma Richards	Female	65 years	Wife of James Joseph Richards Leading Stoker H.M. Yacht ""Victoria & Albert""	Malignant disease of Intestine 6 Months Asthma Certified by A. Milne Thompson M.B.	J.J. Richards Widower of deceased Present at the death 31 Hawke Street, Portsea	Seventh November 1907	A.W. Gardner, Registrar

   
9.   Hampshire Telegraph, 29 June 1870
   RYDE
   BOROUGH POLICE COURT
   Eliza Coward alias Shoring, of Langdon, Dorset, was brought up in custody of Police-sergeant Rossiter, of the county constabulary, on a charge of stealing a pair of boots, the property of Emma De la Porte, on the 23rd ult.-Mr. Burt stated that the prisoner was taken to the Newport borough police station on Saturday on the charge, and he was telegraphed to send for her. He therefore sent Police-constable Magee to fetch her, and as he was bringing her out of the cells, Mr. Superintendent Horan claimed her for a theft which took place in his district, the proceeds of which were found on her person. She was afterwards taken before the county bench at Newport and committed for trial on two charges. He expressed himself rather strongly as to the injustice of the prisoner being taken out of his hands.-The Mayor said that as she was already committed for trial, and her case would be disposed of to-morrow, the case would not be entertained until the result of her trial was known.
10.   Hampshire Advertiser, 28 Sep 1889
    SOUTHAMPTON POLICE COURT
    INGRATITUDE - Jane Clarke, a middle-aged woman, with no fixed residence, was charged with stealing a woollen shawl and a skirt, the property of Emma Jones, of the Somerset Arms, in Canal-walk. - The prosecutrix had taken the prisoner's daughter out of the workhouse and given her employment. Prisoner called at the house on the 3rd of September, and asked for employmet also. Mrs. Jones gave prisoner a dress to alter, and next day received by post the ticket fro the dress which prisoner had pawned. Prisoner while at the Somerset Arms, also took the opportunity of possessing herself of the shawl. - The police asked for a remand, which was granted till Friday.
11.   Hampshire Advertiser, 3 Sep 1890
    SOUTHAMPTON BREWSTER SESSIONS
    A CROWDED COURT
    ...Mr. Bell, before the ordinary business commenced, applied under section 14, 19th George IV., to have the license of the Princess Alexandra beerhouse, Chapel-road, transferred to Mrs. Emma Jones, in consequence of the late tenant having left and shut up the premises. The application was granted...
    
    Hampshire Advertiser, 8 Oct 1890
    SOUTHAMPTON NEWS
    TRANSFERS
    ...the Princess Alexandra, Chapel-road, from W. Grist to Emma Jones...
    
    Hampshire Advertiser, 31 Dec 1890
    LICENSES TRANSFERRED
    ...the Princess Alexandra, from Emma Jones to William Blackman..."
    
    Hampshire Advertiser, 30 Dec 1891
    LICENSES TRANSFERRED
    ...Medina Tavern, Chandos-street, from Emma Jones to Thomas Miller...
    
    Hampshire Advertiser, 30 Mar 1892
    SOUTHAMPTON NEWS
    LICENSES TRANSFERRED
    ...Seven Stars, French-street, from Henry John Golden to Emma Jones...
    
    Hampshire Advertiser, 10 Aug 1892
    TRANSFER OF LICENSES AT SOUTHAMPTON
    ...Seven Stars, French-street, from Emma Jones to Frank Butler...