Doris Ruth IDIENS (later MURPHY) (1889-1972)

Doris Ruth Idiens (1889-1972) was a member of the Idiens family who lived at Wickhamford Manor for around seven years at the turn of the 20^th century and were friends of the Sladden family.

Doris was born in 1889, the sixth of seven children of John and Alice Idiens.  Doris spent her early years at their home in High Street, Evesham.  Around 1899, her parents took on the tenancy of Wickhamford Manor and quickly became involved with the local community.

By 1911, the Idiens family had left Wickhamford and moved to Poole, but Doris was living and working in Wolverhampton.  She was living in the home of her aunts, Sarah and Mary South, who lived at 11 Clarendon Street.  Sarah South had a small school and Doris was employed as a teacher; Doris’ cousin, Edna, was one of three boarders at the school.

On 2^nd April 1913, following in the wake of her siblings, Bert, Walter and Daisy, Doris, together with her parents and sister, Edith, emigrated to Canada.  They set sail from Bristol with Canadian Northern Steamships Ltd on “Royal Edward”, bound for Halifax, New Brunswick.

Doris is mentioned in a letter written by Ethel Sladden to her mother on 26^th November 1915 in which she revealed that she had received a letter from Doris who gave news of various members of the Idiens family.

Doris married Joseph Vincent Murphy on 26^th December 1921 at Comox, British Columbia, Canada and remained in Canada for the rest of her life.  She died on 10^th February 1972 at Victoria, British Columbia.