Mary Caroline JELFS (later GOLDSMITH) (1896-1972)

Mary Caroline Jelfs, later Goldsmith (1896-1972), was the daughter of Fanny Jelfs, a former nursemaid to the Sladden family.

Mary Jelfs was born on 4th December 1896 at Badsey, the second of five children of Oliver Jelfs and his wife, Fanny Caroline Moore (née Boswell).  She was baptized at St James’ Church, Badsey, on 17th January 1897.

Mary was nine years old when her father died in May 1906.

At the time of the 1911 census, Mary was still living at home in Badsey working as a domestic servant.  Later in the year, she moved to Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, to work for Eugénie Sladden’s niece, Fanny Walton.   A letter of 13th December 1911 reveals that Mary suffered from deafness (though this was not indicated on the 1911 census) and that her employer was going to take her to see a specialist.

On 9th July 1932, at the age of 35, Mary married Jack James Goldsmith, a clerk, at Holy Trinity, Twickenham.  Mary’s address was given as 10 Strawberry Hill Road, Twickenham.  This was the home of the Walton family, for whom she still worked.

In 1936, Mary gave birth to a son, Edmund J.  In 1939, Mary and her husband and son lived at 32 Bridgeman Road, Twickenham.

Mary died in the Hounslow district of London in 1972, aged 75.