Oliver JELFS (1866-1906)

Oliver Jelfs (1866-1906) was the husband of Fanny Caroline Moore Boswell, who had worked as nursemaid to the Sladden family in the early 1890s.

Oliver was born at Badsey in 1866, the youngest of six children of Richard Jelfs and his wife, Mary (née Rogers).  The family lived at Orchard Way off the High Street in Badsey.  In 1891 he was described as an agricultural worker and in 1901 he was described as a domestic gardener.

Oliver married Fanny Caroline Moore Boswell in 1894; they had met when Fanny was living and working at Seward House.  They lived at Orchard Way where Oliver had grown up.  Oliver and Fanny had three sons and two daughters:  Thomas Francis (1895-1998), Mary Caroline (1896-1972), Edmund Joseph (1899-1975), Eric John (1901-1975) and Doris Winifred (1906).

Four months after the birth of Doris, Oliver Jelfs died, aged 39, leaving Fanny to bring up five children alone.