Edward Jones (buried 1918)

Edward was born in Madeira, the son of Osmond and Maria Olimpia da Silva. He was baptised at Igreja Inglesa da Madeira in 1843. His father was the son of a merchant and was born in St John's, Antigua. His mother was from an old established Portuguese family and brought Portuguese servants with her to England. By 1851, the family were living in England where Osmond was involved with the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace. He organised a post office at the site which dealt with approximately 800 pieces of correspondence each day. During this year, newspapers also reported that Osmond was also encouraging the Poplar Guardians in East London to send pauper children to Bermuda to start new lives as domestic servants. Osmond died on his 44th birthday, 16th April 1858. Edward worked as a banker's clerk and on 3rd December 1872, he married Helena Anne Marriott at St Saviour, Highbury. She had been born in Bermuda. The couple moved to Kensington, sharing a house with two other families. They had a daughter Mary Bruce Jones born in 1873. Helena died in 1884. On 17th December 1888, Edward married a widow, Elizabeth Blanche Maclennan at St Augustine, Kilburn. She already had a daughter Blanche Effie. The family lived in Willesden and later moved to Hammersmith. By 1911, Edward had retired and the family moved to Littlehampton. The family moved along the coast to Hove where Elizabeth died in 1915. By 1917, Edward was living at "Bermuda" in Rowlands Road, Worthing. The house was on the corner of Ivy Place and had been known formerly as "Westward Ho". Edward died on 26th December 1918. Probate was granted on 3rd February 1919 to Mary Bruce Jones spinster. Effects £603 16s 3d.