Jessie Kenneth Harford was born in Glasgow, Lanarkshire to Robert Kenneth and his wife Jane (Thompson). Jessie's father worked at the local ironworks. She endured many hardships during her life and as a child, watched each and every one of her siblings die from disease or malnutrition. Four siblings died within Jessie's first seven years of life including her mother in 1860.
She was baptised August 15, 1852 in the local church. On December 31, 1869 she married George Harford, a soldier with the 17th Lancers, in Glasgow. Their son John Harford was born in 1871. They moved to the city of London shortly thereafter as George had family living within the city. George gained employment as a Hammerman and two more children were born to them in London, Amelia Harford and George Harford Jr. George met hard times, unable to support his family and they entered the London Workhouses under Poor Relief. Jessie and her children were to live within these workhouses for more than ten years. She spent most of that time chronically sick and in the infirmary. When not ill she was a needlewoman or did chores within the workhouse. John, Amelia and George Jr. were schooled under Poor Relief in the Central London School District.
About 1876, one year after the birth of their youngest son, her husband George immigrated to Australia where he met and married Annie Purdy, though never gaining a divorce from Jessie. Jessie, still chronically ill and living in the workhouses may never have known what became of her husband but she persevered as best she could under the circumstances. In 1887, after spending 2 1/2 years in the Newington Infirmary, she is discharged sick and admitted to St. George's Union workhouse with her two youngest children, Amelia and George. They are bathed, given a meal, and upon her own request, Jessie discharges herself and her children from the workhouse on the same day they arrive. It is understood that John became a member of the Navy, Amelia and George went to live with an Aunt and Uncle in Scarbrough. Whatever happened to Jessie is a mystery. A record of her death cannot be found and she is not in the 1891 or further census reports. Amelia recalled that upon her mother's death her father asked the children if they would like to come live with him in Australia but they decided to stay in London. It's possible that Jessie could have changed her last name in order to remarry and would have had her death registered under the married name.
It is assumed she was buried in a common paupers grave in London, possibly in the Southwark area but that is only a guess based on what I'm not able to find.
She was baptised August 15, 1852 in the local church. On December 31, 1869 she married George Harford, a soldier with the 17th Lancers, in Glasgow. Their son John Harford was born in 1871. They moved to the city of London shortly thereafter as George had family living within the city. George gained employment as a Hammerman and two more children were born to them in London, Amelia Harford and George Harford Jr. George met hard times, unable to support his family and they entered the London Workhouses under Poor Relief. Jessie and her children were to live within these workhouses for more than ten years. She spent most of that time chronically sick and in the infirmary. When not ill she was a needlewoman or did chores within the workhouse. John, Amelia and George Jr. were schooled under Poor Relief in the Central London School District.
About 1876, one year after the birth of their youngest son, her husband George immigrated to Australia where he met and married Annie Purdy, though never gaining a divorce from Jessie. Jessie, still chronically ill and living in the workhouses may never have known what became of her husband but she persevered as best she could under the circumstances. In 1887, after spending 2 1/2 years in the Newington Infirmary, she is discharged sick and admitted to St. George's Union workhouse with her two youngest children, Amelia and George. They are bathed, given a meal, and upon her own request, Jessie discharges herself and her children from the workhouse on the same day they arrive. It is understood that John became a member of the Navy, Amelia and George went to live with an Aunt and Uncle in Scarbrough. Whatever happened to Jessie is a mystery. A record of her death cannot be found and she is not in the 1891 or further census reports. Amelia recalled that upon her mother's death her father asked the children if they would like to come live with him in Australia but they decided to stay in London. It's possible that Jessie could have changed her last name in order to remarry and would have had her death registered under the married name.
It is assumed she was buried in a common paupers grave in London, possibly in the Southwark area but that is only a guess based on what I'm not able to find.
Jessie Kenneth Harford was born in Glasgow, Lanarkshire to Robert Kenneth and his wife Jane (Thompson). Jessie's father worked at the local ironworks. She endured many hardships during her life and as a child, watched each and every one of her siblings die from disease or malnutrition. Four siblings died within Jessie's first seven years of life including her mother in 1860.
She was baptised August 15, 1852 in the local church. On December 31, 1869 she married George Harford, a soldier with the 17th Lancers, in Glasgow. Their son John Harford was born in 1871. They moved to the city of London shortly thereafter as George had family living within the city. George gained employment as a Hammerman and two more children were born to them in London, Amelia Harford and George Harford Jr. George met hard times, unable to support his family and they entered the London Workhouses under Poor Relief. Jessie and her children were to live within these workhouses for more than ten years. She spent most of that time chronically sick and in the infirmary. When not ill she was a needlewoman or did chores within the workhouse. John, Amelia and George Jr. were schooled under Poor Relief in the Central London School District.
About 1876, one year after the birth of their youngest son, her husband George immigrated to Australia where he met and married Annie Purdy, though never gaining a divorce from Jessie. Jessie, still chronically ill and living in the workhouses may never have known what became of her husband but she persevered as best she could under the circumstances. In 1887, after spending 2 1/2 years in the Newington Infirmary, she is discharged sick and admitted to St. George's Union workhouse with her two youngest children, Amelia and George. They are bathed, given a meal, and upon her own request, Jessie discharges herself and her children from the workhouse on the same day they arrive. It is understood that John became a member of the Navy, Amelia and George went to live with an Aunt and Uncle in Scarbrough. Whatever happened to Jessie is a mystery. A record of her death cannot be found and she is not in the 1891 or further census reports. Amelia recalled that upon her mother's death her father asked the children if they would like to come live with him in Australia but they decided to stay in London. It's possible that Jessie could have changed her last name in order to remarry and would have had her death registered under the married name.
It is assumed she was buried in a common paupers grave in London, possibly in the Southwark area but that is only a guess based on what I'm not able to find.
She was baptised August 15, 1852 in the local church. On December 31, 1869 she married George Harford, a soldier with the 17th Lancers, in Glasgow. Their son John Harford was born in 1871. They moved to the city of London shortly thereafter as George had family living within the city. George gained employment as a Hammerman and two more children were born to them in London, Amelia Harford and George Harford Jr. George met hard times, unable to support his family and they entered the London Workhouses under Poor Relief. Jessie and her children were to live within these workhouses for more than ten years. She spent most of that time chronically sick and in the infirmary. When not ill she was a needlewoman or did chores within the workhouse. John, Amelia and George Jr. were schooled under Poor Relief in the Central London School District.
About 1876, one year after the birth of their youngest son, her husband George immigrated to Australia where he met and married Annie Purdy, though never gaining a divorce from Jessie. Jessie, still chronically ill and living in the workhouses may never have known what became of her husband but she persevered as best she could under the circumstances. In 1887, after spending 2 1/2 years in the Newington Infirmary, she is discharged sick and admitted to St. George's Union workhouse with her two youngest children, Amelia and George. They are bathed, given a meal, and upon her own request, Jessie discharges herself and her children from the workhouse on the same day they arrive. It is understood that John became a member of the Navy, Amelia and George went to live with an Aunt and Uncle in Scarbrough. Whatever happened to Jessie is a mystery. A record of her death cannot be found and she is not in the 1891 or further census reports. Amelia recalled that upon her mother's death her father asked the children if they would like to come live with him in Australia but they decided to stay in London. It's possible that Jessie could have changed her last name in order to remarry and would have had her death registered under the married name.
It is assumed she was buried in a common paupers grave in London, possibly in the Southwark area but that is only a guess based on what I'm not able to find.
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