Joslin Heybridge

[SamJ]

I'm trying to find out what happened to Emma Joslin, widow of Henry, who died in March 1874. She had mortgaged all her property to a Hannah Ruggles in October 1873 and had six months to repay (at double the loan, £400). A relation has said she drowned but I'm not sure where they got that from, she left 7 children who then appear to have been split up and sent to various relations. Curious to know whether there are any old newspaper reports etc around or any relations out there who could shed some light.

[t mo]

hello samj
not exactly what you asked for but heres the death reg for emma

march 1874 dist maldon age 31 vol 4a page 179
if you have this it will tell you the official version of cause of death as to the other part have you tried googling for archive newspapers for the area
is the info posted about the mortgage official or hearsay , from what source is it also have you looked to see if henry left a will all these angles may help with finding out the truth to the whole
trevor

[Tom Piper]

Samj
Hannah Ruggles died an old lady of 81 on the 13th January 1875 at her house know as "Rose Cottage", Great Totham Essex. ( The Ipswich Journal (Ipswich, England), Saturday, January 23, 1875). She left £250 in a legacy a will to the eastern Counties Assylum at Colchester, according to the The Essex Standard, West Suffolk Gazette, and Eastern Counties' Advertiser on May 4, 1877.

Later, however, 1883, the will was challenged by several "The Essex Standard, West Suffolk Gazette, and Eastern Counties' Advertiser (December 1st 1883), and The Standard (London, England), Tuesday, September 18, 1888; published a huge list of all the benefactors and amounts received , the full amount being well over £10,000 but no mention at all about Emma Joslin.

All newspapers available from your local library online using your library ticket.

Tom

[SamJ]

Thanks both, I actually have the mortgage document between Hannah Ruggles and Emma Joslin, so I know the details there. Henry did leave a will and I am going to try and get hold of a copy, I was just trying to do a little detective work beforehand. Its obvious from family documents that we had property once and I can only guess that, because Emma died before the loan was repaid and the children were split up, that the property etc went over to Hannah and there was nothing left to provide for the children.