Sarah Jessie Smyth, the first born child of Sarah Hannah Milsom and John Gould Smyth. Born in the Wirral, Cheshire in April 1876 and her family lived at 20 Lorne Road, Birkenhead at least from 1881 when Sarah Jessie was 4-years old. Also in the home at that time were two of her siblings, Charles Edward Gould Smyth and Evelyn Frances Smyth; together with a Nurse, an Under-nurse, a Housemaid and a Cook. This would indicate that the family were quite well to do and that John Smyth appears to be successful in his work. However, Sarah (or Jessie as she was known by) had a particularly difficult life after her mother gave birth to her final child Sydney Sherwood Smyth when Jessie was 16-years old. We don't know for certain but it appears that her mother Sarah's health took a turn for the worse shortly after being delivered of Sydney and Jessie was on hand to help with his care. |