Page 60 - ‘A Blaker Family History’ The family history of Joseph Blaker (1916-2007; ‘Joe’)

© The Blaker Society
© The Blaker Society

he died, my father recalls that his grandfather died when he was c. 70
years-old – i.e. in c. 1922/3.

John Blaker (1852- ), Unknown Date

17 Sunnyhill Road, Streatham: Contemporary View

By 1933, Emily was a widow, living alone at 120 Kingswood Road,
Streatham, close to her married daughter, ‘Polly’ (Mary Ann) Fibbens.
Emily’s eyesight started to fail, and became particularly pronounced
during a trip to Margate with her daughter, ‘Beatie’ (Beatrice) Joy.

Lily Caswell, Emily’s granddaughter, remembers Emily visiting ‘Alf’ and
Mary Ann Blaker in Norwood, during which time she often enjoyed a
‘Rock and Chips’ fish supper, before taking a tram back to Balham. Lily
Caswell recalls her grandmother as a “delightful old lady, with rosy
cheeks, with a neat black skirt and a bonnet adorned with violets”. Emily’s
son, ‘Alf’ would ensure that his mother’s shoes were in good repair and
each month would give her ‘half a crown’ – i.e. 2s-6d - for a few treats.

By 1935, Emily was living with her daughter, ‘Polly’ Fibbens and husband
at 84a Kingswood Road, where she died in January 1938. Her death
certificate shows that the cause of her death was ‘Cardiac failure coupled
with Bronchitis’.

Kingswood Road, Streatham: Aerial View

Emily Blaker (1854-1938) with Grandson Joseph Blaker (1916-2007); Unknown Date

6.21 Other Children of William Blaker (1823-1900) and Caroline Box

(1827-1904)

6.21.1 Harriett Blaker (1850-1933)
Born: 6 December 1850, Burstow, Surrey
Christened: 12 December 1850, St. Bartholomew, Burstow, Surrey
Married: 14 September 1872, aged 22 years, married John Botting; St.
Mary, Balcombe, Sussex
Died: 1 February 1933, aged 82 years; 8 Spencer Road, Ifield, Horsham,
Sussex
Harriett was the first of three children born to William and Caroline
Blaker. Harriett was recorded in the 1851 Census as a 4 month-old girl
living with her parents at Copthorne Bank, Burstow.

In the next Census, Harriett was recorded as a ten year-old girl, living
with her parents and two siblings in Balcombe Lane, Balcombe.

By 1871, Harriett was working as a ‘General Servant’ to seventy nine year-
old Thomas Gibb in Balcombe Village, Sussex.