Emma Eliza Yeo was born at Withycombe Raleigh near Exmouth in 1872. She had older brothers Samuel George Yeo (born 1866) and Harry James Yeo (1870–1966, emigrated to the USA 1895) and a younger sister Maud Alice Yeo (born 1875).
Emma’s mother Emma Eliza Yeo née Gosling had married Samuel Yeo at the parish church in Sidmouth on 27 June 1865 but died just under five years later. As often happened in such circumstances, her four children were sent to live with relatives.
Research carried out by Sheila in 2014, following an enquiry from a correspondent, suggests that Emma went to live with her mother’s youngest sister Susan Smith née Yeo (bap. Swimbridge 16 June 1844) and in due course married Susan’s second husband Thomas Norris in London in 1892. It was perhaps unusual to marry an uncle, but he was not a blood relative. They had five children, but – like her mother – Emma died young, at the age of just 32. Her death was registered at Hendon in the fourth quarter of 1905.
Maud Alice Yeo went to live with Emily Chudleigh – Emily was her aunt, according to the 1891 census return for Withycombe Raleigh.
Emma’s father Samuel Yeo was a descendant of John Yeo and Elizabeth Slowley of Swimbridge. Most of their descendants have been traced by other researchers.
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