Such a long time Eliza had to live in the work house. Her life wasn't easy as an adult either but I'm glad she was able to move on and have a family of her own.
Absolutely. I'll never understand why such cruelty was used, especially for children. Making a child's life miserable is a punishment for something they had no control over. It's "almost" like those who ran those institutions valued the cheap labor over actually enabling people to get back on their feet.
This is brilliant Jane 🤩 Hello 4th Cousin, once removed!
So you can add to your/our tree that my grandparents, Frederick and Phyllis, had 3 children - Ann Elizabeth Kirk, Robert William Kirk and Richard John Kirk (my dad).
Richard married Patricia Buckley and had me, Cheryl Jane Kirk, and my brother Robert James Kirk.
I am married to Mark Coltman and have 2 children - Jake Coltman and Joshua Coltman.
My brother, Robert James Kirk, is married to Lisa Wynne and they have had 3 children, Lucas Kirk, Ryan Kirk and Caleb Kirk. This is where our line ends for now as they are young.
My aunt - Ann Elizabeth Kirk married Roger Smith and they have one son, Steven Smith.
My uncle - Robert William Kirk married Susan McDonnell but unfortunately had no children.
Frederick Joseph Kirk had one sibling - Amy Kirk, who married Reginald Atkinson. They had no children.
Wow. Thanks for that information. I live in New Zealand. My circumstances are slightly more complicated in that I am adopted and it was my adoptive family that emigrated to New Zealand. However, my biological line goes back from Peggy Brown (mother) to Grace Farebrother (GM) to Annie Kate Pratt (GGM) to William Pratt (2nd GGF) to Hannah Kirk and Thomas Pratt (3rdGGP) to William Kirk and Sophia Munday ($th GGP). You can find my Family History Archive here: https://app.weare.xyz/public/bjnls-family-history-archive/home
Great! It's always interesting to find relatives! How are you related to Eliza? As I said in the post, she is my 4th great grand-aunt; the sister of my 4th great grandfather, William. If you are a descendent of Eliza then you must also descend from James Kirk and Elizabeth King who I have also written about?
My father is Richard Kirk whose father, my grandpa, was Frederick Kirk. My great grandfather is Joseph Kirk, and his father was James Kirk married to Elizabeth Webb. James Kirk’s father was William Kirk whose father was James Kirk and married to Elizabeth King.
A bit extra for you in case you haven’t gone even further back:
James Kirk (born 1794) parents were William Kirk and Rebecca Bradley. William Kirk’s father was called Kirk (The Younger) and married to Mary Bligh (Blyth).
I just checked my research tree and found I already have your line in it down to your grandparents, Frederick Joseph Kirk (1911-1991) and Phyllis May Bonham (1914-1995 . I have a lot of collateral lines built down in my research tree because I have spent a lot of time in the past connecting DNA matches to my tree. So, I can see from that that we are 4th cousins, once removed. Our most recent common ancestral couple is William Kirk and Sophia Munday. I assume you have seen the posts I did about James and Benjamin Kirk and Elizabeth King and children as I linked to them in my post about Eliza? Another you might be interested in is this one about James and Deborah Kirk (grandparents of Aaron Kirk who married Mary Bligh) - https://bjnlsgenealogy.substack.com/p/rogues-vagabonds-and-sturdy-beggars?r=1n71wo
Yes. That is so true. The circumstances in which we are born will surely influence who we are but they don't necessarily have to completely define our whole life.
Eliza’s start in life was so sad. It’s dreadful to think of a young pregnant girl being treated so badly. I really enjoyed reading about her life at the lighthouse. That must have been wonderful for her after being in the workhouse. Thanks for sharing Eliza’s story Jane
Yes she had an interesting life in the end. I would like to know how she managed to make the move from the workhouse to London thereby meeting Charles Tizzard.
Such a long time Eliza had to live in the work house. Her life wasn't easy as an adult either but I'm glad she was able to move on and have a family of her own.
Yes, even though not perfect and still with its challenges, I think her adult life would have been a big improvement on her early life.
Absolutely. I'll never understand why such cruelty was used, especially for children. Making a child's life miserable is a punishment for something they had no control over. It's "almost" like those who ran those institutions valued the cheap labor over actually enabling people to get back on their feet.
Hi Jane, we are related as Eliza is also one of my ancestors. Cheryl
This is brilliant Jane 🤩 Hello 4th Cousin, once removed!
So you can add to your/our tree that my grandparents, Frederick and Phyllis, had 3 children - Ann Elizabeth Kirk, Robert William Kirk and Richard John Kirk (my dad).
Richard married Patricia Buckley and had me, Cheryl Jane Kirk, and my brother Robert James Kirk.
I am married to Mark Coltman and have 2 children - Jake Coltman and Joshua Coltman.
My brother, Robert James Kirk, is married to Lisa Wynne and they have had 3 children, Lucas Kirk, Ryan Kirk and Caleb Kirk. This is where our line ends for now as they are young.
My aunt - Ann Elizabeth Kirk married Roger Smith and they have one son, Steven Smith.
My uncle - Robert William Kirk married Susan McDonnell but unfortunately had no children.
Frederick Joseph Kirk had one sibling - Amy Kirk, who married Reginald Atkinson. They had no children.
Jane, where do you live in the world?
Wow. Thanks for that information. I live in New Zealand. My circumstances are slightly more complicated in that I am adopted and it was my adoptive family that emigrated to New Zealand. However, my biological line goes back from Peggy Brown (mother) to Grace Farebrother (GM) to Annie Kate Pratt (GGM) to William Pratt (2nd GGF) to Hannah Kirk and Thomas Pratt (3rdGGP) to William Kirk and Sophia Munday ($th GGP). You can find my Family History Archive here: https://app.weare.xyz/public/bjnls-family-history-archive/home
This is amazing - it’s blown my mind that I can go back to 9th great grandparents with your help. I can’t wait to tell my Dad as he loves this stuff.
So Hannah Kirk was James Kirk’s sister and that’s where we link x
Yes. That's right!
Great! It's always interesting to find relatives! How are you related to Eliza? As I said in the post, she is my 4th great grand-aunt; the sister of my 4th great grandfather, William. If you are a descendent of Eliza then you must also descend from James Kirk and Elizabeth King who I have also written about?
I am from James Kirk lineage.
My father is Richard Kirk whose father, my grandpa, was Frederick Kirk. My great grandfather is Joseph Kirk, and his father was James Kirk married to Elizabeth Webb. James Kirk’s father was William Kirk whose father was James Kirk and married to Elizabeth King.
A bit extra for you in case you haven’t gone even further back:
James Kirk (born 1794) parents were William Kirk and Rebecca Bradley. William Kirk’s father was called Kirk (The Younger) and married to Mary Bligh (Blyth).
I’m not sure what that makes us 😂
Cheryl Kirk (now Cheryl Coltman)
I just checked my research tree and found I already have your line in it down to your grandparents, Frederick Joseph Kirk (1911-1991) and Phyllis May Bonham (1914-1995 . I have a lot of collateral lines built down in my research tree because I have spent a lot of time in the past connecting DNA matches to my tree. So, I can see from that that we are 4th cousins, once removed. Our most recent common ancestral couple is William Kirk and Sophia Munday. I assume you have seen the posts I did about James and Benjamin Kirk and Elizabeth King and children as I linked to them in my post about Eliza? Another you might be interested in is this one about James and Deborah Kirk (grandparents of Aaron Kirk who married Mary Bligh) - https://bjnlsgenealogy.substack.com/p/rogues-vagabonds-and-sturdy-beggars?r=1n71wo
From a tough start she managed to carve a life for herself, a woman of such strength and courage
Thanks @Helene
What a journey, great research and writing. So glad to see her life improve from its very rough start.
It just goes to show that no matter where you start up you can end up somewhere different and in a better place.
Yes. That is so true. The circumstances in which we are born will surely influence who we are but they don't necessarily have to completely define our whole life.
What a sad beginning to Eliza's life. I am glad she found a way out.
Yes. In the end, perhaps more fortunate than some
What a story. Georgian Bay is a very beautiful place. I hope her years there gave Eliza some peace and happiness after such a rough life.
Yes. I hope so too.
Eliza’s start in life was so sad. It’s dreadful to think of a young pregnant girl being treated so badly. I really enjoyed reading about her life at the lighthouse. That must have been wonderful for her after being in the workhouse. Thanks for sharing Eliza’s story Jane
Yes she had an interesting life in the end. I would like to know how she managed to make the move from the workhouse to London thereby meeting Charles Tizzard.