The lady in the middle of this picture is my great-grandmother, Margaret Card. Her mother was Martha Card and her mother was Mary Chaplin, born on the SS Zebra circa 1813. This is a mystery waiting to be solved. I know that Mary Chaplin was born at sea on the bombship SS Zebra but I have no knowledge of her parents, who they were or where they came from. Whilst researching my family history, I discovered that the SS Zebra was one of twelve bombships protecting HMS Victory. Other ships had the names SS Lion, SS Giraffe etc. By the time my ancestor was born, the ship would have been doing minor duties, perhaps sailing between England and France, but I don't know for sure.
The baby Mary ? was brought up by the ship's carpenter, Edward Chaplin, who later married her when she was about 17 years old. He would have been much older, perhaps 60 or more. Mary was deaf and dumb. They lived in Wrentham, Suffolk, on the east coast of England.Together they had many children, which started the line to which I belong.
I would love to know who her parents were. Perhaps one of them was French? or German. Who knows? I continue to search.
My grandmother, Stella, is on the back row in the picture, the lady with the striped collar, Jenner-541