Emily (Fisk) Whitlow (abt. 1837 - 1922)

Born about 1837 in Acton, London, England, United Kingdom

Wife of Richard Whitlow — married 19 Nov 1860 in St Andrew's Church, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 27 Apr 1922 at about age 85 in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

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Biography

Emily was born in 1837. She is the daughter of Isaac Fisk (1817-1872) and Emily Fisk (nee Elphick) (1817-1871) who married on 26 October 1836, but divorced on 10 November 186. B ^[1] She had left England, destined for New Zealand in 1859 with her sister but her sister died on the boat. She married Richard Whitlow in 1860 soon after arriving in Christchurch ^[2] They settled in Kaiapoi, north of the city. Five of their seven children died. Emily Whitlow was committed to Sunnyside in 1870 and her husband went on to have four more children with his "housekeeper". She spent 52 years in care, mostly at Sunnyside, but also at the Jubilee Home and Hospital in Woolston.

Wife Beating. Richard Whitlow was charged on the information of his wife with having violently assaulted her. His Worship said, before going into the case, he would recommend the parties to come to some arrangement with a view to a separation; Complainant had been suffering from insanity for some time, and as he had had to deal with them before, it appeared that conduct was not in any way calculated to remedy her afflictions. .The accused said he would be willing to pay 10s per week towards the maintenance of his wife and children. Complainant said, according to her husband’s means, he could well afford to pay more than the sum named. Bis Worship thought that 10s per week would be sufflcient, and adjourned the case for a week so that an arrangement could be made the parties. ^[3]

Disobeying Order of Court. —Richard Whitlow, who had been arrested on warrant, was charged with failing to contribute 16s per week towards the support of his wife. The arrears were stated to be £6 6s. The circumstances of the case had been before the Court previously. His Worship said that the prisoner could not be allowed to leave his wife to be maintained by public charity while he was supporting another woman and her children. Defendant said hie wife had left him of her own free will fourteen years ago, and he had not seen her again till about two months ago, when the information was laid. His Worship could not accept the excuse, and sentenced the prisoner to two months' hard labour.^[4]

She passed away at Sunnyside in 1922 age 83^[5] and is buried at the Sydenham cemetery in Christchurch in an unmarked grave

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Sources

1. ↑ A source is needed for this information
2. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Marriage registration 1860/1846
3. ↑ MAGISTRATES’ COURTS. LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME XXXIV, ISSUE 2977, 27 JULY 1870, PAGE 3
4. ↑ MAGISTERIAL. LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME LX, ISSUE 7051, 4 OCTOBER 1883, PAGE 3
5. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Death registration 1922/4170