Elsie Gadd (1885 - 1980)

Born 15 Dec 1885 in Aston, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Died 29 Dec 1980 at age 95 in Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Elsie was born in 1885 at Aston, Warwickshire, the daughter of Philip Edwin Gadd and Elizabeth Emma Holtum. ^[1]

She was baptised on 3 January 1886 at St. James the Less, Ashted. Her family was then living at Lawley St and her father was employed as a brass finisher. Elsie's date of birth was recorded in the baptism register as 15 December 1885. ^[2]

In the 1891 census the family was living at Ct 28 H2 Lawley St, Aston. Elsie's age was overscored and unreadable. ^[3]

Her mother Elizabeth Emma Gadd died in 1892 when Elsie was aged 6 years.

Philip made the decision to immigrate to the United States. He and daughters Mary and Elsie departed Liverpool on 29 March 1893 aboard the Steamship Scythia, and arrived in Boston on 10 April 1893. The ship's manifest recorded their ages as 37, 11 and 7 years respectively. ^[4]

Elsie's father remarried to Alice Youd on 21 August 1894.

In the 1900 census the family was living at 534 E Eight St, Boston City, Massachusetts. Elsie was aged 15 years and still at school. ^[5]

In 1910 Elsie was boarding at 160 Boston St, the home of Mary A McMahon, aged 70. Aged 24, Elsie was working as a glove maker in a glove shop. ^[6]

In 1920 sisters Mary and Elsie were living together at 15 Dorset St, Boston. Elsie [her christian name not recorded in the census] was shown as the head of the household. She was aged 33 years. Mary was aged 37 years. Both were employed as salesladies at a Department Store. They had a lodger living with them named Mary Mahon, aged 80. It is believed this was the Mary McMahon Elsie had been living with in 1910. ^[7]

In 1930 the sisters were still at 15 Dorset St. They were renting the property at $25 per month. Mary, aged 46, was employed as a bookkeeper at a Department Store office and Elsie, aged 45, was employed at a Department Store as a glove repairer. ^[8]

Sister Mary married Harland G Hatch on 17 October 1937. At that time Harland was living at 56 Dartmouth St, Somerville, Massachusetts. He had several lodgers living there with him.

In the 1940 census Harland and Mary Hatch and Elsie M. [sic] Gadd were all living at 56 Dartmouth St, Somerville. Elsie was recorded as a lodger. She was aged 51 [sic] and was a glove repairer at a factory. ^[9]

From The Boston Globe dated 2 October 1940, Pg 15 -
Gilchrist’s Host to Silver Milestone Club Members.
Gilchrist’s was host to the Silver Milestone Club, at the annual luncheon held yesterday at the Parker House. Members of the organisation are those employees who have served 25 years or more with Gilchrist’s. Twenty-five years in the employ of any one company is in itself sure evidence of faithfulness, honesty and industrious application to the job at hand, and the management of Gilchrist Company feels that every member of the Silver Milestone Club is a definite asset to the organisation.
The following Gilchrist employees were presented to the Silver Milestone Club and inducted as new members: Elsie M. Gadd, Henry G. Nieland, Mary J. Burke, Sophie O’Brien and William E. Converse. Each was presented a 25-year gold service emblem, and introduced to the benefits of Silver Milestone Club membership, which includes a day’s vacation with full pay on every anniversary, in addition to four full weeks’ vacation with pay every year. Those unable to work receive a generous pension. ^[10]

For further information about Gilchrist's - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilchrist%27s

In the 1940 Somerville Directory Elsie Gadd was a glove repairer residing at 56 Dartmouth. Then in the 1941 Boston Directory Elsie M Gadd, as named, was a marker at Gilchrist's and residing at 56 Dartmouth, Somerville. in the 1942-46 Boston directories her address was simply recorded as Somerville. It appears Elsie had chosen to give herself a middle name.
In the 1947 Boston Directory Elsie M Gadd was still employed at Gilchrist's but residing at Greenwood. Harland and Mary Hatch were also recorded living at Greenwood in this directory. ^[11]

On 30 August 1950 Elsie and half sister Rose Bellevance sailed from New York aboard Queen Mary to Cherbourg, France. It was recorded Elsie, aged 60, lived at 19 Fell St, Greenwood. She had been born in England and naturalized in September 1900 at Boston. Her US Passport No. was 296309. Rose, aged 55, lived at 265 County St, Attleboro. She had been born in Massachusetts and her US Passport No. was 295353. They intended to be away for 33 days. ^[12]

Elsie and Rose returned home from Southampton, England, departing on 29 September 1950 aboard Queen Elizabeth, and arriving in New York on 4 October 1950. ^[13]

Harland Hatch died on 11 October 1956 at Greenwood.

In the 1960 Attleboro Directory Elsie M Gadd and Mary J Hatch were residing at 3 Dorrance St. They probably chose to move to Attleboro as this was where Rose Bellavance and family lived. ^[14]

Mary Hatch died on 27 May 1967 at Attleboro.

In the 1968 and 1971 Boston Directories Elsie Gadd was residing at Our Lady's Guild House, Boston. ^[15]
Our Lady's Guild House was run by Catholic nuns and offered affordable transitional housing for low-income, elderly women who were not married.

Elsie M Gadd died on 29 December 1980 at North Attleboro. Her date of birth was recorded as 12 [sic] December 1885 in the Massachusetts Death Index. ^[16]
In the Social Security Death Index Elsie's date of birth was correctly recorded as 15 December 1885. "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VMFV-2Z9 : 20 August 2020)

From The Boston Globe dated 30 December 1980, Pg 38 -
DEATHS.
GADD – In North Attleboro, December 29, Elsie M. Aunt of Mrs. William Fletcher of Attleboro, and 4 nephews. Funeral from the Morrison Funeral Home, 13 Yale Avenue, Wakefield, Wednesday at 8 a.m. Funeral Mass in St. Joseph’s Church at 9 a.m. Friends may call at the funeral home, Tuesday 7-9. ^[17]

Mrs William Fletcher was Dorothy Rose, daughter of Rose and Paul Bellavance.

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp
   GRO Birth Index
   GADD, ELSIE Mother's maiden name HOLTOM [sic]
   GRO Reference: 1886 M Quarter in ASTON Volume 06D Page 313
2. ↑ Baptism Registers are available to view at Anglican Parish Records. Birmingham, England: Library of Birmingham and at Ancestry.com. Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1919 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.
3. ↑ 1891 census RG12/2416 79 Pg 19
4. ↑ The National Archives, Kew. Board of Trade: Commercial and Statistical Department and successors: Outward Passenger Lists, Series BT27
   Also available to view at Ancestry.com. UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9YF-PNK : accessed 10 October 2020)
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2KB-5RP : accessed 12 October 2020)
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFMG-QPC : accessed 11 October 2020)
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XQR9-FP1 : accessed 12 October 2020)
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4KC-FMY : 30 November 2019)
10. ↑ Newspaper can be viewed at https://www.newspapers.com/search/
11. ↑ Directories can be viewed at Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011
12. ↑ The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Series Title: Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels and Airplanes Departing from New York, New York, 07/01/1948-12/31/1956; NAI Number: 3335533; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85; Series Number: A4169; NARA Roll Number: 91
    Passenger list can also be viewed at Ancestry.com
13. ↑ Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. NAI: 6256867. Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Line: 6; Page Number: 41
    Passenger list can also be viewed at Ancestry.com
14. ↑ Directories can be viewed at Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011
15. ↑ Directories can be viewed at Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011
16. ↑ "Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZTQ-T3G : 13 June 2019)
17. ↑ Newspaper can be viewed at https://www.newspapers.com/search/