Chapter 18.1 

Sarah Elizabeth Blakemore (1857 -1889)

3 generations between Sarah Elizabeth Blakemore (nee Elers) and James Rupuha Elers

The lives of Sarah Elizabeth Blakemore (nee Elers) and John William Taylor Blakemore

• Sarah was the second child and eldest daughter of Carew Thomas Elers and his wife Sarah Elers (nee Field).

• She was baptised on 15 October 1857 at St. Andrew’s, Bordesley, Warwick.

• She married John William Taylor Blakemore on 12 August 1880 at St. Mark’s Church, Warwickshire.

• John was baptised on 8 March 1851 at Penkridge, Staffordshire, the son of John William Blakemore and his wife Anne.

• He died on 28 March 1891 at Clifton Villa Ford-street in the city of Coventry .

• Sarah pre-deceased her husband when she died on 10 May 1889.

• Her probate of GBP354 was granted to her husband.

• They lived at 1 Elon Villa, Harold Road, Margate at the time of her death.

• Sarah and John were buried together at Margate Cemetery, Thanet District, Kent.

• The inscription on the headstone reads:

“In loving memory of Sarah Elizabeth, the dearly beloved wife of John W. T. Blakemore who died May 10th 1889, aged 29.

Also of the above John W.T.Blakemore who died March 28th 1891, aged 40”

John and Sarah had three children – Agneta Mary Elers Blakemore, Dorothy Maud Elers Blakemore, and Roydon Elers Blakemore. 

1. Agneta Mary Elers Blakemore: 

• Agneta was born on 16 Sep 1881 and was baptised on 20 Oct 1881 at St Mary’s, Stafford.

• The 1891 Census shows Agnetha (aged 9) was living with her Uncle and Aunt (John and Florence Moore) as she was now orphaned – her mother had died two years prior and her father in 1891 (presumably before the Census was conducted).

• She died 18 Sep 1954 as a spinster with no issue according to her probate. Her  personal effects were valued at GBP8956. She was living at 3 Pine Grove, Monton Eccles, Lancashire, at the time of her death.

2. Dorothy Maud Elers Blakemore:

• Dorothy was baptised on 7 January 1883 at St. John The Baptist, Margate, Kent.

• As previously noted, according to the 1891 Census, Dorothy and her sister Agnetha were living with their Uncle and Aunt (John and Florence Moore) after the death of their parents.

• In the 1911 Census, Dorothy and her Aunt Florence were living at the home of Florence’s 83 year old mother, Ann Blakemore, presumably because she was now a widow.

• Dorothy died on 30 August 1930 in Lancashire.

• Her probate dated 16 Oct 1930  shows GBP2380 was granted to her sister Agneta. 

• According to that probate Dorothy, like her sister Agnetha, was also a spinster at her death with no issue.

• She lived at 18 Park Road, Monton Eccles, Lancashire, at the time of her death.

3. Roydon Elers Blakemore:

• Roydon was born on 24 Jan 1884 in Margate, Kent (see his death notice for his date of birth), and was baptised on 20 April 1884.

• He was only 5 years old when his mother died, and seven years old at the death of his father.

• The 1891 England Census (2 years after mother’s death, and same year as father’s death), he was living with his grandparents John and Ann Blakemore.

• He emigrated to Halifax, Canada, in February 1906 aboard the vessel Southwark.

• On 11 May 1907, aged 23 he married Amelia Worthington Miller at St. Matthew’s Church, Quebec (note the incorrect spelling of Marthington).

• Amelia was born on 10 February 1883.

• His Attestation Paper prior to joining the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force, noted he worked as a Mining Engineer.

• On 12 Jan 1916 he enlisted in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force.

• He was discharged on 9 June 1919 from the 88th Infantry Division having served in France.

• Roydon died in Keremeos, Canada on 25 Jul 1956 (aged 72)  and was buried at Lakeview Cemetery, Penticton, Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District, British Columbia, Canada, in Plot number M090-2.

• Amelia died on 16 May 1951 (aged 68) (5 years prior to her husband) and was buried at Royal Oak Burial Park Cemetery, Victoria, Capital Regional District, British Columbia, in plot Section H.

• Transcription of the above: 

Blakemore – In Victoria on May 16 1951 , Amelia Worthington Blakemore, of 1143 Tolmie Avenue, aged 68 years; born in Lancashire, England, and a resident here for the past 32 years. She leaves, besides her husband, Roydon, two daughters, Mrs. W.V. (Norah) Catterall, and Mrs. Cyril (Nancy) Hawes, both of Victoria; six grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Dorothy Henderson, of Victoria, and brothers in England and South Africa., also nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be held on Saturday afternoon, May 19, at 3o’clock …. Interment in Royal Oak Burial Park.

The above was published in the Victoria Daily Times on Friday 18 May 1951 page 22, column 1.

• Amelia’s grave at Royal Oak Burial Park is located in Section H, Plot 45, Grave 7.

• Roydon and Amelia had two daughters, namely Nancy Eileen Blakemore and Norah Blakemore.

  • Nancy (1911-2001) married Cyril Hawes and Norah (1913-2005) married a gent with the surname of Catterall.

  • At some stage, Roydon married Beatrice Knapton, who was born on 23 August 1902, 18 years after Roydon’s date of birth.

  • Beatrice was the daughter of Allan Knapton and Lillian Blake Knapton.

  • She died on 7 December 1988 and was buried with Roydon at Lakeview Cemetery, Penticton Okanagan-Similkeen.

  • It is possible Roydon and Beatrice married after the death of Amelia in 1951, aged 67, but there is no record of their marriage, presumably because it is too recent to be included in any Canadian death indexes, or maybe Roydon and Amelia had simply separated, not divorced.

  • The 1931 Canadian Census, Roydon was declared as single, so divorce or separation is a possibility.

  • Beatrice had previously been married to Harold Plowman on 31 December 1929 in Vancouver.