52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 31. Favourite Name.

EUGENIE MARIA MARY CRETON JAY 

The Affair: An 1875 engraving shows a man snooping on his wife as she meets with her lover …

 This weeks theme is difficult, it is like picking a favourite child. I rather like my 2x Great Grandmother's middle and chosen name, Rosella, but I have already written about her in a previous post: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Mothers Day (mypynthdev.blogspot.com) Incidently my mother said, if she had known the name before I was born she would have chosen it for me. I'm not sure how I would have felt about that as child/teenager.

Another name that has drawn me over the years is Catherine Sophia Lissa Woodley and whilst she had, in my opinion, a lovely name, she has an interesting story of her own to tell, I have already written her story: Catherine Sophia Lissa Woodley: Sister of Mercy (mypynthdev.blogspot.com)

So who have I chosen for this weeks post? Well she does have a nice name, but I have for some reason been drawn to her, since starting my research journey many years ago. She is a lady with a sad story to tell, perhaps she made some unwise choices, that led to a hard consequences. This week I am writing about a member of the Jay family:

Eugenie Maria Mary Creton Jay 

was the youngest daughter of the proprieter of The Mourning Warehouse on Regents Street, London, William Chickall Jay and his wife Matilda Wylie nee Simpson in 1851. Unfortunately her mother died in 1855, after a long illness.

In 1851 the census was taken on the 30th March and the return shows that a 3 month old Eugenie was with her parents and siblings at the address 247-249 Regents Street. In 1861, whilst still owning the properties in Regents St, the family are dwelling at Pattingales, Mill Hill Hendon, employing 5 resident staff to maintain the household.

Strangely a baptism record does not appear until 1867, taking place in Boulogne, France on the 23rd August. I have no idea how or why this baptism came to take place there and more strangely yet, is the fact that the baptism was undertaken by  David M Alexander, the incumbant of Hanover Church, Regent Street London. All other baptisms on the page were conducted by Kynaston Groves, Chaplain. All baptisms appear to be of affluent people. 

'A number of English speaking churches were established in Boulogne during the nineteenth century, however, as the expatriate community decreased in size these were closed. The community was served by a visiting chaplain until 1995, and worships in chapels loaned by other churches.' from London Metropolitan Archives.

On the 3rd December 1870, as a 19 year old minor, Eugenie married William Albert Crouch, a jeweller also trading from Regents Street, at the Parish of St James, Westminster. At this time the Jay family are living at Cavendish Square.

crown copyright

5 months later the newly married couple are residing in the household of  William Chickall Jay  at 33 Cavendish Square on the 2nd April, for the 1871 census. I believe the enumerator may have misread his notes as William Albert Crouch is listed as a 'traveller' and Eugenie as a 'traveller's wife', it would not be difficult to misread traveller for jeweller.

In the July quarter of 1871, there is a record for the death of an infant daughter, Eugenie Crouch in the Westminster district. This was followed in 1874 by the birth of a son, Albert Eugene Chickall Jay, who was baptised on the 28th May 1874 at St James Westminster.

                                                                      crown copyright

At the time of the 1881 census the Crouches were living at 264 Regents Street, Eugenie's cousin of her fathers generation is visiting

On the 10th September 1881 a petition for divorce was filed Crouch v Crouch & Gardner. The initial petition was William Albert Crouch as plaintiff, his wife Eugenie, respondent and co-respondents James Gardner, Joseph Gardner and Walter Sanderson. 

The 32 page divorce record suggests that Eugenie had commenced an adulturous affair with James Gardner as early as 1876, however this case was dismissed as was the case in relation to Walter Sanderson. So too was the counter claim by Eugenie for 'cruelty.'

With the 3 men all being associated within the jewellery trade, it could possibly be a situation whereby they were providing cause for a divorce within an unhappy marriage. However as the case played out in a public court and with much press reportage this is unlikely. But most significantly Joseph Gardner was the husband of Eugenie's sister Alice Jane.

The Bury and Norwich Post and Suffolk Herald May 23 1882 P 6

 Probate and Divorce Division May 19 before the Right Hon the President and a common jury.

 CROUCH v CROUCH v GARDNER

 This was the petition of the husband formerly a jeweller of Regent St for a divorce by  reason of his wife’s adultery with the co-respondent, previously there have been divorce proceedings at the instance of the wife of the co respondent. Mrs Gardner and Mrs Crouch are sisters. Mr H D Greene appeared for the petitioner, and Mr Houghton for the respondent, Mr Gardner was not represented by counsel. In opening the case, it was stated that the respondent Mrs Eugenie Maria Mary Creton Crouch had filed and answer denying the charge and pleaded condemnation and cruelty but from what had been intimated too him there would be no defence. The petitioner was formerly a jeweller but had now retired from business. The respondent had a sister who married Mr Joseph Gardner the co-respondent. Mr Crouch was married 3^rd Dec 1870 at St James, Picadilly and afterwards with the respondent lived in Regent Street. In the year 1874 the only child of the marriage was born. They lived together exceedingly happily until June 1881, when Mr Crouch received a letter intimating that his wife was being unfaithful. He mentioned the circumstances to his wife and she denied the charge. He believed her denial, and they continued to live together on happy terms. On the 31^st August last Mr William Albert Crouch had occasion to go to Scotland and afterwards his wife sent a letter to Mr Gardner who came to the house. Mr Crouch received a telegram and returned home unexpectedly. He had taken the precaution to have a policeman with him. Upon going into the house he saw Mr Gardner running upstairs wearing a nightdress belonging to his wife. He followed Mr Gardner and charged him with misconduct, which he admitted and subsequently these proceedings were instituted. The respondent and co respondent were now living together. There was a claim for damages but he (the learned counsel) was instructed to withdraw them. Evidence having been given in support of the opening statement of counsel, and there being no defence the Jury immediately found for the petitioner. His Lordship granted a decree nisi with costs and gave the petitioner custody of the child of the marriage.

The final sentence in this report indicates that there was a child in the middle of this whole saga. On the 15th Nov 1881, the court ordered that Eugenie could meet her son for one hour on the following Tuesday at the Great Western Hotel and then every other week at the same place at the same time. If losing contact with her child was not difficult for Eugenie, it must have been difficult for a 7 year old boy.

Perhaps telling, within the story of this family the course of the son, Albert's marriage took a similar path, but perhaps for any descendants of the family researching the family is the names connected with Albert and his marriage to a divorced woman in which he was co-respondent and the names within his parent's divorce.

What mustn't be forgotten in this sad tale is that there was another family involved. Alice Gardner nee Jay and her 2 daughters, Alice Mabel Beatrice Gardner and Mabel Annie Gardner. She filed for divorce against her husband on the grounds of 'incestuous adultery'a few months earlier than that of William and Eugenie, although the decree absolute was granted around the same time. The court ordered that Joseph Gardner could see his children monthly, supervised by the housekeeper at the house of William Chickall Jay, it is stated that Mrs Crouch, Eugenie, should not be present on these visits. However as the divorce progressed the period between visits was extended to quarterly.

In the first quarter of 1883, Eugenie married Joseph Gardner under her single name of Jay in The Strand district of London. Eugenie was already pregnant at this time and their first child together, a daugher, Louisa Eugenie Josephine Gardner, was born on 15th February 1883. At the time of Louisa's baptism in June 1883, the family are residing in Laleham, a village on the Thames in Surrey.

Another daughter, Maud Gwendoline was born in 1885 and a son, Joseph Montague was born in 1887, both in Laleham.

In 1891 the family are residing at 45. Ashford Rd Laleham, Joseph is recorded as living on his own means. With William Chickall Jay's death in 1888, this may have been Eugenie's inheritance, although Joseph, himself, appears to have descended from an affluent family.

In 1901, Eugenie and her daughter Louisa are staying at a boarding house in Middle Street Hastings, Sussex. Meanwhile Joseph and their 2 other children are found at Prospect Hill House, Broadstairs in Kent. Does this mean that Eugenie and Louisa were on holiday or was this marriage also breaking down?

On 2nd Jun 1908, their daughter Maud Gwendoline married Thomas Weston, a miller at St Bartholemews Church. Eugenie and Joseph Montague signing the register as witnesses. 

In 1911, all the Gardner family have evaded the census (or kept a very low profile. It is likely that Maud, her husband and Joseph Montague emigrated to Australia, they are found on the electoral rolls there for 1913. John Montague is listed on the Australian Nominal Rolls in 1915, his next of kin is identified as his sister, Maud. Joseph Montague died in Egypt on 18th February 1916. His will leaves his sister Louisa, who he appears to have lost contact with as he states that her married name is unknown, the sum of £100. The remaining estate of about £117 is left to his sister Maud.

Eugenie herself predeceased her son, dying on 13th June 1914, aged 63, her probate record shows that probate for £567 was given to her daughter, Louisa, now Powell, although I have been unable to find this marriage.

When I began this post, I mentioned that I have been drawn to Eugenie and her story over the years. I wonder if she had a happy life or did she have regrets. Louisa appears to have remained close to her mother, but what of her other children, were they estranged from her? What happened between Eugenie and Joseph Gardner?

In the last year I have been contacted by a descendant of her first son Albert Eugene Crouch, who made me a little more aware of what happened in his life and perhaps some of the residual effects of his parents divorce.

As for Eugenie's sister, Alice on the following 3 census returns she maintains she is still married although is the head of the household, living at Melbourne Lodge, Putney. Alice died on 18th Jan 1924.