This website is dedicated to Emily Josephine Lunn (née Schnitzer/Morris). Born in the East End of London at a home for unmarried mothers, by the age of three, for reasons no one has clearly established, she was living at Huntsham Court - a Victorian gothic country house in Devon - with the Acland Troyte family. What is known of her life follows ...

Latest updates on Gertrude and Josephine.

31 Sturry Street, Poplar, London

On 10th April 1900 Emma Josephine Schnitzer was born at a charitable maternity home - Manor Cottage at 31 Sturry Street, Poplar, East London (off the East India Dock Road and close to Canary Wharf). The home, established in 1878, is described in Herbert Fry's Royal Guide to the London Charities, published 1917, as a place "to assist young women of previous good character to a new start in life, especially those who, not necessarily depraved, are about to become mothers for the first time. These are confined at the home and then helped into a position to support their little ones."

The birth was registered on 2nd June with the name Emma Josephine. Her mother was Gertrude Schnitzer, a 16 year old Romanian immigrant. Name and surname of father and Occupation of father are struck out. At some point Emma became Emily, but she was known throughout her life as Josephine.

Gertrude Schnitzer

Born in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, in 1884/85¹ Gertrude gave birth to Josephine at the age of sixteen. When and why this young girl came to London is not known. Did she come to England alone? Where did she become pregnant - Romania or England? At the time she gave birth to Josephine, Gertrude's home address was 47 Dunkeld Street, Bromley². Just a year later, the 1901 census shows the head of this household as Emma Riches, a widow aged 53, whose occupation was Rescue Worker. This suggests that Gertrude was already separated from her family and perhaps had travelled to England alone. Perhaps she had found refuge with Emma Riches and been sent by her to Sturry Street to give birth. Searches of the 1901 census have not revealed any other likely family members living in England (i.e. surname Schnitzer, of Romanian origin).

1901 Census

Less than a year after her birth, Josephine was recorded in the 1901 census (31st March), as a boarder living at 7 Well Yard, Halstead, Essex with forty year old Mary Gisby and her fifteen year old son, Albert.

Meanwhile Gertrude was living in the Minton household in Collingham Road, Kensington, London, along with five others recorded as servants. Harry (a schoolmaster) and Ethel Minton had three children ranging in age from ten months to six years. Gertrude's profession is given as a nurse, and it is possible that she was employed as a wet nurse for the youngest child.

From the census it seems clear that by this time Gertrude was separated from her baby daughter.

Notes

1. from 1911 census
2. Josephine's birth certificate

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T I M E L I N E .....

The 1901 census showed the population of England & Wales was 32 million

The name Schnitzer ...

... is of German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) origin: the occupational name for a woodworker, from middle high German snitzen, German schnitzen "to cut or carve".

Migration to England ...

... there were no restrictions on migrants arriving in England from within Europe until 1905. The journey would have been made by rail across mainland Europe and then by steamship. Most immigrants would be greeted by family or friends already in the country.

Passenger lists were kept from 1878, but only for ships arriving from outside Europe. See the Moving Here website for more information.

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