Elizabeth Mary Jenkins1

b. 4 September 1874, d. 1 February 1972
Elizabeth (Jenkins) Jago in about 1919.
Elizabeth Mary Jenkins, daughter of Alfred Norris Jenkins and Mary Goddard, was born on 4 September 1874 at Hugh Town, St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, England.2

It appears that Elizabeth was living with her aunt and uncle, John and Thomasin Sambrook, in Penzance for several years over the 1890s3,4. At some point Elizabeth met Charles Jago. This likely happened when Charles was living with his parents at the Coastguard station in Penzance. Family legend has it that Elizabeth decided to move to Canada and left Charles behind, still serving in the Navy. It was Elizabeth leaving that prompted Charles to buy his way out of his final months of service to follow her to Canada.
Charles joined Elizabeth in Toronto, Ontario. Charles and Elizabeth were married on 30 May 1907. Shortly after the marriage they moved to Guelph, Ontario. All of their children were born in Guelph.5

Like many men, Charles felt it was his duty to enlist with the Canadian Expeditionary Force to assist in the war. Charles enlisted at Welland, Ontario, on 28 July 1915.6 It was several months later before Charles was called into service. He sailed from Halifax aboard the S.S. Empress of Britain on 23 April 1916 as part of the 76th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force leaving Elizabeth at home with three young children.6

Although Elizabeth received several letters from Charles over the next few years, it is very likely that there were long periods where she had no idea where he was or how he was doing. On 21 August 1918 Elizabeth received a telegram which read: "Deeply regret inform you ... Sgt Charles Jago Artillery officially reported killed in action August 8th." Her son, Charles, recalled that she fainted when she read the telegram. When she recovered, she folded it, put it away on a shelf and said "there's work to be done." She rarely spoke about Charles or his family again

In the early 1920s Elizabeth and the family moved to St. Catharines, Ontario to a house on Rodman Street. Elizabeth lived there for many years as the children grew up and married. Eventually, Elizabeth's health deteriorated and she moved in with her son Charles and his family. By the late 1960s Elizabeth was moved to a senior's home.7

Elizabeth died on 1 February 1972 at St. Catharines, Ontario, at age 97.1 She was buried at Pleasantview Memorial Gardens, St. Catharines.
Charts
Pedigree of Charles Alfred Jago

Children of Elizabeth Mary Jenkins and Charles Jago

Exhibits

Charles and Elizabeth (Jenkins) Jago taken in about 1916, likely in Guelph, Ontario, just before Charles goes overseas to serve in WW I.
This picture of Charles Jago (sitting) and Elizabeth (Jenkins) Jago (standing on the right) with their children, from left to right, Marjorie, Dot and Charles was likely taken in 1916 just before Charles left to serve in WW I.
The telegraph received by Lizzie Jago informing her of Charles's death in France.
The Heyes family in about 1945. Alice (Domville) Heyes, Edith (Heyes) Jago, Elizabeth (Jenkins) Jago, Vera Heyes, Joseph Heyes (sitting) and Gail Jago (sitting).
Elizabeth (Jenkins) Jago in about 1960.
Elizabeth (Jenkins) Jago in about 1970.
Funeral card for Elizabeth Mary (Jenkins) Jago.

Citations

  1. Elizabeth Mary Jago, death certificate, reg. no. 1972-05-007461, Office of the Registrar General, Thunder Bay, Ontario.
  2. Birth register for the Scilly Islands,. Entry 354.
  3. John Sambrook household, 1891 census of England, Cornwall, Penzance, folio 19, p. 32, family 222; digital image, Find My Past (http://www.findmypast.co.uk/ : accessed 22 June 2009); citing PRO RG 12/1858,.
  4. John Sambrook household, 1901 census of England, Cornwall, Penzance, folio 20, p. 31, dwelling 193; digital image, Find My Past (http://www.findmypast.co.uk/ : accessed 28 February 2009); citing PRO RG 13/2254,.
  5. Charles Jago-Elizabeth Mary Jenkins marriage registration no. 2241 (1907); Ontario Registration of Marriages, 1869-; microfilm MS 932, roll 126, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.
  6. Charles Jago, regimental no. 141092, Canadian Expeditionary Force personnel files, RG 150, accession number 1992-93/166, box 4767, file 14, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
  7. Charles Alfred Jago, (St. Catharines, Ontario), interviews by John Kostash, in the approximate years of 1980 to 1994;.