Alma Lilian Edith Huskisson

Alma Lilian Edith Huskisson was born December 25, 1919 at 28 Gerrard Street, Islington, but died one year later on December 24, 1920 at the same address. The following is an extract from my father's book, 'Among My Souvenirs' and relates to the circumstances surrounding Alma's life and death.

"…May and Harry's first child they named Alma, (after Harry's sister) she was born on Christmas day 1919, at about six months they had the baby's photo taken in a London studio. Then as time passed the baby increasingly suffered with congested lungs. Toward the end of the year they were expecting to visit May's Uncle Jack Leaves and his wife Edie for Boxing Day.

Jack Leaves was May's uncle (her mother's brother). It had been the custom for years, for the (Binks) family to congregate there every Boxing day, a great occasion for all concerned.

As the day approached, the baby worsened and had to have a steaming kettle in its room all the time in order to aid its breathing; she eventually became so bad that on Christmas day*, her first birthday, the poor little soul died! It's staggering to hear that in those times one in every seven babies died! Three such events for May though were surely worse than unfair.

Assessing the situation, there being no telephone (nor post on Christmas day), May and Harry concluded that the best course of action would be to go as arranged, (a promise in those times was sacrosanct enough to override their grief).

The journey, not too far, would have been by two L.C.C. trams. The first, a Number 9 to The Kingsway, the second took them under a sub-way and along the embankment of the Thames and over the bridge to Greenwich, then a little walk to No 4 Ashburnham Grove where her aunt Edie and uncle Jack lived.

Here they duly arrived, other visitors must have concluded that May and Harry had a baby sitter, so when they asked "how is baby Alma?" May was able to reply "Just sleeping". They merely exchanged the usual compliments of the season with every one, and returned home fairly shortly afterwards."

* Alma's death certificate states 24th December