Life,
Is it what happens to us ?
or is it what we make it?

I would like to believe that it’s the latter , but I also believe fate or our already written destiny has a huge role to play.

Some peoples lives are one massive advantage, while others, sadly live to work, never getting past the point of paying the bills, keeping a roof over their heads and food on the table. Stuck in that middle class rut, boarding the path to poverty, feeling as they have failed at life, with no way of escaping poverty, wishing they could somehow begin to work to live.

Our ancestry shows us this over and over again and this weeks ancestor is no exception. So I’ll stop rambling on and tell you all about the life of Emily, my maternal, Great, Great, Great-Grandmother.

Emily Forhead, was born of the 28th January 1845 in the parish of Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, Daughter of Charles Forhead and Ann Forhead Nee Orchard.

At the time of her birth, her father was working as a Labourer and residing in the Parish of Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England. He registered her birth on the 8th February 1845.

Emily was christened on the 25th January 1845 at Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight, Hampshire.

Her sister, Sarah Forhead, was born between the months of October and December 1846, in the Isle of Wight, district.

Her brother George Forhead, was born between the months of January to March 1849 in the, Isle of Wight, District.

And the another brother, Walter Forhead, was born between the months of October and December 1850, in the Isle of Wight, district.

The 1851 census shows Emily, her father Charles, her mother Ann, and her siblings, Jane, Frank, Clement, Erena, Harry, Henry, Sarah, George and Walter living at Carisbrooke Street, Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight, Hampshire. Charles and his son Frank were working as Agricultural Labourers and Clement was working as a Ploughboy.
Their neighbors were Henry Tayler, his wife Fanny and their son’s, William and James. Also William Morris and his wife Emma.

Name Age Charles Forhead 40 Ann Forhead 41 Jane Forhead 17 Frank Forhead 15 Clement Forhead 12 Erena Forhead 9 Harry Forhead 8 Emily Forhead 6 Sarah Forhead 4 George H Forhead 2 Walter Forhead 6 Mo

Charles and Ann, welcomed a new daughter into the household about 1855. I don’t seem to be able to find a birth records for her at the moment, but she’s there in black and white in the next census.

August 1895 brought sorrow to the Forhead family. Charles and Ann’s, first born Henrietta Jane Forhead died in the July quarter 1895 on the Isle of Wight.

She was laid to rest on the 31st August 1859, at St. Mary’s, Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight.

There doesn’t seem to be any sign of Emily in the 1861 census. I’ve found her family still living at Carisbrooke Street, Carisbrooke.
Charles and Henry were working as Jobbing labourers.

Name Age Charles Forhead 49 Ann Forhead 40 Irene Forhead 18 Henry Forhead 16 Sarah Forhead 12 George Forhead 10 Walter Forhead 8 Elizabeth Forhead 6

Emily marries Edward Sweet, son of Robert And Martha Stroud, at The Register Office, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England, on the 19th November 1864.
Edward Sweet was working as a Farm Labourer, so were Edward’s and Emily’s fathers, Robert Sweet and Charles Forhead.
Emily and Edwards witnesses were, W Lock and John Wilson Fardell.
Edward signed with a X.

Between the months of January and March 1865 in the Isle of Wight district, Emily gave birth to her first born, a son. They named him, Robert Charles Sweet.

Emily then gave birth to her first daughter, Annie Sweet, between the months of July and September 1867, in the Isle of Wight district.

On the 12 October 1869, Emily gave birth to my Great, Great- Grandfather George Frederick Sweet, at Parkcross, Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England.

Edward was working as a General Labourer.
He registered George Frederick’s birth on the 20th November 1869.

On the 2nd April the 1871 census was taken, which shows Emily, her husband Edward and their three children, Robert, Annie and George residing at Bedford Row, Carisbrooke.
Charles was working as a General Labourer.
Their neighbors were, Isaac Prangnell and Emily’s, father, mother and brother, Charles Forhead, Ann Forhead nee Orchard and George H Forhead.

Name Age Edward Sweet 29 Emily Sweet 26 Robert C Sweet 6 Anne Sweet 3 George Sweet 1

In the October-December quarter 1874, in the Isle of Wight district, Emily gave birth to James Sweet.

Robert Charles Sweet, Annie Sweet, were baptised on the 8th September 1872, at St. John’s the Baptist, Carisbrooke, Hampshire. I can not find a christening for George.

Emily gave birth to Elizabeth Sweet on the 22nd June 1876, at Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight, Hampshire

Elizabeth was baptised on the 16th July 1876 at St John’s, Carisbrooke, Hampshire.

Emily then gave birth to Minnie Sweet, on the 1st April 1878, in the Isle of Wight, district.

Emily kept going and gave birth to her fourth daughter, Martha Emma Sweet, on the 26 April 1880 at Newport, Isle of Wight, Hampshire.

Martha was baptised on the 19th May 1880 at The United Methodist, Newport, Isle of Wight, Hampshire.

Emily must have been exhausted, with one birth after another. How she found the time or energy with 7 children, to get down jiggy with it, I will never know. I think she deserves a well earned rest.

The 1881 census was taken on the 3rd April. Emily, Edward and their children Elizabeth, Robert, Minnie, Annie, Martha, George and James are residing at Barton’s Village, Whippingham, Newport, Isle of Wight, Hampshire.
Edward was working as a Fish Monger and Robert as an Errands Boy.
Their neighbors were, William Deacan, his wife Jane, their children Ernest and Louisa, also their son in-law, George Sibback.

Name Age Edward Sweet 41 Emily Sweet 36 Robert Sweet 16 Annie Sweet 13 George Sweet 11 James Sweet 7 Elizabeth Sweet 4 Minnie Sweet 3 Martha E. Sweet 11

1883, sees the death of Emily’s mother, Ann Forhead nee Orchard, between the months of April to June 1883 in the Isle of Wight district.

Emily gives birth to her  8th child, her fourth son, William Edward Sweet, in the April – June quarter at Freshwater, Isle of Wight, Hampshire.

William Edward Sweet, was baptised on the 16th June 1886 at The United Methodist, Newport, Isle of Wight, Hampshire.

Emily’s child bearing days were nearly over, as on the 16th March 1890, she gave birth to her last child, a daughter, Bessie Alice Sweet.
Bessie was born at Freshwater, Isle of Wight.

She was baptised on the 20th April 1890 at Freshwater, Isle of Wight, Hampshire.

The 1891 census was taken on the 5th April, which finds the Sweet family residing at, High Street, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England.
Edward and their son James, were working as Fish Mongers. 🐠
Their neighbors were, Joseph Jacobs, his wife Anne and their son Edward.
Also Henry Taylor, his wife Alice, their daughter Rosa and a lodger called James Fern.

Name Age Edward Sweet 52 Emily Sweet 46 James Sweet 17 Minnie Sweet 13 William Sweet 5 Bessie Sweet 1

The 1901 census finds Emily, Edward, William and Bessie, residing at 2 Bay Cottage, St Helen’s, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England.
They had, Walter Sweetman, boarding with them.
Edward was still Fish Mongering. 🐟
Their neighbors were, Elizabeth Saunders, her son Charles, her niece Theresa Brown and a visitor Jane Chapel.
Also Walter H Dallimore, his wife Mercy and their two sons, Henry and Reginald.

Name	Age
Edward Sweet	62
Emily Sweet	56
William Sweet	15
Bessie Sweet	11
Walter Sweetman	35

The 1911 census finds Emily, Edward, Bessie Hadden nee Sweet, their grandson Edward Hadden and their Lodger William Sweetman, still residing at 2 Bay Cottage, Marlborough Road, High Park, Elmfield Near Ryde, Isle of Wight, Hampshire.
Emily and Edward had been married 46 years.
They have had 10 children born alive, 9 still living, 1 deceased.
Edwards occupation was listed as a Hawker (Retired).

Herbert Sweet, Dec 1870, age 6.
Harry George Sweet, Dec 1877, aged 0
John Sweet, June 1888, aged 0.

Herbert Sweet, mothers maiden name was Sargeant, so it couldn’t be him.
Harry Sweet’s mothers maiden name was Yates, so it wasn’t him.
I then looked up, John Sweet, and there in black and white, was the maiden name Forhead.

So Emily and Edward, had a baby boy called, John Sweet, in the Jan quarter of 1888 in the Isle of Wight, district.

John died in the June quarter of 1888, in the, Isle of wight district, aged 0
I have ordered his certificates, to clarify I have the right information. As I only ordered them yesterday, I will update you when I can, sorry to keep you waiting.

On the 8th June 1914, Emily’s husband, Edward Sweet, died at Heathercroft, Carriage Drive, Elmfield, St Helens, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England.

His cause of death was listed as, “Properly Heart Failure.”
Robert Charles Sweet, Edward and Emily’s son registered his death on the 10th June 1914.

Emily buried her husband on the 10th June 1914, at St. Johns, Ryde, Isle of Wight.

Only a few years later, Emily died. She passed away on the 7th February 1917, at Nelson Cottage, Somerset road, Elmfield, St Helens, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England.
Emily died from Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema also from Cardiac Arrhythmia. Bessie Hadden nee Sweet, registered her death on the 7th February 1917.

Emily was buried on the 10th February 1917 at St. Johns, Ryde, Isle of Wight.

Emily lived, what we call a normal, box standard life, thankfully without death stalking around every corner. But does that normal, everyday life, mean we won’t remember her? That she should fade away, never to be thought about again?
Look at it this way, if it wasn’t for Emily and Edward, life as I know it and the lives of all her descendants, wouldn’t exist, so I for one, will remember Emily, I will be grateful for her childbearing days and the love, the guidance and the sacrifices she gave to her family.

RIP
Great, Great, Great-Grandmother
Emily Forhead,
1845-1917
May your memory be eternal.

🦋🦋🦋

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