Sons- & daughters-in-law of Samuel and Angelina Jarvis

It is interesting to note that Mrs. Jarvis was well acquainted with the famous Charles Dickens, whose home was near her own. In her younger days she was a tailoress and recalls that while employed by a tailor named Cobb, she made many articles of clothing for Dickens, he being a frequent caller at the shop. Her father by trade was a decorator and did much of the interior decorating at the home of Dickens.

Octogenarian's Fatal Collapse at his Home.

Shortly after washing himself yesterday morning, Mr. Henry James Yates, of 78, New-road, Chatham, collapsed and died in the scullery of his house. He was 83 years of age.

Mr. Yates had had a remarkably healthy life, and had only once been attended by a doctor.

As a Naval Ordnance Artificer, he worked for many years in the Gun Wharf, at Chatham, retiring about fifteen years ago.

It is an extraordinary coincidence that his wife died on exactly the same day eleven years previously. A son, Mr. Henry Yates, of Lester-road, Chatham, and a daughter—Mrs. Mist, who lived with her father, are bereaved. Another daughter died about four years ago.

A post mortem examination was held yesterday.

My Mother had "ten children" and although she had lots to do, she sometimes, or somehow, found time to make us all happy. To begin with, Mother had to be up in time to give us our breakfast, and get us off to school. And after that, there were two little one's [sic] who were not old enough to go to school, to see to, there was also a baby still upstairs, we were all sitting having our breakfast when one of us would say, "tie my boots for me" another would say, "please do these buttons up for me, I can't reach them", Mother would say—"go upstairs, and see if the baby is still asleep, if not bring him down". She would lay him in the cradle, and talk to him while she was dressing the others. I remember how she would get an "old newspaper" and cut us out a lot of "ladies holding hands" and form a circle with these, then she would lay down the scissors, and say, now you try, and cut some out yourselves. Off she would go, and leave us with the paper and scissors, by that time the dinner would be done.

[ . . . ]

Then before we went to bed, and the dining-room was tidy, Mum would be undressing the babies, and be singing to them, "Sweet and low". I don't know how it was, but we were all joining in, and the singing was really very nice, for one family, Mother would sing the Air, Dad the tenor, I the alto, and my elder sister Daisy, the Air, also. [ . . . ] Mother and Father had both been in "Choral Societys" and both had been "Soloist" [ . . . ] . Then there used to be Eisteddfods held in the large halls of the town (Chatham, etc.) and Mother would put us in for different things [ . . . ]

[ . . . ]

I wish I could have recited like Mother for she was fine. She would say the "Hen and her little Chicks", and do all the actions, and strut about the room amusing adults as well as the youngsters. Also "The Waddling Ducks", and "Bijou's Wife", "Boys Rights", and lots of more classic ones.

confectioner, sweet shop, own account, at home; living with his wife at 342 High Street, Rochester St Margaret

Ernest John Edgar (1902–1902)