In the summer of 1912, my grandmother, accompanied by her younger sister, Irene or Renie, sailed back to England. This time, they traveled in relative luxury on the Mauritania. May and Renie were reunited with their oldest sister, Frances. The family posed for this picture in the garden. After visiting with family, they realized a shared dream to travel. Together, they explored Wales and Ireland.
I still have their journals!
59 Waterloo Road: inspiration from the past
My grandmother, Jessie May Sproston, was born in Runcorn, Cheshire, England on May 3, 1878. She lived in a small, two-story row house at 59 Waterloo Road with her parents, two sisters and two brothers. Her father, Job, was a sail maker and worked on the docks that lined the shores of the Mersey River, a few hundred yards from their small home. With the advent of steam ships, Job was soon out of work. Job left England for America. My grandmother and the rest of her family sailed from Liverpool on the SS City of Richmond. They traveled in steerage. They arrived in New York harbor on May 30, 1891. She was 13 years old.