#On This Day - 5th December

Today, I want to share the story of my 2x great grandmother on my maternal side, Caroline Poile, who was baptized on this day in 1847 in Salehurst, Sussex, England.

The year 1847 was a challenging time, marked by a devastating typhus epidemic that claimed the lives of more than 30,000 people. This epidemic primarily affected Irish immigrants fleeing the Great Famine, who crowded onto unsanitary ships known as "coffin ships" to escape to North America and Canada. These dire conditions facilitated the spread of typhus, adding to the suffering of already desperate families.  The epidemic mainly affected the larger towns and cities in England.

Amidst this, Caroline Poile entered the world on June 25, 1847, in Salehurst. She was the daughter of Thomas Poile (c. 1813- ) and Harriet Stapley (c. 1818-1853).

Caroline's life was a real mix of emotions. She married William Eldridge on September 1, 1866, in Bodiam.  William died just two years into their marriage, leaving Caroline to raise their three children with help from his parents. Despite this, Caroline stayed strong and remarried William Good in 1871. She lived the rest of her life in Sussex and passed away in Battle in November 1927.

It is interesting to note that Christina Rossetti, one of the most important English women poets, was born on this day in 1830. I often wonder if Caroline, like me, enjoyed reading Rossetti's poetry.

Other historical events that occurred around this time were: 

In 1848, the California Gold Rush was officially acknowledged when U.S. President James K. Polk announced to Congress the discovery of significant quantities of gold in California. This event sparked a massive migration and economic upheaval that would have been the talk of the world, even in distant England.

On December 5th, 1952, London experienced the beginning of the Great Smog, a catastrophic air pollution event which caused the city to come to a standstill for four days, resulting in an estimated 4,000 fatalities.

I have a photo from my grandparents wedding in 1920 where they are decked out in their "Sunday Best" and sitting out on the cricket ground in Hastings for their group photo with the people who attend.  I have identified a few people including Frank's parents and also amongst them is Rose's father and her grandmother Caroline.  Next to her is a gentleman of the same sort of age and a natural conclusion to draw is that he was her second husband, William Good.