Eleanor Duncan

[Dizzifish]

I think you will have given pleasure to lots of people for lots of different reasons.
I love books too, I would love for someone to find one that belonged to one of my family.... although I don't think they threw anything away! 

[Kincaid444]

I forgot to mention that if I find living descendants I generally give them the article that once belonged to their ancestor - I have a lady coming over from the North East soon to pick up two books that belonged to an antecedent - it is particularly poignant as the girl who owned the books died a few months after they were awarded to her as Sunday School prizes in the late 1800s - I had an unhappy childhood and you could say I ran away from home, consequently I have nothing that ever belonged to my family, so take pleasure in restoring things to living descendants.

Not because I am an especially good person, I am certainly not, but it seems the right thing to do

Kincaid

[Kincaid444]

I just noticed you posted re Sarah Jane's death, Dizzifish - thanks for that - the Watford connection is further proof of area of residence

Kincaid

[Kincaid444]

Good morning Heather, Malky, Glossoplas and Sheila,

Just to let you know that as a result of being in touch with two descendants of Eleanor I have a good little bio and wonderful picture.

I will put it in a coherent order and post it in a couple of days, along with pics - thank you once a gain for your help as it was your efforts that made it possible.

Speak soon,

Kincaid

[Dizzifish]

Hello Kincaid,

Thank you for keeping us updated, I am sure we will all look forward to hearing what happened to Eleanor.

It is really nice that you have found some descendants and they have been able and willing to help.


Sheila.

[glossoplass]

That sounds great news! looking forward to hearing her story.

[Kincaid444]

When we last say Ella she was training as a teacher in London.   After qualifying in 1912 she returned to Derby and worked as a teacher until 1917 at which point she decided to become a missionary.   She spent almost two years training for that role in a missionary college in Warminster.   Her first post was to Durban, South Africa, where she taught children.  She spent a long time in Africa, and when the second world war broke out she was teaching in Basutoland (Now Botswana).


Soon after the end of the war Ella returned to England and lived with her mother and one of her sisters (Jeanette).   Her mother died in 1950.   Some time after this Ella and her sister Jeanette purchased a house near Eastbourne, and when Jeanette died Ella lived with her sister Annie.

Around 1969 Ella’s health took a turn for the worse and she moved into a nursing home, but died later in that year.


I am going to attempt to post a couple of photographs - in the group photograph of all the sisters Ella is the second sister from the left an she was 34 in 1926 when that photograph was taken

Thank you all for your help in uncovering Ella’s story, particularly the two very pleasant and helpful living descendants who provided the photographs and later biographical details.

Rootschat really is a most wonderful resource.

Best regards,

Kincaid

[Kincaid444]

Ella and her sisters -

[Kincaid444]

Ella in 1917