I'm currently researching the Pitt family based in East London, but am stuck on a certain person (with a dramatic story) and can't find what happened to her.
Martha Emma Turner was born in 1859 in Ongar and married Thomas Woolbert Pitt in 1875 in Stepney. Thomas then cheats on her, illegally marrying another woman. Martha is left on her own with their 6 children, one of whom dies. In 1889 she puts her three sons into Mile End Old Town workhouse and keeps her 2 daughters with her. Martha and the 2 girls then disappear from all records, although I know the girls survive because I find them again as adults. I'm wondering why they might have all disappeared?
I can't find any death for Martha and am trying to discover what happened to her. My grandfather remembers her living in the flat above him in Meeting House Lane, Peckham in the 1930's. In September 1940 the house was destroyed by the first Blitz bombing. If she were upstairs still she would have surely died, but I can't find anything about it. My grandad also thinks that she went back to her maiden name of Martha Turner and is buried as so in West Ham cemetery, however I can't find her on any cemetery records. She was also occasionally known as Emma instead of Martha Emma, so there are many variations on her name!
Any pointers on any of this would be super helpful, as I have reached a dead end with Martha and don't know where else to look!
