The Ford Family

Born	June 23, 1867 Chichester, Sussex
Died	January 9, 1953 Chichester, Sussex
Father	Samuel Wray
Mother	Louisa Wray
Siblings	James William Wray Elizabeth Wray Clara Fowler

Spouse	Alfred Gregory
Married	March 25, 1899 Bombay, India
Children	Emily Clara Gregory Margaret Dibley Mary Gregory

Bio
Eliza (pronounced E Lie Za) and her twin sister Clara were born in Sussex England on June 19, 1867. They had an older brother James who was about 4 when they were born and big sister Elizabeth was 2. Dad had a small printing company and mom came from the large Ford family.

Soon their young daddy gets sick (or maybe had an accident) but by the time they are 2 he is dead. After their mom sells off all the printing equipment for about $150, she is left with no income at all to take care of her 4 young children. They are forced to move to the poorest section of town, St. Pancras. Here the young family is given a place to live while mom serves as the School Mistress in their orphanage for girls. St. Pancras is a very crowded place with no real sanitation system. It is said that people would often empty chamber pots right into the street. The very same streets where food is sold by vendors.

Typhoid is a disease that is spread when things unmentionable, spilling forth from chamber pots, come in contact with food. While there are many diseases and calamities that could have hit poor Louisa Wray, mother of Eliza and her siblings, my guess is it was typhoid. This disease became an epidemic in the later half of the 19th century in England, but it could have been anything. In December of 1871, Eliza's mother dies. She is a 4 year old orphan.

Eliza's brother is sent north to live with Grandpa Ford. After all, a boy can't live IN a girl's orphanage. Grandpa's wife Clara just died in April of 1871 and a few of his children moved back home too. Perhaps it was too crowded there for the girls. It might have seemed best to leave them together with familiar surroundings. In any case, Eliza, Clara, and Elizabeth become members, guests, inmates, of the girls orphanage of St. Pancras.

Once you are 15 or 16 St. Pancras attempts to find a family that will take you in and let you work for them. This is likely a challenging task considering the parish itself is very poor. Elizabeth is first to leave. In 1891 at the age of 23, we find our Eliza and Clara rooming together as lodgers, but not listed as domestics or servants. Their condition is stated as unmarried. Yes, in 1891 England at 23 years of age, you don't want to be in the unmarried condition.

Eliza follows her sister Clara to India and meets and marries a "popular Colour Sargent" named Edward Gregory on March 25, 1899 in Bombay India. Edward's entire company "B" throws him a surprise "shower" with gifts and accolades galore. The company buys him a marble clock and photo album. Other individual gifts include Silver Teaspoons, Tea Spoons and Tongs, butter knife, jam spoon, mustard spoon serviette rings, and pencil case. He received a Fancy Table Lamp, Electroplated Cruet, Traveling Clock, Traveling Case and a handkerchief satchel. He appears to be very well liked among the men!

The couple have two girls Margaret and Mary before returning to England in 1903.

Eliza and her Twin sister Clara die in 1953....more as it is revealed!