Walter Swift and Emma Elizabeth Allum

Folkestone Gardens, Deptford
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Stephen Craven - geograph.org.uk/p/2425611

Walter Swift (b. 1873) the only surviving child of Adam Swift and Eliza Taylor, married Emma Elizabeth Allum (b. 12 Apr 1868 in Greenwich), daughter of John William Allum and Charlotte Gillender, in Greenwich in 1895.

Walter and Emma had ten children in total:

1. Walter John Swift b. 1896 D Qtr in GREENWICH Vol 01D Page 1095
2. Charles Alfred Swift b. 1898 S Qtr in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 1072. Died aged 4 in 1903 M Quarter in WOOLWICH Volume 01D Page 708
3. Ellen Maud Constance Swift b. 1899 D Qtr in GREENWICH Vol 01D Page 1041, bap. 25 Oct 1899 in Hatcham, Surrey (which is New Cross). Died in 1900 S Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 605
4. Frank William Swift b. 1901 M Qtr in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 1065. Died in 1901 J Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 550
5. John Arthur Swift b. 1902 D Qtr in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 1031. Died in 1902 D Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 617
6. Amy Florence Swift b. 1904 J Qtr in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 1040. Died in 1904 S Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 587
7. Lilian Violet Swift b. 1906 J Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 997, bap. 4 Apr 1906 at St Paul's, Deptford. 
8. Arthur William Swift b. 1907 D Qtr in GREENWICH Vol 01D Page 995
9. Margaret Rose Swift b. 1909 J Qtr in GREENWICH Vol 01D Page 994
10. William John Swift b. 1911 S Qtr in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 1822. Died in 1911 S Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 1061

In 1901, Walter Swift (27) Iron Moulder from Leeds and Emma E Swift (31) were living at 89, Milton Court Road, Deptford, with Walter J Swift (4), Charles A Swift (2), Frank W Swift (0), plus Edward Millis (53) and Ellen Millis (55) Visitors.

In 1911, Emma Elizabeth Swift (41) was living at 121 Folkestone Gardens, Deptford with Walter John Swift (14) Messenger boy at umbrella dealers; Lilian Violet Swift (5), Arthur William Swift (3) and Margaret Rose Swift (2), but her husband was not at home and I've not found him elsewhere. (During the early part of the 20th century, this part of Deptford was an area of tightly packed streets. One of those streets, Folkestone Gardens, subsequently gave its name to the park that was created during the 1970s on an area badly damaged by bombs in World War II). The 1911 census confirms that they then had nine children, of whom four were still living and five had died. The tenth was, at that time, on his way.

Private Walter John Swift of the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, born in Deptford, London and with residence in New Cross, records show he had enlisted at Woolwich, died of wounds on 10 Dec 1915 at Gallipoli, when he will have been just 19. He is buried at Hill 10 Cemetery, Gallipoli, Çanakkale, Türkiye, PLOT III.C.5. The 2nd Battalion took part in the Battle of Gallipoli when engaged in the fatal Landing at Cape Helles in April 1915 and fought in the Battle of Krithia.

In 1921, Walter Swift (48) Foundry Worker at Manganese Bronze Coy, Millwall, was a patient at Greenwich and Deptford Hospital, Vanbrugh Hill, Greenwich, while Emma Elizabeth Swift (53) was living at 76, Thames Street, Greenwich with Lilian Violet Swift (15) General Servant and Arthur William Swift (13). 

Walter Swift died, aged 48, in 1921 D Qtr in GREENWICH Vol 01D Page 1104.

In 1939, Emma E Swift lived at 34d Armada Street, Deptford. Living with her was a William Henry Beezer (b. 18 Jul 1897), Divorced. Margaret Rose Swift had married a Henry W Beezer, in Greenwich, in 1931 and I feel this has to be the same chap. That couple had a daughter, Rose Margaret Ann Beezer in 1934 (m. 1961, d. 2011), although I can find neither Margaret Rose nor their daughter in 1939.

Emma Elizabeth Swift died, aged 76, in 1945 M Quarter in DEPTFORD.