Jane Johnstone, SS Missanabie

[PaulC78]

I first researched this lady around 2012 and have only recently come back to her, since I can't find anything else on this forum I though it might be useful to post a summary of my findings...

 

Stewardess

JOHNSTONE, Mrs. JANE
Died 09/09/1918
Aged 39
S.S. "Missanabie" (London)
Mercantile Marine
Daughter of the late Henry and Mary Foster. Born at Lathom, Lancs.

 

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

 

Jane was born in 1879 at Lathom, near Ormskirk, Lancashire. Her parents were Henry Foster, a farm labourer, and Mary Banks, who had married at Ormskirk Parish Church in 1856. Jane was the youngest of eleven children. In 1881 and 1891 she lived with her family at "Moss Houses", Lathom.

 

In 1897 Jane was married to Robert George Johnstone at Walton, Liverpool. Robert, a sailor, had previously been married to Mabel Steven Powell, though she filed for divorce in 1887 making various claims against her husband, namely that he was often absent while not at sea, that he gave little or no financial support to her or thier children, that he frequently slept with other women, and that he beat and threatened to kill her. In any case, Mabel died in 1892.

 

In 1901 Jane was living with Robert's parents at 6 Alder Street, Seaforth. In 1911 she was living at 25 Imison Street, Walton, with an adopted daughter, Florence Roberts. It appears that Jane had no other children.

 

Robert George Johnstone died on 28 November 1914, age 51, having accidentally fallen down the hold while serving on SS Lake Manitoba. His death is not commemorated by the CWGC.

 

Jane Johnstone was lost with SS Missanabie on 9 September 1918 en route from Liverpool to New York. Her last known address was 88 Breeze Hill, Walton. According to surviving relatives, Jane's family did not like her working at sea and this fatal voyage was due to have been her last. She is commemorated at Tower Hill Memorial in London.

 

Edited 23 October , 2018 by PaulC78

[PaulC78]

Article from this week's Ormskirk Advertiser...

(Won't display at any larger unfortunately)

Edited 31 October , 2018 by PaulC78

[bargingalong]

There is a Jane Johnstone inscribed on very bottom of the WW1 Memorial tablet in St George's Memorial Chapel in St Andrew's Church, Springfield, which I am just updating with photographs - and adding her name to the 84 presently recorded on the IWM site. The Ref. is WMR 45398. I assume it is the same woman - and would like to know if anyone can establish it.

 

[Jim Strawbridge]

Lathom (where she was born and brought up) to Wigan is just under ten miles. I think that you can correctly assume that the Jane Johnstone on the memorial relates to the woman that died off the SS Missanabie. 

[bargingalong]

Yes, I agree - it would be useful, however, to learn how her name came to be on this particular memorial in an area with which she does not appear to have had a personal association. I am assuming a sibling who moved to Wigan asked for her name to be put on the memorial. Given its position, it may have been added later - or the Vicar had taken some persuading to include her.

[PaulC78]

There's a pension card for Jane Johnstone on Fold3, it gives her address as 37 Throstle Nest Avenue which is just down the road from St Andrew's Church.

[bargingalong]

Thanks for that - it led me to search the Wigan Archives site again using the address - which brought her up as Johnston - without the final e. She is also commemorated with that mis-spelling on Wigan Cenotaph - as being in the Royal Navy.

[bargingalong]

37 Throstle Nest Avenue was occupied by the Fraser family in 1911 - the wife was Susannah, born Lathom. Also there was Horace Foster, 15, Nephew - son of Fletcher Foster.

[Pat Sharp]

I think I can give a bit more information here.  My brother and I are researching churches in Wigan and St Andrew's in Springfield is one we've looked at.  St George's Chapel was dedicated in 1921.   

Susannah was a sister of Jane's, two years older.  By 1911 Susannah has married Edward Culshaw Fraser and they are living in Throstle Nest Avenue with their son Donald and Horace, their nephew.

Horace's dad was Fletcher Foster, an older brother of Susannah and Jane.  Horace's mum, Eliza died age 21 in 1896, I guess somehow related to Horace's birth.  Fletcher marries again in 1897 and he and his wife, Ellen have their own family.

Horace marries Ethel Hartley at St Andrew's church in Nov 1919, a year after Jane's death.  Ethel lives nearby in Springfield Road, in fact Horace's address is listed as the same.  In 1926, Ethel's sister Maud marries Frank Henry Winstanley at St Andrew's.  Ethel is listed as living at the same address in Springfield Road, Frank nearby in Hodges Street.

So it seems that at the time the memorial chapel was being funded and built, Jane's sister Susannah had lived locally, Horace marries Ethel at St Andrew's and Maud marries Frank.  

Let's imagine that it felt fitting that Jane's name be added to the newly built chapel.  The mystery of why she's listed on her own at the bottom has yet to be solved!  But actually it draws attention to the fact that she's a woman.

Pat Sharp

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

I meant to add, I live on the east side London and will go and find Jane's name on the Tower Hill memorial next time I am in the area.