Lizbeth's ancestors

Her great-great-grand-father Williams Evans, was a coal trimmer working on board of ships. He had for sometime, a romantic affair with Mary-Lizbeth, Robertson, a young chambermaid for the Chapman household from Southampton. When Mary-Lizbeth told him that she was pregnant he was very happy indeed but had to embark the morning after the news, and could not do anything before is return several months later.

Mary-Lizbeth carried on the pregnancy and her work as long as she could and gave birth to a lovely and healthy baby boy, who she named Williams, Edward, Robertson (her name as she was a single mom) and she nicknamed him Willy, as she did his father

3 months after Willy’s birth, his father returned and was thrill to see his son. Decided to to do the “right thing” Williams wanted to marry Mary-Lizbeth and of course recognize his son as its own, but another ship was looking for trimmer and in those times (as today) one couldn’t disregard any work opportunities. So both went to Southampton city-hall to the County Register Office to legalize William’s son .The little Willy, from now on will carry his father name as William, Edward, Evans.

A couple of days later Williams kissed his son and promised Mary-Lizbeth that he will marry her at his return and he will look for another job to stay home with her and their son . Mary-Lizbeth placed around his neck a purple tie she had knitted herself, and told him that they were attached already for the rest of their life.

Very early in the morning of April 10 1912, William embarked as coal trimmer on the RMS Titanic.

After the terrifying news! Mary-Lizbeth carrying Willy went to the Southampton docks trying to have some news about the sinking of the Titanic, hoping to read the so loved “Evans’name in the too short survivors list.

But very soon she understood that this fateful April 10, 1912 was the last memory she will have of William.

She went back home, worked hard, raised her son to be a good, educated man. As she and William were not married she could not pretend to any compensation from White Star after the sinking, and supported her son and herself alone. 

She never married.

Mary-Lizbeth, Robertson , 1912

Willy Evans became a doctor; he married and had 3 children. Mary-Lizbeth came to live with Willy and his wife Abigail, to help raise the children.

She died peacefully in her bed in May 1953, the day after her grand son became a dad of a baby boy named William (my Lizbeth’s dad).

Today Lizbeth remember: she's wearing the same shawl her Great-great-grand-ma wore (posing for a picture she meant to offer to William at his return). With lot of respect and caring she removes from a silk paper, the only memento she has from her Great-great-grand father, William Evans. It’s the purple tie Mary-Lizbeth had knitted for him before his last voyage. That little stained, all frayed, fragile piece of garment still holds their love intricately woven in it.

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Presented  by: Lizbeth, Urban vita Doll, from Horsman.

prop and clothes made in home.

Pictures (1-4) and info from http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org

Location: Southampton, UK