Sepia Saturday – Don’t believe all you see

This week’s Sepia Saturday prompt is a photo from an insurance ad featuring a boy sick in bed.

I have a photo of my great grandmother Constance Edith GARRETT (first husband FITTS, nee TERRY) reclining and looking ill. She is attended by two of her daughters, probably Dorothy Louise FITTS born in 1895, and Thelma Millicent FITTS born in 1901.

But, she may not have been ill – she might have been pregnant, as she married her second husband, my great grandfather in 1905 and had children in 1906, 1908, 1910 and 1912.

Constance died in St Kilda, Victoria in February 1925 from acute pulmonary oedema and myocarditis. She was 53 years old and left her husband, and 8 children between the ages of 12 and 31. My grandfather was 16 years old. Constance’s first husband and father of the older four children had died (drowned) in 1902.

She had seen two sons go off to WWI and return. She only saw two of her children (sons) get married but did get to meet three grandchildren.

Interestingly, her death certificate only shows her marriage to her second husband and only lists the four children they had together.

I did know all eight of them, so do know that they exist and the record of death is incorrect – goes to show that death certificates are only as good as the person giving the information.

Myocarditis is inflammation and damage of the heart muscle.

Her son, my grandfather, John Raikes GARRETT died of myocardial infarction, aged 83.

Her father, Alfred TERRY, died of “disease of the heart” in 1881 at the age of 57.

Her mother, Emma Augusta TERRY nee HODGES died of cerebral haemorrhage and cardiac failure at the age of 77.

Can you see a pattern?

Luckily Mum, Constance’s granddaughter is healthy with no heart disease.

I am now the age Constance was when she died.