More about Janet and George Emerson.......

Janet and George married in 1904, probably in Awamoko, North Otago, where the bride lived.
(See previous post for wedding photo) They spent the early years of their marriage farming at Weston, later moving out to Hilderthorpe which is north of Oamaru. George died in 1927, aged 45, of Diabetes. Although insulin treatment was available it was unaffordable for the family. I think the farm was mortgaged and they all worked on the land. My grandad, Ernie, left school at 14 and helped plough the land with a team of horses. After George died Janet was left to run the farm with the kids. They lived in a small cottage on the land. When grandchildren started coming to stay, the girls would share Nana Janet's double bed which took up the whole of her tiny bedroom! Janet had a brick house built on the property in 1957 but sadly never got to move into her new home. She died in a car crash at Pukeuri - a drunk driver hit their car as Janet and sons were travelling home from a shopping trip in Oamaru.


                                        Janet and George Emerson

Janet and George had six children:

William George born 1905
Lucille Elizabeth (Lucy) born 1907
James (Jim) born 1909
Ernest (Ernie) born 1910
Janet Ellen born 1913
Edith May born 1918