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Chapter 3: Jessie Gilchrist
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Jessie was born on 8 November 1866 at Chelsea Barracks, London, to parents Colin Gilchrist and Mary Ann Diment. Shortly after her birth, Colin left the Scots Fusilier Guards in London and became attached to the 2nd Somerset Militia in Bath. It was here that Colin died from his TB, causing the family to be split up. Jessie was placed in a female orphan asylum in Stoke Damerel (Devonport), Louisa went to the Caledonian asylum, and the older 2 sisters took jobs. On leaving school Jessie became a dressmaker and traveled about in various dressmaking jobs. In April 1897 she had a baby who she named Olive Wilson Gilchrist. The baby was fostered in London by the Crane family. In 1899 Jessie married John Henry Derrick in Bristol.
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John Henry Derrick came from Keynsham, and was the son of John Derrick and Lavinia Chapman. Whilst Olive was being raised by a foster family in London, John and Jessie ran a refreshment house business at 1 Temple Street Bristol. John became ill and died in 1917 after an operation on his stomach. His death was a great blow to Jessie, and Olive later recorded how his death resulted in a turbulent household. Jessie'e health was also not good, but after her second operation her health improved and she took much more interest in life and the customers who returned after the war. Jessie never remarried and died in 1952.
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Jessie Gilchrist, 1890's
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