EDGOOSE:
In search of Ancestry
DERHAM, Elsie Mary
1874 - 1943 (69 years) Has no ancestors and no descendants in this family tree.
1861 - 1934 (73 years)-
Name DERHAM, Elsie Mary Birth 1874 Claverham Yatton, Somerset, England 
Gender Female Death 5 Sep 1943 Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire, England Person ID I4280 Edgoose Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
Family HOLMES, James Headgoose, b. 19 Mar 1861, Kirton In Holland, Lincolnshire d. 1 Oct 1934, Brentham, Ealing, Middlesex, England (Age 73 years) Marriage 24 Aug 1916 Barnsley Register Office, Yorkshire Family ID F1882 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
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Notes
ELSIE MARY DERHAM 1874-1943
The birth of Elsie Mary (sic) DERHAM was registered in 1874.
(GRO September 1874 Bedminster 5c 752)
The 1881 census of 14 Cowper Road, Westbury on Trym, Gloucestershire:
Joseph MILES, head, aged 30, telegraphist (civil service), born at Highbridge, Somerset;
Phoebe A. MILES, wife, aged 35, born at Claverham, Yatton, Somerset;
Edith A. DERHAM, daughter [sic], aged 11, born at Bristol St. Paul's;
*Elsie M. DERHAM, daughter [sic], aged 6, born at Yatton, Somerset.
(RG11/2503/6/6)
The 1891 census of 1 Leigh Road, Clifton, Bristol:
Catherine M. PEEBLER, head, married, aged 40, born in Scotland;
John H. PEEBLER, son, aged 9, scholar, British subject, born in India;
Robert E. PEEBLER, son, aged 7, scholar, British subject, born in India;
William F. PEEBLER, son, aged 5, scholar, British subject, born in India;
Archibald PEEBLER, son, aged 2, scholar, British subject, born in India;
*Elsie M. DERHAM, governess, single, aged 16, resident governess, born at Yatton, Somerset;
Frances E. CLAYFIELD, servant, single, aged 26, cook domestic servant, born at Teignmouth, Devon;
Sophia SANDY, servant, single, aged 14, nurse maid, born at Tavistock, Devon.
(RG12/1968/80/17)
The 1901 census of 36 Sefton Park Road, Bristol, Gloucestershire:
Joseph MILES, head, aged 50, GPO telegraph clerk, born at Highbridge, Somerset;
Phobe A. MILES, wife, aged 54, born at Claverham Yatton, Somerset;
*Elsie M. DERHAM, stepdaughter, aged 26, draper's assistant, born at Claverham Yatton, Somerset;
Kate STREET, servant, aged 18, housemaid, born at Bedminster, Bristol.
(RG13/2402/99/12)
The 1911 census of 109 Belmont Road, St. Andrews Park, Bristol:
Joseph MILES, head, aged 60, widower, private means, born at Highbridge, Somerset;
*Elsie Mary DERHAM, stepdaughter, aged 37, single, born at Yatton, Somerset;
John Dundas STORRIE, boarder, aged 36, single, solr's clerk, born at Bristol, Gloucestershire;
Ethel E. SMITH, servant, aged 20, single, born at Ponty Pridd, Glam..
(RG14/15068)
Harry EDGOOSE, youngest son of her future husband James Headgoose HOLMES, made a will on 6 July 1915. Elsie Mary DERHAM of Reading House, Cleveden, Somerset, and Grace BLOOMFIELD of 25 Mall Road, Hammersmith, witnessed it.
(National Probate Registry)
James Headgoose HOLMES' second wife was Elsie May DERHAM, a 42 year old spinster of 75 Moorfield Avenue, Ramsgreave (Lancashire), and daughter of tea merchant's traveller Theophilus Sheppard DERHAM deceased, whom he married at Blackburn Register Office on 24 August 1916. James HOLMES was described as a 53 year old widower (he was actually 55), a trade union official (railwaymen), living at 4 St. Vincent Avenue, Doncaster, and son of John HOLMES deceased, a coal miner (hewer). Witnesses were his son Charles HOLMES and daughter-in-law Florence May HOLMES.
(GRO September Q 1916 Blackburn 8e 754)
James Headgoose HOLMES died aged 73 on 1 October 1934 at 16 Brunner Road, Brentham, Ealing, Middlesex. His occupation was an Organiser for the National Union of Railwaymen (retired). The informant was his (second) wife Elsie Mary HOLMES.
(GRO December 1934 Brentford 3a 230)
Probate of the will was granted on 22 November 1934 to his widow Elsie Mary HOLMES of 16 Brunner Road, Ealing, Middlesex; to his son John Thomas HOLMES a commercial clerk of 23 Selby Road, Ealing; and to his son William HOLMES a commercial clerk also of 16 Brunner Road, Ealing. His effects totalled £6,476.3s.2d. He left £100 to his daughter Mary Elizabeth HUTCHINGS; £50 each to John Thomas HOLMES, William HOLMES and to his granddaughter HILDA HOLMES, the daughter of his deceased son Charles; and £25 to May HOLMES, the widow of Charles.
Elsie May HOLMES of 16 Brunner Road, Ealing, London W5, widow of James HOLMES an organising secretary, died at the Ashridge Hospital, Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire, on 5 September 1943 aged 69. An inquest was held on 9 September 1943. The cause of death was cardiac and general debility due to senility following an operation for a fractured leg the result of an accidental fall from a step ladder.
(GRO September Q 1943 Berkhampstead 3a 1115)
NOTES & QUERIES:
Veronica and Mike POWELL wrote: "It is extremly likely that Elsie Mary DERHAM (known as Derry) was nursing Elizabeth Ann HOLMES and subsequently married James. She was very unpopular with the family and regarded as a gold digger."
(revised 05.01.2012)