100 Years Ago Today - Boulton Twins

One hundred years ago today - June 3, 1916 - must have been a very exciting day in the Boulton household.  Elsie and Thomas were already parents to 16 month old Edna Kathleen and on this day they increased their family with the birth of twin girls - Emily Patience and Ann Henrietta!  Their names were chose to honour their own mothers - Elsie's mother was Patience Emily Wooler Bushby and Thomas' mother was Ann Henrietta Boulton. 

I have to wonder if Elsie had any idea that she was carrying twins and how they ever managed. She has been described to me as a very hardy and tough woman and events like this no doubt helped cement that reputation. 

Emily Boulton with her twins - 1916

Boulton sisters about 1917 - left to right Emily, Edna, Annie

Sadly, life would take a tragic turn with the death of Emily on February 5th in 1918.  The dainty little card below recently found in the Boulton house, speaks to the sadness and loss.  The front cover is a textured paper, almost like paper mache and would have been used to convey the news with family and friends near and far. 

No matter how much their hearts were breaking, life would go on and 3 months later another daughter Violet Lillian was born to the Boultons among the busy spring on the farm.

Elsie and Edna standing and Annie below- early 30's

The surviving twin, Annie, grew up on the farm and attended Kinloss School.  She later moved east to seek her fortune and unfortunately died in Toronto in 1942 at the age of 26.  Her daughter Faye and her husband Murray visited Annie's resting place in Prospect Cemetery in Toronto and had a grave marker put up in her memory. 

It is incredible to think how much the world has changed since these girls were born 100 years ago... and how much has stayed the same.

https://www.reddit.com/r/100yearsago/