Great x3 Half Aunt Ada Clapperton

My Great x3 Half Aunt Ada (1886 - 1888) was a younger half sister of my Great Great Grandmother Emma Wright (nee Bennett) (1871 - 1944).

Ada was born around July 1886, in Exeter, Devon, to James Clapperton (about 50), a Scottish veteran of the Crimean War and a draper's porter, and Sarah Ann Clapperton (formerly Bennett, nee Andrews) (about 42), a housewife.

I cannot find a record of marriage between Sarah Ann and James Clapperton, though they would live for years as husband and wife. 

Ada was baptised on 11th August 1886 in St Sidwell's, Exeter. At the time, the family were living at 2 Cheeke Street, Exeter.

Ada had two old half siblings from her mother's first marriage to railway labourer James Bennett, who died after an accident at work:

• William  1868 - 1942  (73)
• Emma  1871 - 1944  (73)

Ada was the seventh of eight full siblings (four boys, four girls):

• James 1874 - 1936  (61)
• George Henry  1876 - 1952  (75)
• Albert 1878 - 1878 (2 months)
• Walter John  1880 - 1913  (32)
• Lily/Lilian Maude  1882 - 1958 (75)
• Minnie  1884 - 1956 (71)
• Ada  1886 - 1888  (1 year and 9 months)
• Florence 'Florrie' Mabel  1889 - 1975 (85)

Ada's life was cut tragically short...

On the evening of 11th April 1888, Ada was only a toddler, out of her mother's sight for barely a minute while she fetched water from a neighbour's house, and watched over by an older brother, George, aged eleven; but in a passing moment a younger brother, Walter, aged eight, left the front door open and little Ada wandered out, as a tram was going passed. The tram-driver braked suddenly, but too late. 

From the Western Times on 17th April 1888:

The layout of Paris Street and its smaller surrounding streets changed after the Second World War. 

This old map from Exeter Memories highlights the changes. The modern Paris Street is in blue, whilst the old Paris Steet is in red. I have also highlighted the old Cheek Street in yellow. Where the old Cheek Street and old Paris Street met (see yellow circle on modern map) was where Ada was likely knocked down.

The likely location is now on Bampfylde Street (built after the Second World War). I get off the bus at Exeter Bus Station every work day and walk down along this street nipping across onto Sidwell Street (on map going down along yellow line and left onto short end of red line) passing the likely location where my ancestors lived and where my great aunt died.

Photos of Trams on Paris Street in the early 20th Century

On 15th April 1888, Ada was buried, in St Sidwell's, Exeter.