Annie Jelliffe was born on 24 Jun 1883 in Kingston, Portsmouth, the 2nd child of Clement William & Ann Jelliffe. Her father was a seaman in the Royal Navy. Her elder brother Joseph Willie was 16 months old when she was born and when he was baptised on 5 Mar 1882 the address given was 28 Hereford Street.
When Annie was 3, her brother William Allen was born but he only lived 3 months and was buried on 8 Oct 1886. Two years later Clement Allen was born.
Annie 6, and Clement 2 were both baptised at St Michael & All Angels, Portsea on 18 May 1890. The family then lived at 44 Grosvenor Street and father’s occupation was Foreman at Dockyard. Less than 2 weeks later their father died at the age of 35 and was buried in Kingston Cemetery on 31 May 1890 (Wests, row 1, 24th grave).
In the 1891 Census at 42 Grosvenor Street were Annie Jelliffe, widow, 40, neither employer nor employed, Refreshment House Keeper, with her 3 children Joseph 9, Annie 7 and Clement 2, also a visitor Carrie Bevis 31, dressmaker (widow of Annie and Clement’s uncle William who had died the previous month).
Two years later her maternal grandmother, Priscilla Bevis died in the Isle of Wight. Her paternal grandmother, Ellen Jelliffe lived in Portsea until Aug 1912 when Annie was 29. Both of her grandfathers had died before she was born.
In the 1901 Census there are two entries for Annie’s mother:-
Annie Jelliffe, servant, widow 49 born Newport IoW, employed as Cook (domestic worker) at Boys’ Preparatory School, 4 Redcliffe Gardens, Clarendon Road, Southsea.
Annie Jelliffe, Head, widow, 51, Charwoman (domestic) born Newport IoW with son Clement 12, Errand Boy (Post), worker, born Southsea. (But where were Joseph 19 and Annie17?).
Mother Annie lived until she was 63 (1911 Census shows her at 36 Railway View, Landport, Widow, 61, born Newport IoW) and was buried in Kingston Cemetery on Jan 1 1913(the Cemetery Records give her age as 62, not surprising when her age had been variably recorded 1-2 years younger than her true age in the Census’).
At the age of 23, on 23 Dec 1907, Annie married Frederick George William Steel at St Mary’s, Portsea.The Marriage Register entry says:-
"Frederick George William Steel, 23, Bachelor, Joiner, 10 Sydenham Terrace, father George Steel, Joiner. Annie Jelliffe, 24, Spinster, 43 Delhi Street, father Charles William Jelliffe, Director, Both signed in the presence of Ada Mortimer and J W Jelliffe." (Annie’s father was Clement William Jelliffe deceased).
Frederick and Annie had two children:-
Cyril Frederick was born 22 Nov 1908. (Was he baptised? Not at St Wilfrids between 1908 and 1917).
Nora Annie, born 8 Jul 1917 and baptised at St Wilfrid’s Mission on 30 Dec 1917.
When Frederick, her husband, died on 1 Nov 1926 Annie was left a widow at the age of 43 with Cyril 18, and Nora 9. They were living at 78 Meyrick Road where she continues to be shown in Kelly's Directory until 1941-42.
During WW2 Annie lived, with her daughter Nora, at “Ballyclare” Herbert Avenue, Upper Parkstone, Dorset. She walked with a marked limp, her left leg was shorter than her right and her left boot was built up a good 2″ and had an ankle support. For many years before her death, Annie lived with her daughter Nora and son-in-law George Jones either in the UK or in Kenya.
Annie died on 16 Jun 1961 and was buried in the same grave as her husband in Kingston Cemetery (Kimbers row 6 grave 40).