Biography of Hilda Charlotte Ellen Harriet Hammerschmidt (Hilda Charlotte Ellen Harriet Spurgeon)

Born in Brentford on 3 March 1899 & baptised on 9 April 1899 at St Georges, Old Brentford. In the 1901 census she's living with her parents at 3 York Road, Brentford, London with brothers Cecil (22), Sydney (18), Walter (10), Charles (8), Arthur (6), Harold (5), and a servant Helen Neighbour (17, sister of Mary Ann Neighbour). In 1911 she was living with her parents Robert & Sarah, 5 brothers (George, Walter, Charles, Arthur & Harold) & sister Winnie, at 63 Whitestile Road, Brentford, London.

On 8th December 1915 age 16 she sailed with her family (father Robert, mother Sarah, & sister Winifred) from Liverpool to the USA on the SS Philedelphia, arriving at New York on 16 December 1915, settling in California at 1273 Alcatraz Avenue, Berkeley. In the 1920 census she's living with her parents and sister Winifred, working as an operator in a Lamp & Radio Valve company.

Hilda married Otto Hammerschmidt on 15 October 1921 in Alameda, California. It's not clear how they met: before their marriage Otto was working as a tinsmith for the Narragansett Brewing Co, Cranston, Rhode Island with his father Robert (chief engineer at the same brewery), & living at 99 Linwood Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island. In the 1930 census Hilda & Otto are living at 101 Linwood Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island - Otto's parents are now at 103 Linwood Avenue.

Otto & Hilda had one son, Robert. In the 1940 census they're still at 101 Linwood Avenue with their son Robert (5). During the first World War five of her brothers (Harold, Arthur, Charles, Walter & George) were overseas fighting with the Allies.

Before 1950 Hilda, Otto & Robert moved back to California, settling at 749 W 98th Street, Los Angeles. She died on 13 October 1984, age 85.