Biography of Winifred Evelyn Eugene Gordon (Winifred Evelyn Eugene Spurgeon)
Born in Brentford on 3 January 1902. In 1911 she was living with her parents Robert & Sarah, 5 brothers (George, Walter, Charles, Arthur & Harold) & sister Hilda, at 63 Whitestile Road, Brentford, London.
Winnie was an accomplished violinist and played before King George in her school orchestra at Crystal Palace. On 8th December 1915 age 16 she sailed with her family (father Robert, mother Sarah, & sister Hilda) 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.
During the first World War five of her brothers (Harold, Arthur, Charles, Walter & George) were overseas fighting with the Allies.
Her mother held a surprise masquerade halloween party at 3841 Grove Street 'in honor of Miss Winifred Spurgeon & Sidney Spurgeon' - see the Oakland Tribune, 9 November 1919.
In the 1920 census she's living with her parents and sister Hilda, working as a stenographer. On 16 August 1924 she married Edward Gordon, a PBX telephone repairman, and they had one son James (Jim) born on 21 February 1925. By the 1930 census she was living at 1733 Brandon Street, Oakland, Alameda, California with her husband, son, and widowed mother Sarah Ann.
Filed for divorce in October 1939 (reported in Oakland Tribune 25/10/1939). By 1940 she was divorced and living alone with her son James (age 15) at 4209 Terrace Street, Alameda, California, working as a bookkeeper & stenographer at a retail & wholesale bookstore. In 1942 she was naturalized, and living at 1324 Grand Avenue, Piedmont, California. Her naturalization petition (sworn 24/8/1942) records her height as 5'4½", eyes blue, weight 128 lb. In the 7 November 1944 California voter registrations, both Winnie & her ex-husband James are recorded living at 1324 Grand Avenue, Piedmont, California. Her son Jim married in 1947.
On 30 March 1951 Winnie flew with her brother Harold from New York to London, visiting relatives including Walter, Nellie, Arthur, Violet, Roy & Joan Spurgeon. She returned with Harold on 29 April 1951 with Arthur (another brother) & his wife Violet. At this time she was living at 2530 8th Avenue, Oakland.
A gentle and caring lady, later in life she moved to 234 Wesley Avenue, Ojai, Ventura, California, and was a Christian Science practitioner. She died on 26 May 1981, age 79.
In March 1968 Winnie talked a bit about her mother's memories. Recording and transcript: conversation with Roy Spurgeon.