Emma was born on 8 July 1852, and baptised with her sister Esther Sophie on 15 July 1855 at St Peters, Mile End Old Town, London, while living at 1 Mulberry Gardens (probably Mulberry Street, Whitechapel).

In the 1861 census she's living at 17 Bull Lane (renamed Ben Jonson Road), Stepney, London with her parents James (37, boat makers labourer) & Mary (38), brothers Henry (11) & William (5), and sisters Eliza (13), Esther (7) & Charlotte (3). By 1871 she's 18, washing & cleaning at 41 Carr Street, Stepney, London with her parents James (45, road sweeper) & Mary (46), brothers Charles (14, butchers boy) & John (6).

She married William Joyce at St Matthews, Stepney, London on 2 April 1877, and they lived at 69 Thomas Street (renamed Fulbourne Street), Stepney, Middlesex. sIX of their children survived to adulthood.

In the 1881 census they're living at 10 Dora Street, Limehouse, London, with daughters Emma Elizabeth (3) & Thirza Martha (1), and a lodger Sarah Brown (65, charwoman).

From 1885 to 1889 several of Emma's children were in & out of various workhouses, supposedly because of desertion by their father. In the 1891 census they're at 31 South Grove, Mile End Old Town, Stepney with four daughters Emma (14), Martha (11), Eliza (9) & Caroline (Carrie) (7), and son William (2). Caroline's twin sister died at birth.

In the 1901 census they're at 13 Florence Road, East Ham, London with two daughters Caroline (17) & Maud (8), and son William (12). By 1911 all the family except Caroline (27) have left home, and they are now at 18 Bendish Road, East Ham.

She died on 25 December 1917 at 18 Bendish Road, East Ham. There was some suggestion her death may have been from septicaemia following an infected finger, but her death certificate records cause as bronchitis & cardiac failure.