DOTHIE, Jessie

1875 - 1948

Jessie Estelle Dothie was born at Ipswich on 28 November 1875, eldest child of Gordon Dothie (January 1839-12 December 1912), a tobacconist, and his wife Mary Jane née Allen (1850-1917), who married at Ipswich in 1871. In 1881, Jessie was a 5-year-old, living at 20 Orwell Place, Ipswich with her parents, 42-year-old Gordon and 32-year-old Mary Jane and siblings, James Gordon 4, William Allen 1 and newly born Frank Erskine and they had another daughter, Lilla Marian born later that year, all born at Ipswich. Jessie studied at Ipswich School of Art from 1893, winning several prizes including in February 1900, first prize in the 'Painting Heads in Monochrome' section and second prize in the 'Modelling Head from Life' class. She married at Ipswich in 1903, Charles Edward Spurge (21 February 1868-10 March 1953), a draper, and in 1939 they kept a draper's shop at 100 Debden Road, Saffron Walden, Essex together with their son Charles Gordon, born on 12 September 1903, who was an invalid, they had other children including Dorothy Charlotte in 1905 and Hilda Mary in 1906. Jessie Estelle Spurge died at Saffron Walden General Hospital on 24 January 1948.