The Davies family had lived in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood. The father, Robert Davies, was a successful textile merchant. The mother, Eleanor Davies, came from old Boston money. They had two daughters, Lily, born March 1884, and Rose, born September 1888. Rose Davies died on June 3rd, 1895 at age 6 years and 9 months.
Cause of death, scarlet fever. Lily Davies died 7 days later on June 10th, 1895 at age 11 years and 3 months. cause of death, also scarlet fever. The photograph was dated June 1895, which meant it had been taken sometime between Rose’s death on June 3rd and Lily’s death on June 10th. Helen found the death certificates in the Massachusetts State Archives.
Both girls were buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery on June 11th, 1895 in the family plot. A joint funeral service was held at Trinity Church, but there was something odd about the burial records. The notation for Rose’s burial said, “Delayed interment due to family circumstances. Body held at family residence June 3rd to 10th.
” Rose’s body had been kept at home for 7 days before burial. In June in Boston, where temperatures that week, according to weather records, had reached the mid80s, Helen found a newspaper article from the Boston Globe, dated June 12th, 1895. Tragedy strikes Davy’s family, both daughters lost to scarlet fever. The prominent Beacon Hill family of Robert and Elellanar Davies mourns the devastating loss of both their daughters within the span of one week.
Rose Davies, age 6, succumbed to scarlet fever on June 3rd. Her sister Lily, age 11, fell ill shortly after and passed away on June 10th. Sources close to the family report that Lily refused to leave her sister’s side during her illness and insisted on remaining with her even after Rose’s passing.
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