Commemorative Bust of
Evangeline Butler. |
A Family Tragedy
The Butlers had moved to Cheltenham in 1857 for the sake of Josephine’s health, and it was here that their beloved daughter, Evangeline, was born; a sister to three brothers – George, Charles and Arthur. Josephine’s life changed forever when Evangeline fell from the balcony of the Butler family home in 1864, and died just hours later from her injuries. She was only 6 years old. This accident led to the family moving to Liverpool where Josephine, in an attempt to come to terms with her grief, became immersed in ‘rescue work’ with prostitutes and other friendless women.
Left is an extract taken from a letter from Josephine to her son George Grey Butler explaining more about Evangeline’s death. It reads: ‘She had gone out for a walk with Mrs. Blunke an hour before she fell, during the walk she said ‘I wonder how far heaven is off, it looks as if we might touch the floor of heaven if we went up the very top of Battledown Hill’ and she wondered if she could ever get up so high as heaven’.
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