She was born as Emily Blanche Carr on 4 July 1849 at Lownes Street, London, SW1. She was the fourth daughter, and youngest of the six children of Andrew Morton Carr (1799-1852) and Emily Caroline Fortescue Carr née Kerr (1818-1893). Her father was a barrister.
She was baptised on 17 August 1849 at St Michael's Church, Chester Square, Belgravia and the 1851 census shows her living at Savile House, Heath Lane, Twickenham, with her parents, five brothers, a footman, two nurses, a cook and a housemaid.
On 17 August 1876 in St Gabriel's Church, Warwick Square, Pimlico, she married Francis Culling Carr (1834-1919), who was her cousin. Her father, Andrew Morton Carr, was the brother of Thomas William Carr (1801-1840) who was the father of her husband. Her husband was a widower and with his previous wife, Jeanie Elizabeth Chetwynd Carr née Francklyn (1839-1869) they had four children, Francis Edward Culling Carr (1858-1941), Edith Mary Culling Carr (1859-1931), Eardly Culling Carr (1862-1896) and Reginald Childers Culling Carr (1864-1951). Her husband was employed in Her Majesty's Indian Civil Service.
Her mother, Emily Caroline Fortescue Carr née Kerr was a younger sister of Elizabeth Ann Kerr (1804-1877) who had married Field Marshall Sir William Maynard Gomm (1784-1875) and when she died, as Eliazbeth Lady Gomm, a Royal Licence dated 9 March 1878 authorised Emily Blanche Carr and her husband together with their issue 'to assume the surname of Gomm in addition to and after that of Carr, and to bear the arms of Gomm quarterly with those of Carr in compliance with the will of Lady Gomm'. She bequeathed her estate to her niece who became Mrs Emily Blanche Carr-Gomm, Lady of the Manor of Rotherhithe. This is an instance of something we come across occasionally: a name change with financial benefits. Check William Burdett-Coutts for the others.
They had four children: Hubert William Culling Carr-Gomm (1877-1939) was born and baptised in Palamcottah, Madras, India, (now Palayamkottai). Elizabeth Culling Carr-Gomm (1879-1882) whose birth was registered in the Strand registration district in London, but her death was registered in Coonoor, Madras, India. Mark Culling Carr-Gomm (1883-1963) was born in Paddington and when baptised at St Barnabas Church, Rotherhithe on 10 June 1883 the baptismal records show the family living at 66 Porchester Terrace, Hyde Park. Dorothy Culling Carr-Gomm (1885-1936) was born in Chelsea and when she was baptised on 6 December 1885 at Holy Trinity Church, Brompton the baptismal records show the family residing at 31 Cadogan Square, SW London.
The 1891 census informs that she was living at Farnham Chase, Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire (now known as Farnham Park, Farnham Royal), with her husband, their three surviving children, her stepson - Eardley Culling Carr, a butler, a footman, a cook, a nurse, a kitchen maid and two housemaids. Her husband was shown as retired from the Indian Civil Service, but was serving as a Justice of the Peace and a Member of the London County Council. Her stepson was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and her eldest son was a Scholar. The 1901 census shows her at 7 Third Avenue, Hove, Sussex, with her husband, their three surviving children, a governess, two footmen, a lady's maid, a house keeper, a housemaid and a scullery maid. She died, aged 59 years, on 4 May 1909 at The Chase, Farnham Royal, and was buried in the churchyard of St Mary the Virgin Church, Farnham Royal, Slough, Buckinghamshire. Probate was granted on 15 June 1909 to her widower and her effects totalled £38,288-16s-7d.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan
