Born 1898 in Forest Gate, Emma Louise grew up in London and in 1915 entered a competition to become a "Gaiety Girl." Gaiety Girls were the chorus girls in Edwardian musical comedies, beginning in the 1890s at the Gaiety Theatre, London, in the shows produced by George Edwardes. The popularity of this genre of musical theatre depended, in part, on the beautiful dancing corps of "Gaiety Girls" appearing onstage in bathing attire and in the latest fashions. The 1890s Gaiety Girls were respectable, elegant young ladies, unlike the actresses from London's earlier musical burlesques. Later, even the stars of these musical comedies were referred to as Gaiety Girls. Emma was refered to commonly by her stage name Teddie O'Neil.

During the outbreak of WW1, Teddie met and fell in love with an ace pilot named James McCudden. McCudden of the Royal Flying Corps was one of the greatest fighter aces of the war. Credited with 57 victories, he was the most decorated British combatant of the conflict. McCudden was a trained mechanic and applied a scientific approach to air combat, taking great care of his machine and tuning it so it had a higher altitude ceiling. As well as a Victoria Cross (VC), he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and Bar, the Military Cross (MC) and Bar and the Military Medal (MM).. Captain McCudden has at the present time accounted for 57 enemy kills. McCudden was killed in a flying accident on 9 July 1918 after his aeroplane suffered engine failure after taking off, agonisingly close to the end of combat and being reunited with Teddie.

A picture of McCuddens plane with the name "Teddie" written on it for good luck. Family folklore says that he took Teddie up for a flight once in this plane and landed by Wandsworth flats, although this can't be cooperated

A close up view of the plane.

She went on to use her looks as a way of making money by appearing in commercials for many products including Pears soap. "Teddie" was later married several times, lastly to Stanley Willson a business owner at Billingsgate, whom she loved and remained with until his death in 1962.

A letter that she wrote to her sister in law in 1951.

She thanked her brothers wife for looking after her Dad during an illness and is the only written history that has survived.

Here is a picture of Emma in approx 1919 with her Grandmother "Granny Lock" and brother James Neale. She passed away in September of 1969, she had no children.