Timeline 1904
Roberta (Ruby) Black is born in Larne on 30 October. She was the youngest of three daughters of watchmaker Robert Black and shopkeeper Robina Urquhart and grows up in Belfast.
1918
She leaves school at 14 to work in the Flax Control Board. She also works in clerical jobs at Blackstaff Spinning Company, Arnott’s Department Store and the Saxone Boot Shop.
1915
Her father dies of cardiac failure, probably caused by alcoholism.
14