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View Full Version : Stumped by a bit of a floosie

Sally
10-07-10, 20:25
I am cracking on apace with my son in law's tree, but am having no luck at all with a certain person.

I have her in 1851 (HO107, piece 1778, folio 36, page 36 and that is it....

She is shown as Eliza Lewsley born about 1821 in Gt. Stambridge, Essex, and is living with a Joseph Haxell along with her 7 daughters. I have the birth certificate for one of those daughters, Susannah, and there is no father shown but it does say that Eliza Lewsley was formerly Beard and so she must have got married at some point but I can find no record of this, nor indeed of her or Joseph Haxell in subsequent censuses.

It would seem that Eliza had her first child at 13, in which case I am puzzled by the fact that this child was given the name Lewsley (as all the other six were) as surely she would not have been married so young?

I know that I am not the best in the world at tracking things down, but I have tried with this one for ages now and found nothing whatsoever, except for Susannah and I have all the information on her.
maggie_4_7
10-07-10, 20:30
One question I have is 'are you sure the name is Lewsley and not Lewsey?'
Sally
10-07-10, 20:40
Hi Maggie.......yes, positive. On the birth cert for one of her daughters it is as clear as it can be.

Judging by the fact that all her daughters were born in the same area, i.e. Burnham, Essex, she did not move around a lot
Merry
10-07-10, 20:40
These ages are off, but the children fit:

1841:

HO107; Piece 327; Book: 12; Civil Parish: Burnham; County: Essex; Enumeration District: 2; Folio: 40; Page: 47; Line: 14
Merry
10-07-10, 20:43
That 1841 is her I think, because (FreeREG):

Marriage
County Essex
Place Foulness
Church St Mary the Virgin
MarriageDate 11 Jul 1834
GroomForename John
GroomSurname LEWSEY
BrideForename Eliza
BrideSurname BEARD
FileNumber 2233
Merry
10-07-10, 20:47
Likely death for John:

Deaths Mar 1845
LEWSLEY John Maldon 12 122
Olde Crone
10-07-10, 20:48
Legally, she could marry at age 12 but this would be quite unusual. Are you sure of her age?

OC
Sally
10-07-10, 20:49
Just had a look Merry........it's strange because the area is exactly right, and in fact the Southminster area of Maldon is where Susannah was born. There are two children there whose ages fit, and two extra ones that are not on the next census! But the age of Eliza is way out..............was she a little liar in 1851 as well as a floosie?!!! It would certainly make her a better age for having her first child
Merry
10-07-10, 20:49
Susannah would most likely be the first child born after John L died.
Sally
10-07-10, 20:50
OC........it would seem that she might have been telling tiny fiblets in 1851 with her new man.......if that one Merry found in 1841 is correct
Sally
10-07-10, 20:52
Gosh you lot are good. It never makes me fail to feel ashamed - yes Merry if that is John's death, then Susannah was the first child post that event.
Sally
10-07-10, 20:55
Just had a look at all of that, and yes it ties up perfectly. Thank you so so much
Merry
10-07-10, 20:56
In 1861 they are called Ewers (inc Joseph Haxell!) All birthplaces etc fit

RG9; Piece: 1087; Folio: 54; Page: 50

And this is the marriage:

Marriages Sep 1851
Cooch Charlotte Bowton Maldon 12 217
Dow Joseph Maldon 12 217
Ewers Joseph Maldon 12 217 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<,
Ham David Maldon 12 217
Lewsley Eliza Maldon 12 217 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Pitt Sarah Maldon 12 217
Merry
10-07-10, 20:58
Is this her?

Deaths Mar 1877
EWERS Eliza 54 Maldon 4a 163

I expect everyone had forgotten how old she was by then! lol
Merry
10-07-10, 21:00
Forget that death as there are two Eliza Ewers in Burnham in 1871 and that might well be the other one!

EDIT: not sure as the other one is a lot younger and they have both vanished on the next census!
Merry
10-07-10, 21:01
1871: RG10; Piece: 1671; Folio: 47; Page: 45
Sally
10-07-10, 21:04
Oh crikey Merry - I wish that I knew how you did this!!! Thank you so very much. I will sort all this out and send off for some certs.......what a relief to have something to work on
Merry
10-07-10, 21:06
Goodness knows how Ewers and Haxell can sound the same??!
Merry
10-07-10, 21:06
Deaths Mar 1876
Ewers Joseph 63 Maldon 4a 176
Sally
10-07-10, 21:12
I too fail to see how Ewers and Haxell can possibly be mixed up, (and also fail to see how you found it!) - but that is certainly them, and the enumerator for 1851 must have had a very off day I think!

Well, at least Eliza was not a complete hussy then.......:d
Merry
10-07-10, 21:36
I found it only because I looked for a re-marriage for Eliza before I looked at the following census, and I looked at the surname(s) of any possible groom called Joseph, mainly because I was looking for a corruption of Haxell and not because I was looking for just any Joseph! Having seen the surname Ewer on the marriage index, I happened across it when I searched for Susannah on the following census (I looked for her because I realised she had to still be alive as she was your son-in-law's ancestor!)