#55 Elizabeth Stapleson

Birth

Elizabeth (Eliza) Stapleson was born in 1845 in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England when the worldwide cholera epidemic made deadly passes through England and Wales. Thankfully she survived. [1, 2, 3]

Marriage
Her date of marriage to Thomas Simpson is unknown, but presumably before October 1867.

Family
Their son Frank Peacock was born in October 1867. Daughter Elizabeth (my great-great-grandmother) was born in April 1870. Both in Luton, Bedfordshire, England.

In 1871 Thomas and Elizabeth were living on Union Street in Luton, Bedfordshire with 3 year old Frank and 1 year old Elizabeth. Thomas was employed as a railway porter. [1]



Living in the United Kingdom in 1871, Thomas may have enjoyed additional days off from work, thanks to Sir John Lubbock’s bill that sanctioned government-sponsored bank holidays.

Three more daughters were born, all in Luton, Bedfordshire, England: Emily Sophia in 1873, Lucy Ann in 1875, and Ada Mary in 1877.

In 1881 Thomas, Elizabeth (Eliza), Frank (age 13), Elizabeth (age 11), Emily (age 8), Lucy (age 6), and Ada (age 3) were all living at 23 Union Street in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. Thomas was working as a wharesman, and Frank as an errand boy. [2]



Progress made by the United States and Germany in manufacturing and agriculture in 1881, affected many in the United Kingdom, including Thomas's family during the Great Depression of 1873 to 1896.

Death
Elizabeth passed away on March 5, 1884, in Bedfordshire, England, at the age of 39. [4, 5] Her youngest daughter Ada would have only been 7.

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Sources:
1. 1871 England Census
2. 1881 England Census

3. England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980

4. England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915
5. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995

#54 Thomas Simpson

Birth
Thomas Simpson was born in 1841 in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. This was when the worldwide cholera epidemic made deadly passes through England and Wales and thankfully he survived. [1, 2, 3]

Marriage
His date of marriage to Elizabeth Stapleson is unknown, but presumably before October 1867.

Family
Their son Frank Peacock was born in October 1867. Daughter Elizabeth (my great-great-grandmother) was born in April 1870 [5]. Both in Luton, Bedfordshire, England.

In 1871 Thomas and Elizabeth were living on Union Street in Luton, Bedfordshire with 3 year old Frank and 1 year old Elizabeth. Thomas was employed as a railway porter. [1]

Living in the United Kingdom in 1871, Thomas Simpson may have enjoyed additional days off from work, thanks to Sir John Lubbock’s bill that sanctioned government-sponsored bank holidays.

Three more daughters were born, all in Luton, Bedfordshire, England: Emily Sophia in 1873, Lucy Ann in 1875, and Ada Mary [4, 6, 7] in 1877.

In 1881 Thomas, Elizabeth (Eliza), Frank (age 13), Elizabeth (age 11), Emily (age 8), Lucy (age 6), and Ada (age 3) were all living at 23 Union Street in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. Thomas was working as a wharesman, and Frank as an errand boy. [2]

Progress made by the United States and Germany in manufacturing and agriculture in 1881, affected many in the United Kingdom, including Thomas's family during the Great Depression of 1873 to 1896.

Death of Wife
His wife Elizabeth passed away on March 5, 1884, in Bedfordshire, England, at the age of 39. [8, 9]

In 1891 Thomas, a straw hat manufacturer was living at 41 Langley Rd in Luton, Bedford. His four daughters are living with him: Elizabeth (21) is a straw hat finisher, Emily (18) is a domestic, Lucy (16) is a straw hat finisher, Ada (14) is a straw work apprentice. [3]

Death
Date of death is unknown but was before 1897 as he is shown as deceased on Ada's marriage banns. [7]

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Sources:
1. 1871 England Census
2. 1881 England Census
3. 1891 England Census
4. England & Wales Marriages, 1538-1988
5. England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980
6. England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973
7. Liverpool, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932
8. England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915
9. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995

#53 Hannah Morton

Birth
Hannah Morton was born between 1832-1835 in Essex, Bedfordshire, or Hertfordshire in England. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

The worldwide cholera epidemic made deadly passes through England and Wales, thankfully Hannah survived.

Marriage
Hannah Morton/Mawley and William Carter's marriage was registered in April 1855 so would have taken place before that. They would've been in their early 20s.

Family
Their daughter Mary Ann was born in January 1856, daughter Sarah was born in 1859, son William (my great-great-great-grandfather) was born in July 1860. All in Bedfordshire, England.

The Death of Prince Albert
William, Hannah, Mary Ann, Sarah, William (Jr.), and Martha Morley were living in Luton, Bedfordshire in 1861 when Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, died suddenly. This was also a time when the railroad industry swiftly expanded in England. [1]

Son George was born in 1863, and son Thomas was born in 1865. Both in Luton, Bedfordshire, England.

Living in the Luton, Bedfordshire, England in 1871, Hannah's husband William may have enjoyed additional days off from work, thanks to Sir John Lubbock’s Bank Holiday Act bill that sanctioned government-sponsored bank holidays. Their home included William, Hannah, Mary Ann, Sarah, William (Jr.), George, Thomas, and Martha Merley. [2]

Son Herbert was born in 1872, son Frederick Charles was born in July 1876. Both in Luton, Bedfordshire, England.

Hannah and her family were still living in Luton, Bedfordshire in 1881 when the British government opened the Natural History Museum nearby. The family (William, Hannah, Sarah, George, Thomas, Herbert, and Frederick) lived at 90 and 92 High Town Road and William was a straw hat manufacturer. William Jr., age 21, is not listed so must have been elsewhere when the census was taken. [3]

The Great Depression of 1873–1896
Progress made by the United States and Germany in manufacturing and agriculture in 1881, affected many in the United Kingdom, including Hannah's family during the Great Depression of 1873 to 1896.

By 1891 most of the children had moved out, leaving William and Hannah with Sarah, William (Jr.), and Frederick in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. [4]

William, Hannah, and 41 year old daughter Sarah lived in Luton, Bedfordshire, England, in 1901. [5]

Hannah and her family would have celebrated the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra at Westminster Abbey while living in the United Kingdom in 1902.

Death of Husband
Her husband William passed away before the April 2, 1911 census as she is listed as a widow there. [6]

July through September 1911 would have been challenging as Hannah no doubt suffered along with other residents of Luton, Bedfordshire when an oppressive heatwave ravaged all of England.

Hannah lived to see the fight for women’s suffrage and English women winning the right to vote in 1918.

Death of Daughter
Her daughter Mary Ann passed away on August 28, 1921, in Bedfordshire, England, at the age of 65.

Death
Hannah died on January 23, 1928, when she was 94 years old. She was buried in the Luton General Cemetery.

















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Sources:
1. 1861 England Census
2. 1871 England Census
3. 1881 England Census
4. 1881 England Census
5. 1891 England Census
6. 1901 England Census
7. 1911 England Census