Person:Elizabeth Arnold (103)

Elizabeth Arnold's origins have yet to be established. Her first confirmed sighting is on 2nd October 1743 at St Ippolyts in Hertfordshire, when she married a labourer named Henry Copps. At the time of their marriage they were both described as living in the neighbouring parish of Great Wymondley. Henry appears to have been married before.

After their marriage they settled in Letchworth, where they had three sons between 1745 and 1751, but their first son died as a baby.

Henry died in 1763, leaving Elizabeth looking after their two surviving boys who were fifteen and eleven when their father died. Later that year Elizabeth married again, to a labourer named John Collins. They were married for just under five years before John died in 1768.

In 1770 Elizabeth's son George died as a young man of 22, leaving Elizabeth with just one surviving son, James. He married in 1775 and Elizabeth's first known grandchild (also called Elizabeth) was baptised at Letchworth in 1777. James and his young family then moved to the nearby village of Weston.

Elizabeth was buried at 27th December 1781 at Letchworth.

1. ↑ Church of England. Parish Church of Letchworth. Parish registers, 1696-1937. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   1781 / Elizabeth Collins widdow of John Collings was Buried Decem[be]r 27 1781