Person:Elizabeth May (47)

Elizabeth Mary May was born on 15th January 1870 at Plymouth in Devon, daughter of Ann May, formerly Hutchings, and her husband William May, a publican. At the time of Elizabeth's birth the family was living at 29 James Street, which was the Portland Inn. The family appears there in the 1871 census.

Some time between 1871 and 1881 the family moved around the corner to 10 John Street. Both Elizabeth's widower grandfathers came to live there; the 1881 census has her maternal grandfather Edmund Hutchings living with them, whilst Elizabeth's paternal grandfather William May died there in 1890.

On 2nd November 1890 Elizabeth was married to a seaman named William Henry Turner. On the same day her sister Maude married William's brother Edward in the same church. The 1891 census finds Elizabeth living at 35 James Street in Plymouth; William was away from home on census night.

Elizabeth and William's first son, William Harold, was born in 1894 in Plymouth. They then moved to Pembroke Dock in Wales before their next son, Lionel Claude, was born in 1898. By 1900 they had moved back to the Plymouth area, settling at 14 Third Avenue in the Camels Head area of Devonport, where they appear in both the 1901 and 1911 censuses. Elizabeth's mother died in 1910, after which her father came to live at 14 Third Avenue, appearing there with Elizabeth, William and their three sons in the 1911 census, before dying there in 1913.

Elizabeth's elder two sons both joined the Royal Navy and served during the First World War. Her youngest son became a boilermaker and emigrated to America in 1923. By this time the family was living at 3 Vanguard Terrace in Devonport.

William died on 6th February 1924. He was 56 years old.

The following year Elizabeth's youngest son Leslie made a return visit from America, married and returned to America with his wife. Elizabeth's only known grandchildren were born in Massachusetts in the late 1920s.

In 1931 Elizabeth was admitted to a nursing home in Plymouth. Her youngest son and his wife and children made the voyage back to England, reaching Plymouth on 2nd April 1931. Elizabeth died the following day, aged 61.

1. ↑ Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. Elizabeth Mary MAY, March Quarter 1870, Plymouth Registration District, Volme 5b, page 258, mother's maiden name Hutchings

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Baptisms register, in Church of England. Parish Registers of Charles Church. (Plymouth: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office).

   BAPTISMS SOLEMNIZED IN THE PARISH OF CHARLES, PLYMOUTH, IN THE COUNTY OF DEVON, IN THE YEAR 1870
   When Born. January 15 1870 No.3121
   When Baptized. March 13 1870
   Child's Christian Name. Elizabeth Mary daug[hte]r of
   Parents' Name. Christian. William and Ann
   Parents' Name. Surname. May
   Abode. 29 James Street
   Quality, Trade, or Profession. Baker
   By whom the Ceremony was performed. S. Thelwall, Curate

   Baptised same time as her sister Maude.

3. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 2116; Folio 56; Page 2, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 29 James Street, Plymouth, Devon
   William May, head, married, male, 34 [1836/7], Beer House Keeper, b. Collumpton, Devon
   Ann May, wife, married, female, 35 [1835/6], b. Crewkerne, Somerset
   William May, son, male, 10 [1860/1], Scholar, b. Stoke Damerel, Devon
   Frank May, son, male, 6 [1864/5], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Maud May, daughter, female, 3 [1867/8], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Elizabeth M. May, daughter, female, 1 [1869/70], b. Plymouth, Devon

4. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 2194; Folio 7; Page 19, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 10 John Street, Plymouth, Devon
   William May, head, married, male, 45 [1835/6], Publican & Hauler, b. Tiverton, Devon
   Ann May, wife, married, female, 45 [1835/6], Publican's Wife, b. Crewkerne, Somerset
   William May, son, unmarried, male, 20 [1860/1], Compositer Printer (unemployed), b. Devonport, Devon
   Frank May, son, male, 16 [1864/5], b. Plymouth, Devon, Imbecile
   Maud May, daughter, female, 13 [1867/8], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Elizabeth M. May, daughter, female, 11 [1869/70], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Annie May, daughter, female, 8 [1872/3], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Hannah May, daughter, female, 6 [1874/5], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Edmund Hutchings, father, widower, 70 [1810/1], Gardener, b. Crewkerne, Somerset

5. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 1726; Folio 10; Page 14, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 35 James Street, Plymouth (Charles), Devon
   1 room occupied
   Elizabeth M. Turner, head, married, female, 21 [1869/70], b. Plymouth, Devon

6. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 2111; Folio 86; Page 20, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 14 Third Avenue, Devonport, Devon
   3 rooms occupied
   William H. Turner, head, married, male, 33 [1867/8], Chief Stoker R.N., worker, b. Devonport, Devon
   Elizabeth M. Turner, wife, married, female, 31 [1869/70], b. Plymouth, Devon
   William H. Turner, son, single, male, 6 [1894/5], b. Plymouth, Devon
   Lionel C. Turner, son, single, male, 3 [1897/8], b. Pembroke, S. Wales
   Leslie H. Turner, son, single, male, 9mo [1900], b. Devonport, Devon

7. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), (formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 13032; Schedule 220, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 14 Third Avenue, Camels Head, Devonport, Devon
   5 rooms occupied
   William Henry Turner, head, male, 43 [1867/8], married, Chief Stoker - Royal Navy, worker, b. Devonport, Devon
   Elizabeth Mary Turner, wife, female, 41 [1869/70], married 20 years, 3 children born alive, 3 still living, b. Plymouth, Devon
   William Harold Turner, son, male, 16 [1894/5], single, Ship Steward Boy - Royal Navy, worker, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Lionel Claude Turner, son, male, 13 [1897/8], School, b. Pembroke Dock, South Wales
   Leslie Hutchings Turner, son, male, 10 [1900/1], School, b. Devonport, Devon
   William May, father in law, male, 75 [1835/6], widower, 9 children born alive, 5 children still living, Retired market gardener, b. Bradninch Parish, Devon

8. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Elizabeth M. TURNER, June Quarter 1931, Plymouth Registration District, Vol. 5b, page 272, aged 61 [1869/70]

9. ↑ England. National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1858 onwards. (Ancestry.com).

   1931
   TURNER Elizabeth Mary of 3 Vanguard-terrace Devonport widow died 3 April 1931 at the North Friary Nursing Home Plymouth Probate London 28 April to Lionel Claude Turner engine-room artificer R.N. and Leslie Hutchings Turner boilermaker.
   Effects £3939 7s.