Person:Elizabeth Ward (78)

Childhood

Elizabeth Turner Ward was baptised on 22nd December 1833 at Heckington in Lincolnshire, although it is worth noting that she consistently gave her place of birth as the neighbouring parish of Great Hale, which is where her mother was from. She was the daughter of Elizabeth Ward and a farmer named Edward Turner from Heckington. Her parents were not married, and she was given her father's surname as a middle name. She herself never used the middle name; it does not appear on her marriage certificate or in any of the censuses. However, it does appear on her death and burial records, showing that her children knew of it. How much contact she had with her father's family is unclear - although probably not much given that Edward later married and had another daughter called Elizabeth.

Elizabeth's mother married in 1836, when Elizabeth was two years old, to a shepherd named Robert Walton who thus became Elizabeth's stepfather. She would have six half-siblings from her mother's marriage.

Elizabeth is named in her great-grandfather John Allam's will, written in 1835 when Elizabeth was less than two years old. He owned several properties in Great Hale, including some cottages and a windmill, and he left one of the cottages to Elizabeth's mother, to be passed on to Elizabeth after her mother's death. John Allam died in 1841, when Elizabeth was six years old.

In the 1841 census, Elizabeth was living in Great Hale with her mother, stepfather and half-siblings. Elizabeth's maternal grandparents Luke and Ann Ward also lived in the village. Elizabeth's grandfather Luke Ward died in 1844. By 1851 Elizabeth and her half-brother Luke Walton were living with their uncle Luke Ward and grandmother Ann Ward at South Street in Great Hale. Elizabeth's grandmother Ann Ward died in 1857.

Adulthood

Elizabeth was married at Great Hale on 1st July 1861 to Thomas Cox, a wheelwright from Barnack in Northamptonshire. How they met is unclear, given that it is over 30 miles between Great Hale and Barnack. The couple moved to Barnack after their marriage, where they lived with Thomas's widowed mother, Catherine, apparently at the house now called Ragstone Cottage, 2 Station Road.^[10] Elizabeth and Thomas had seven children at Barnack between 1862 and 1878, although one son died when he was only four years old. Elizabeth's father died at Heckington in 1879, although as she seems to have had little or no contact with his family it is possible she may not have known this.

The 1881 census finds Elizabeth and Thomas still in Barnack, with Thomas by this time described as a 'master wheelwright'. Just over three years later however, Thomas died at the County Lunatic Asylum near Northampton. He was 52. There is a certain poignancy in the inscription Elizabeth had put on his grave in Barnack churchyard: "We cannot Lord Thy purpose see, but all is well that's done by Thee."

Back in Great Hale, Elizabeth's mother died in 1889, followed closely by her stepfather Robert Walton a few weeks later.

Elizabeth's children started marrying in the late 1880s, and her first two grandchildren were born during 1890.

The 1891 and 1901 censuses each find Elizabeth living in Barnack and being supported by her sons William and John.

Elizabeth died at Barnack on 14th February 1906, aged 72. She had lived to see nine grandchildren born in her lifetime.

1. ↑ Baptisms register, in Church of England. Parish Church of Heckington (Lincolnshire). Parish registers, 1559-1968. (Lincoln, England: Lincoln Archives Office, 1993).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Heckington in the County of Lincoln in the Year 1833
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents' Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   1182	Dec[embe]r 22nd	Elizabeth Turner illegitimate d[aughte]r of	Elizabeth and the reputed father Edward	Ward Turner	Heckington Heckington	Single woman Farmer	Cha[rle]s De la Cour Vicar

   This baptism has been linked to the Elizabeth Ward who married Thomas Cox on the basis of the middle name Turner which appears on the adult Elizabeth's death and burial records. Whilst after her marriage Elizabeth consistently gave her place of birth as Great Hale, Heckington immediately adjoins Great Hale. No father's name is given on Elizabeth's marriage certificate, suggesting she was illegitimate. Two of the witnesses to Elizabeth's marriage were a Luke and Ann Walton, who appear to have been half siblings to the Elizabeth baptised in 1833.

2. ↑ England. 1841 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 HO107; Piece 619; Book 4; Folio 12; Page 18, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: South Street, Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   Robert Walton, male, 25 [1811-16], Ag lab, b. Lincolnshire
   Elizabeth Walton, female, 25 [1811-16], b. Lincolnshire
   Joseph Walton, male, 3 [1837/8], b. Lincolnshire
   Luke Walton, male, 2 [1838/9], b. Lincolnshire
   Ann Walton, female, 7 months [1840], b. Lincolnshire
   ~
   Elizabeth Ward, female, 5 [1835/6], b. Lincolnshire

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 2101; Folio 244; Page 10, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: South Street, Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   Luke Ward, head, married, male, 34 [1816/7], Carpenter Master employing 1 man and 1 apprentice, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   Mary Ward, wife, married, female, 29 [1821/2], Carpenters Wife, b. South Kyme, Lincolnshire
   Ann Ward, daughter, unmarried, female, 5mo [1850], Carpenters Daur, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   Ann Ward, mother, widow, female, 62 [1788/9], Annuitant, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   Rebecca Ward, sister, unmarried, female, 24 [1826/7], Carpenters Daur, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   Elizabeth Ward, niece, unmarried, female, 17 [1833/4], b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   William Fletcher, lodger, unmarried, male, 23 [1827/8], Carpenter (Journeyman), b. South Kyme, Lincolnshire
   William Housley, apprentice, unmarried, male, 19 [1831/2], Carpenters Apprentice, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   Luke Walton, nephew, unmarried, male, 10 [1840/1], Errand Boy, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire

4. ↑ 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 3310; Folio 58; Page 25, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Cottage, Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Thomas Cox, head, married, male, 39 [1831/2], Wheelwright & Cottager, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Elizabeth Cox, wife, married, female, 37 [1833/4], b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   William Cox, son, male, 8 [1862/3], Scholar, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Elizabeth A. Cox, daughter, female, 6 [1864/5], Scholar, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Thomas Cox, son, male, 4 [1866/7], Scholar, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   John H. Cox, son, male, 9m [1870], b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Catharine Cox, mother, widow, female, 67 [1803/4], b. Barnack, Northamptonshire

5. ↑ 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 3194; Folio 38; Page 5, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Back Lane, Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Thomas Cox, head, married, male, 48 [1832/3], Wheel-wright Mast Emp 1 man, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Elizabeth Cox, wife, married, female, 46 [1834/5], Wheel-wt's wife, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   William Cox, son, unmarried, male, 18 [1862/3], Wheel-wt's son, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Thomas Cox, son, male, 14 [1866/7], Butcher's boy, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   John H. Cox, son, male, 10 [1870/1], Scholar, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Catherine Cox, daughter, female, 6 [1874/5], Scholar, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Martha Cox, daughter, female, 2 [1878/9], b. Barnack, Northamptonshire

6. ↑ 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 2554; Folio 34; Page 6, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: Main Street, Barnack, Northamptonshire
   5 or more rooms occupied
   Elizabeth Cox, head, widow, female, 57 [1833/4], Supported by sons, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   William Cox, son, single, male, 29 [1861/2], Agric Lab, employed, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   John H. Cox, son, single, male, 20 [1870/1], Agric Lab, employed, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Martha Cox, daughter, female, 12 [1878/9], b. Barnack, Northamptonshire

7. ↑ 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 3022; Folio 36; Page 8, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: Main Street, Barnack, Northamptonshire
   5 or more rooms occupied
   Elizabeth Cox, head, widow, female, 67 [1833/4], Supported by sons, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   William Cox, son, single, male, 38 [1862/3], Labourer (Carpenter's), b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   John H. Cox, son, single, male, 30 [1870/1], Labourer (Gardener's), b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Martha Cox, daughter, single, female, 22 [1878/9], b. Barnack, Northamptonshire

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

   Registration District Stamford
   1906 DEATH in the Sub-District of Barnack in the Counties of Northampton Rutland Lincoln & Huntingdon
   No.	When and where died	Name and surname	Sex	Age	Occupation	Cause of death	Signature, description and residence of informant	When registered	Signature of registrar
   243	Fourteenth February 1906 Barnack North[amptonshir[e] R.D.	Elizabeth Turner Cox	Female	72 years	Widow of Thomas Cox a Wheelwright (Master)	Senile decay Bronchitis Certified by W.D. Eddowes L.R.C.P.	T. Cox Son In attendance Walcot Gardens, Southorpe	Fourteenth February 1906	A. Andrews, Registrar

   
9. ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Parish Church of Barnack (Northamptonshire). Parish registers, 1695–1974. (Northampton, England: Northamptonshire Record Office).

   BURIALS in the Parish of Barnack in the County of Northampton in the Year 1906
   No.	Name	Abode	When buried	Age	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   732	Elizabeth Turner Cox	Barnack	February 17 1906	72 years	La Grange Leney, Rector

10. ↑ The order in which the properties and their inhabitants are listed in the censuses from 1851 to 1901 are pretty clear in indicating that the family was in the same house on each occasion, and that the house was at the junction of Main Street (now Main Street / Station Road) and Back Lane (now Bainton Road), between the road to Uffington and Barnack Station and a couple of doors down from the smithy. We can therefore be pretty confident in identifying the family's home as the westernmost of the group of properties on that corner, which is the house today called Ragstone Cottage, 2 Station Road.