Person:Elizabeth Acome (1)

Elizabeth Acome's origins are unclear; no birth or baptism record for her has been found. She seems to have been born around 1838, and she consistently gave her place of birth as Waddesdon in Buckinghamshire, where she seems to have been raised by a couple called James and Elizabeth Acome, although they were quite likely not her parents, but an uncle and aunt or perhaps her grandparents. Elizabeth appears in both the 1841 and 1851 censuses living at Waddesdon with James and Elizabeth.

By 1860 Elizabeth had left Waddesdon and moved about eighteen miles north to Stony Stratford, where she worked as a servant. On 17th October 1860 she married a shoemaker called Alfred Lewis at the nearby village of Little Brickhill. After their marriage they initially lived at Little Brickhill, appearing there in the 1861 census and having their first child there later that year.

Some time between 1861 and 1865 they moved from Little Brickhill to the neighbouring town of Fenny Stratford, where they took over the King's Head public house on the High Street. They had another six children born at Fenny Stratford between 1865 and 1878. The 1871 census finds the family living at the King's Head along with several boarders. Elizabeth was working as a dressmaker at this time.

Alfred died in 1878, aged 41, shortly after Elizabeth's youngest daughter had been born.

Few the next five years Elizabeth ran the King's Head on her own. In the 1881 census she described herself as an innkeeper. It was later reported that during this time she ran the King's Head "with great credit to herself" and "the manner in which it was conducted was all that could be desired".

In 1883, Elizabeth married again. Her second husband was a groom called Arthur Woods. Their marriage does not seem to have been particularly happy. He took over the running of the King's Head, which then became notorious for fighting and disturbances. In 1887 Elizabeth's son Albert and her husband Arthur had to be bound over to keep the peace towards each other, following a fight in which Albert had threatened to kill Arthur and Arthur had threatened to kill Elizabeth. Elizabeth said in court that she would like to have a separation from her husband, but this was not considered possible. The police at the time highlighted how different things had been at the King's Head before Elizabeth's second marriage.

The 1891 census finds Elizabeth, Arthur and some of their children living together, including Elizabeth's son Albert who had been involved in the fight with his stepfather. It would appear that Elizabeth and Arthur did eventually separate. Arthur has not been found in the 1901 census, when Elizabeth was living at the King's Head, which by that time was being run by her daughter and son-in-law. Arthur appears in the 1911 census at Kempston, near Bedford (he was from Bedford) describing himself as a widower, whilst Elizabeth was still with her daughter and son in law at the King's Head. Arthur died in 1915.

Elizabeth died in 1920, aged about 81.

1. ↑ 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 39; Book 15; Folio 11; Page 17, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire
   James Acome, male, 52 [1788/9], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Elizabeth Acome, female, 55 [1781-6], born in county
   Elizabeth Acome, female, 2 [1838/9], born in county
   James Clark, male, 24 [1816/17], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 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 1721; Folio 698; Page 26, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire
   James Acome, head, married, male, 63 [1787/8], Labourer Ag[ricultural], b. Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire
   Eliz[abe]th Acome, wife, married, female, 66 [1784/5], b. Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire
   Sarah Acombe, daughter, unmarried, female, 30 [1820/1], b. Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire
   Eliz[abe]th Acome, niece, female, 12 [1838/9], Scholar, b. Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire

3. ↑ England. 1861 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 RG9; Piece 871; Folio 61; Page 9, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: High Street, Little Brickhill, Buckinghamshire
   Alfred Lewis, head, married, male, 24 [1836/7], Boot Maker, b. L[ittle] Brickhill, Buckinghamshire
   Elizabeth Lewis, wife, married, female, 22 [1838/9], b. Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire

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 1418; Folio 101; Page 1, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: King's Head, 1 High Street, Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Alfred Lewis, head, married, male, 31 [1839/40], Publican, b. Crawley, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Lewis, wife, married, female, 31 [1839/40], Dressmaker, b. Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire
   Anne E. Lewis, daughter, female, 9 [1861/2], Scholar, b. L[ittle] Brickhill, Buckinghamshire
   Alfred A.E. Lewis, son, male, 5 [1865/6], Scholar, b. F. Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Violet F. Lewis, daughter, female, 2 [1868/9], b. F. Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Mildred Lewis, daughter, 7 months [1870], b. F. Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Henry Robinson, boarder, unmarried, male, 40 [1830/1], Cord Waner, b. Summertown, Oxfordshire
   Benjamin Emmans, boarder, unmarried, male, 56 [1814/15], Labourer, b. Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   James Richardson, boarder, married, male, 36 [1834/5], Brickmaker, b. Wadhurst, Sussex
   Ann Richardson, boarder, married, female, 40 [1830/1], Ribon weaver, b. Coventry, Warwickshire
   Elizabeth E. Richardson, boarder, female, 8 [1862/3], b. Coventry, Warwickshire
   Ephraim Ashley, boarder, unmarried, male, 44 [1826/7], Warehouseman, b. Coventry, Warwickshire
   Henry Harris, boarder, unmarried, male, 22 [1848/9], Chimney sweep, b. Leighton, Bedfordshire

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 1480; Folio 44; Page 15, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: High Street, Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Eliz[abe]th Lewis, head, widow, female, 43 [1837/8], Inn Keeper, b. Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire
   Albert Lewis, son, male, 14 [1866/7], Keeps Cows & farm work, b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Mildred Lewis, daughter, female, 9 [1871/2], Scholar, b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Beatrice Lewis, daughter, female, 7 [1873/4], Scholar, b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   James Lewis, son, male, 5 [1875/6], Scholar, b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Septima Lewis, daughter, female, 2 [1878/9], b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire

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 1150; Folio 73; Page 21, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: High Street, Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Arthur Woods, head, married, male, 51 [1839/40], Groom, employed, b. Bedford
   Eliz[abe]th Woods, wife, married, female, 53 [1837/8], b. Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire
   Ellen Woods, daughter, female, 12 [1878/9], b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Albert Lewis, son, single, male, 24 [1866/7], Farmer, neither employer nor employed, b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   James Sear, lodger, single, male, 28 [1862/3], Agricultural labourer, employed, b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Geo[rge] Hammond, lodger, single, male, 33 [1857/8], Agricultural labourer, employed, b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Robert Smith, lodger, single, male, 34 [1856/7], Agricultural labourer, employed, b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Robert Thurston, lodger, single, male, 57 [1833/4], Blacksmith, employed, b. Norwich, Norfolk

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 1360; Folio 20; Page 7, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: Kings Head, High Street, Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Walter French, head, married, male, 35 [1865/6], Dealer & Publican, b. Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Beatrice French, wife, married, female, 23 [1877/8], b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Nellie French, daughter, female, 6 months [1900], b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Elizabeth Woods, mother in law, married, female, 62 [1838/9], b. Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire
   Albert Lewis, brother in law, single, male, 32 [1868/9], b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   John Hammond, lodger, single, male, 56 [1844/5], General Labourer, worker, b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire

8. ↑ 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 7979; Schedule 82, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: King's Head, Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   8 rooms occupied
   Walter French, head, male, 43 [1867/8], married 11 years, 6 children born to marriage, 6 children still living, Publican, own account, b. Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Beatrice French, wife, female, 36 [1874/5], married, b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Nellie French, daughter, female, 10 [1900/1], b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Ethel French, daughter, female, 9 [1901/2], b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Alfred French, son, male, 8 [1902/3], Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   George French, son, male, 6 [1904/5], Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Harry French, son, male, 3 [1907/8], b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Walter French, son, male, 1 [1909/10], b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Albert Lewis, boarder, male, 45 [1865/6], single, Sewerage Attendant - Urban Councill [sic], worker, b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   William Stevens, boarder, male, 71 [1839/40], widower, Labourer Farm, worker, b. Little Brickhill, Buckinghamshire
   Elizabeth Woods, mother in law, female, 72 [1838/9], married, b. Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire

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

   d. Elizabeth WOODS, March Quarter 1920, Newport Pagnell Registration District, Volume 3a, page 1113, aged 81 [1838/9]

10.   Croydon's Weekly Standard, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 3, 3 Sep 1887.

    NEWPORT PAGNELL
    PETTY SESSIONS
    WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31.
    Albert Lewis, of Fenny Stratford, was charged with using threatening language towards his step-father, Arthur Woods, on Sunday, the 29th of August, and also with threatening to do him bodily harm, and was bound over to keep the peace, himself in one surety of £10.
    Arthur Woods, of the King's Head Inn, Fenny Stratford, was then charged with threatening to kill his wife (formerly Mrs. Lewis, and mother of the last defendant), at the same time and place, and was bound over in the sum of £10 to keep the peace for six calendar months.
    Superintendent Hall said that Mrs. Lewis kept the house, the King's Head Inn, for years in her widowhood with great credit to herself, and was it not for Woods she would do so now, but a more foul-mouthed man he had never heard. In consequence of his conduct and the disturbances which were taking place almost every Sunday afternoon on account of Wood's behaviour, had caused him to withhold the license, and to ask if the Bench considered him a fit and proper person to keep a public-house. If every publican acted as he had done, they would want ten times as many men in the police force.
    The renewal of the license of the King's Head Inn was then considered, and ultimately the Bench granted the application, Mr. Levi adding a word of caution to Woods as to his future conduct, and hoped he would try to set a better example, or his license would not be granted another year.

11.   Leighton Buzzard Observer and Linslade Gazette, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 8, 6 Sep 1887.

    THREATS.-Arthur Woods, of the King's Head Inn, Fenny Stratford, made an application for his step-son, Albert Lewis to be bound over to keep the peace, he having threatened to kill the applicant on August 28.-Mr. S. Smith (Fenny Stratford) appeared for Woods.-Elizabeth Woods made a similar application against her husband (the previous complainant), Arthur Woods. She would prefer a separation, but being told this was not possible, asked that her husband might be bound over to keep the peace.-Supt. Hall said that when Mrs. Woods kept the public-house herself, before her second marriage, the manner in which it was conducted was all that could be desired, but now there were continual disturbances and rows.-Albert Lewis and Arthur Woods were both bound over to keep the peace for six months, in their own recognisances of £10 each.-Supt. Hall asked that the licence of the house might be stopped on account of the continual disturbances. The man, when he had beer, did not seem to know what he was about, used very bad language, and was not at all a fit person to be landlord of a public-house, especially in view of the occurrences for which he was bound over. It was only out of consideration for his wife, who used to keep the house respectably, that complaints had not been made before.-Mr. Smith said that Woods had promised faithfully to conduct the house properly in future. There was no other complaint against him.-The licence was granted, the Bench giving Woods a severe caution.