Person:Elizabeth French (63)

Elizabeth French was baptised on 18th August 1811 at Hitchin in Hertfordshire, daughter of a soldier called Joseph French and his wife Elizabeth.

On 30th July 1831, Elizabeth married an agricultural labourer called Charles Worbey. They went on to have nine children together between 1832 and 1854. From the children's baptism records we know that the family lived in Bancroft in 1832, Back Street in 1834 and Hollow Lane in 1837, all of which are in the town of Hitchin. By 1839 they had moved to Walsworth, a hamlet to the north-east of the town.

Each census from 1841 to 1861 finds Elizabeth, Charles and their children living in Walsworth. Elizabeth's younger sisters Susan and Eliza appear to have lived with them. By 1871 they had moved to St Michael's Mount, near Hitchin railway station, in between Walsworth and the town itself. Elizabeth was working as a plaiter at that time.

Charles died in 1877, aged 67.

The 1881 census finds Elizabeth living with a granddaughter back in Walsworth. By 1891 she had moved into almshouses on Radcliffe Road near the railway station, and again had a granddaughter living with her.

Elizabeth died in 1896, aged 84.

1. ↑ Church of England. Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Hitchin. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   Baptisms 1811 / Aug[us]t 18 / Elizabeth D[aughte]r of Joseph & Eliz[abe]th / French / Private in the 14 Reg[imen]t of Inf[antr]y

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 445; Book 4; Folio 9; Page 12, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Walsworth, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Charles Worbey, male, 30 [1806-11], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Elizabeth Worbey, female, 29 [1811/2], born in county
   George Worbey, male, 9 [1831/2], born in county
   Charlotte Worbey, female, 6 [1834/5], born in county
   Thomas Worbey, male, 4 [1836/7], born in county
   Charles Worbey, male, 1 [1839/40], born in county
   Susan French, female, 17 [1823/4], born in county
   Eliza French, female, 14 [1826/7], born in county

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 1710; Folio 240; Page 22, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Walsworth, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Charles Worboys, head, married, male, 41 [1809/10], Agricultural Lab[oure]r, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Elizabeth Worboys, wife, married, female, 40 [1810/11], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Charlotte Worboys, daughter, unmarried, female, 16 [1834/5], Straw Plaiter, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Worboys, son, unmarried, male, 14 [1836/7], Straw Plaiter, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Charles Worboys, son, unmarried, male, 11 [1839/40], Straw Plaiter, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Joseph Worboys, son, male, 6 [1844/5], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Ann Worboys, daughter, female, 4 [1846/7], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Alfred Worboys, son, male, 8m [1850], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Susan Barber, lodger, widow, female, 26 [1824/5], Straw Plaiter, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Benjamin Barber, son, male, 8m [1850], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Eliza French, lodger, unmarried, female, 22 [1828/9], Straw Plaiter, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   John French, son, male, 7m [1850], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire

4. ↑ 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 819; Folio 102; Page 16, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Walsworth Hamlet, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Charles Warboys, head, married, male, 51 [1809/10], Labourer, b. Walsworth, Hertfordshire
   Elizabeth Warboys, wife, married, female, 49 [1811/12], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Joseph Warboys, son, male, 15 [1845/6], Labourer, b. Walsworth, Hertfordshire
   Sarah Ann Warboys, daughter, female, 13 [1847/8], b. Walsworth, Hertfordshire
   Alfred Warboys, son, male, 10 [1850/1], b. Walsworth, Hertfordshire
   Frederick Warboys, son, male, 6 [1854/5], b. Walsworth, Hertfordshire

5. ↑ 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 1369; Folio 15; Page 21, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: St Michael's Mount, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Charles Worbey, head, married, male, 61 [1809/10], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Elizabeth Worbey, wife, married, female, 59 [1811/12], Plaiter, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Frederick Worbey, son, male, 16 [1854/5], Grocer's Errand Lad, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire

6. ↑ 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 1419; Folio 110; Page 33, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Walsworth, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Elizabeth Worboy, head, widow, female, 69 [1811/12], Lab[ourer] Widow, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Alice Gray, granddaughter, female, 9 [1871/2], Scholar, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire

7. ↑ 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 1107; Folio 176; Page 9, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 1 Alms House, Radcliffe Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   2 rooms occupied
   Elizabeth Worboy, head, widow, female, 79 [1811/12], Straw Plaiter, neither employer nor employed, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Florence Worboy, graddaughter, female, 11 [1879/80], Scholar, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire

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

   d. Elizabeth WORBEY, March Quarter 1896, Hitchin Registration District, Volume 3a, page 304, aged 84 [1811/12]