Person:Elizabeth Harrison (121)

Elizabeth Harrison was was the daughter of Sarah Harrison, formerly Wood, and her husband George Harrison, a cordwainer (shoemaker). It has yet to be established when or where she was baptised, but the age quoted when she died implies she was born around 1695. It seems reasonably likely that she was born between 1695 and 1697 at Flintham in Nottinghamshire, where her parents had married; the parish registers there have a gap in baptisms between 1656 and 1699.^[4] By 1697 the family had moved about seven miles south of Flintham to village of Granby. Judging by the Granby registers Elizabeth had at least eight younger siblings, at least three of whom died as children.

In 1723 Elizabeth married Henry Bonser at Granby. They went on to have five sons baptised at Granby between 1723 and 1734, although one died young in 1733. Elizabeth's mother died in 1728.

Henry died aged 46 in 1740, leaving Elizabeth with the five boys to look after. She remarried in 1741. Her second husband was John Breton, curate at Granby church. They married at Kilvington, six miles north-east of Granby, but returned to Granby after their marriage.

In 1744 Elizabeth's father George died. His will made provision for Elizabeth's children from her marriage to Henry Bonser, leaving £8 to be split between them. Elizabeth herself was left one shilling.

Elizabeth's eldest son John married in 1746, and her first known grandchild was born in 1748.

Elizabeth's husband John Breton died in 1770, aged 84. His will (which had been written in 1760) left Elizabeth an annuity of £7 per year, plus "as many of my household goods as she shall choose to furnish one room". The rest of John's estate was left to his relatives; there is no mention of Elizabeth's Bonser children.

In 1774, Elizabeth's son George died aged 49. He had moved to Allington in Lincolnshire.

On 17th June 1777, Elizabeth wrote her will. She made specific bequests to a number of her grandchildren and split the rest of her estate between her three surviving sons and the family of her late son George. She also implies that her son William was ill, making specific provision for in case he died before receiving his share for it to pass to his children.

William did indeed die the following month, aged 43, whilst Elizabeth was still alive. He had been a weaver at the nearby village of Colston Bassett.

Elizabeth died the following year, on 23rd February 1778, being buried at Granby three days later. She was said to be 83 years old.

1. ↑ Nottinghamshire Family History Society. Nottinghamshire Burials Database.

   bur. 26 Feb 1778, Granby: Elizabeth BRETTON

2.   Exchequer Court of York Probate Records (The Borthwick Institute, University of York)
   Volume 122 Folio 445, Sep 1778.

   In the Name of God Amen I Elizabeth Breton of Granby in the County of Nottingham widdow being of sound Mind and Memory do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say First I will that all my just Debts and Funeral Expences be fully paid at the discretion of my Executor hereinafter named and likewise I give to my Grand daughter Elizabeth Burrowes one pot pan and one large Silver Table Spoon and to my Grandaughter Sarah Lockton my Gold Ring and to my Grandaughter Ann Bonser my best looking Glass and to my Grandaughter Mary Bonser I give three Silver Tea Spoons and a punchbowl I give my Granson John Bonser of Granby one Table which he liketh the best and I give all my wareing apperral to be devided amongst my Daughter in Law Mary Bonser of Allington and my Son Henry Bonser's Daughters and Elizabeth Bonser my Son William's Daughter And all the rest of my Houshold Good Monney and persennall Estate whatsoever I give to be devided into four parts of Shares and I give one fourtpart or Share to my Son Joseph Bonser of Granby and also one fourtpart or Share to my Son Henry Bonser of Hawksworth and one fourtpart of Share I give to my Son William Bonser of Colston Bassett and in case he die before he receives the Money arising from his fourtpart or share the I give it to all his Children to be put out to Interest by my Executor providing he pays the Interest to them and the principal as they come to the age of Twenty one years all equal Shares and if any of them dies before they come to the age of Twenty one years then there Share or Shares to be devided amongst the rest that remain and one fourtpart or Share I give to my Granson William Bonser of Allington to be put out to Interest by my Executor and to pay the said William Bonser the Interest untill the youngest Child his Brother George Bonser be brought up by him to the age of Fourteen years and then the said William Bonser to receive the full prinsepall of my Son John Bonser whom I appoint my Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament declaring all former wills to be voyd and of none affect whatsoever ~ Elizabeth Breton ~ Signed Sealed and delivered by the Testator in the presence of us who in her presence and at her Request have subscribed our Names this 17 Day of June 1777 ~ W[illia]m Hickling, Stephen Burrows.
   Past Sep[tembe]r 1778

   [It is presumed that the reference to "my son Joseph Bonser" is a drafting or copy error that should refer instead to her son John (this transcript has been prepared from the copy of the will held by the Borthwick Institute rather than from the original). No evidence of a Joseph Bonser of Granby in this period has been found, and it does otherwise seem unusual that she should be so careful to make provision for all her sons and their families where those sons had died or were ill, and to appoint her son John (who was living in Granby) as executor yet not leave him any share of the estate.]

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Gravestone Photographic Resource, accessed 18 Dec 2019.

   In Memory of / ELIZABETH BRITON / Wife of the Reverend / Mr John Briton / She departed this life February 23 1778 / Aged 83 Years

4. ↑ Whilst some of this gap is covered by the Bishop's Transcripts, there is no surviving Bishop's Transcript for any of the years from 1695 to 1699. The records of any baptisms at Flintham between 1695 and 1698 are therefore lost. Elizabeth's parents appear to have married in Flintham in late 1694, but by 1697 were living at Granby.