Person:Elizabeth Jessop (3)

Elizabeth Jessop was baptised on 5th September 1830 at St Peter's Church at Wildmore (then also known as the chapelry of Thornton le Fen) in Lincolnshire, daughter of a labourer called Christopher Jessop and his wife Dinah. Elizabeth appears in the 1841 census lodging nearby with another Jessop family, who were presumably relatives, at West Ashby Fen Allotment.

By 1851 Elizabeth was working as a house servant at the Castle Inn in the nearby village of Coningsby.

Around 1858 Elizabeth had a daughter, Mary Ann, born in the town of Boston. Mary's baptism record from 1872 gives her date of birth as 17th December 1859, although no birth record has been found for her and this would be very close to when Elizabeth's next son was born in the autumn of 1860, and the age Mary gave in the 1861 census implies she was born in late 1858 or early 1859 - it is possible that the wrong year was given on her baptism record. Elizabeth had a son called Robert in 1860 and another son called George in 1865. It would appear that the father of all Elizabeth's children was a poulterer called Robert Maidens - all three children used the surname Maidens as adults, and Robert and George both reported that their father was Robert Maidens, poulterer when they married. Mary also appears in the 1871 census living with Robert Maidens' mother and described as her granddaughter. Therefore whilst Elizabeth does not appear to have married Robert Maidens it would appear that her children were aware of and in touch with their father's family. In the 1861 census Elizabeth was living on Norfolk Place in Boston and called herself "Ann Jessop, widow", presumably trying to conceal the fact that she was actually an unmarried mother. She was working as a laundress at this time.

By 1871 Elizabeth and her two sons were living on Corpus Christi Lane in Boston. They also had a lodger called Edward Ward living with them. He appears to have lived with Elizabeth for the rest of his life, appearing with her in the 1881, 1891 and 1901 censuses - he died in 1904. Whether this indicates that they were in a relationship or merely that he lodged with her for a long time is not clear. They appear to have lived together at at least three different addresses in Boston. In 1881 they were at 4 Silver Street Court and in 1891 and 1901 they were at 21 Botolph Street. In 1901 Elizabeth also had a 'nurse child' called Frederick Maidens living with her.

The 1911 census finds Elizabeth living at 14 Botolph Street in Boston with a boarder called Frederick Atkin, who was quite likely the nurse child who had been living with her ten years earlier.

In 1913 a newspaper notice advertised an auction of Elizabeth's possessions at 14 Botolph Street, as she was said to be leaving Boston. It would appear that she moved to London, where her son George had settled. She died in the Islington area of London in 1914, being buried at the Islington Cemetery in Finchley on 23rd July 1914. She was 83 years old.

1. ↑ Baptisms register, in Thornton le Fen, Lincolnshire, England. Parish Registers of Thornton le Fen also known as Wildmore. (Lincolnshire Record Office, Lincoln).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Chapelry of Thornton le Fen in the County of Lincoln in the Year 1830
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents' Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   581	Sept[embe]r 5th	Elizabeth daughter of	Christopher Dinah	Jessup	Thornton le Fen	Labourer	W. Robinson

   There were two other Elizabeth Jessops baptised at Thornton le Fen around this time - one in 1830, daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth of West Ashby Fen, who died in 1834, and another later in 1834, also a daughter of the same Abraham and Elizabeth, who went on to marry Edward Gosterlow at Boston in 1853. It is likely the two families were related, as the Elizabeth baptised in 1830 appears as a lodger with Abraham and Elizabeth and their children in the 1841 census at West Ashby Fen.

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 626; Book 23; Folio 2; Page 8, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: West Ashby Fen Allotment, West Ashby, Lincolnshire
   Abraham Jessup, male, 40 [1796-1801], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Elizabeth Jessup, female, 35 [1801-6], born in county
   Ann Jessup, female, 8 [1832/3], born in county
   Elizabeth Jessup, female, 7 [1833/4], born in county
   Ellen Jessup, female, 4 [1836/7], born in county
   Thomas Jessup, male, 1 month [1841], born in county
   ~ [second household in same house]
   Elizabeth Jessup, female, 10 [1830/1], Lodger, born in county

   West Ashby Fen Allotment was a detached part of the parish of West Ashby, about ten miles removed from the village of West Ashby. It was part of the Wildmore Fen area which had been drained in 1802 and then the newly habitable territory had been split into various allotments split between the numerous surrounding parishes. The area was later reorganised into a new parish of Wildmore in 1880.

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 2108; Folio 282; Page 11, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: The Castle Inn, Coningsby, Lincolnshire
   Elizabeth Langham, head, widow, female, 46 [1804/5], Innkeeper, b. Walcott, Lincolnshire
   John Dove, son, unmarried, male, 20 [1830/1], b. Coningsby, Lincolnshire
   Mary Ann Dove, daughter, unmarried, female, 19 [1831/2], b. Coningsby, Lincolnshire
   Elizabeth Jessup, servant, unmarried, female, 20 [1830/1], House Servant, b. Thornton le Fen, Lincolnshire

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 2336; Folio 35; Page 15, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Norfolk Place, Boston, Lincolnshire
   Ann Jessopp, head, widow, female, 28 [1832/3], Laundress, b. Boston
   Mary Jessopp, daughter, female, 2 [1858/9], b. Boston
   Robert Jessop, son, male, 6 months [1860], b. Boston

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 3340; Folio 55; Page 10, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 25 Corpus Christi Lane, Boston, Lincolnshire
   Elizabeth Jessop, head, unmarried, female, 39 [1831/2], Charwoman, b. Thornton Le Fen, Lincolnshire
   Robert Jessop, son, male, 10 [1860/1], Field Work, b. Boston, Lincolnshire
   George Jessop, son, male, 6 [1864/5], Scholar, b. Boston, Lincolnshire
   ~ [second household in same house]
   Edward Ward, head, unmarried, male, 39 [1831/2], Saddler, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire

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 3217; Folio 42; Page 28, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 4 Silver Street Court, Boston, Lincolnshire
   Elizabeth Jessop, head, unmarried, female, 48 [1832/3], Laundress, b. Thornton, Lincolnshire
   Edward Ward, boarder, unmarried, male, 49 [1831/2], Harness Maker, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire

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 2573; Folio 75; Page 10, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 21 St Botolph Street, Boston, Lincolnshire
   Elizabeth Maidens, head, single, female, 59 [1831/2], House holder, neither employer nor employed, b. Thornton-le-Fen, Lincolnshire
   Edward Ward, boarder, single, male, 59 [1831/2], Harness Maker, employed, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   Arthur W. Wilkinson, boarder, single, male, 24 [1866/7], Harness Maker, employed, b. Gedney Dyke, Lincolnshire

8. ↑ 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 3044; Page 74; Page 24, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 21 Botolph Street, Boston, Lincolnshire
   Elizabeth Maidens, head, widow, female, 69 [1831/2], b. Thornton le Fen, Lincolnshire
   Edward Ward, boarder, single, male, 69 [1831/2], Harness Maker, worker, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   Frederic Maidens, nurse child, male, 7 [1893/4], b. London

9. ↑ 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 19590; Schedule 358, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 14 Botolph Street, Boston, Lincolnshire
   4 rooms occupied
   Elizabeth Jessup, head, female, 79 [1831/2], single, Old age pensioner, b. Thornton le Fen, Lincolnshire
   Frederick Atkin, boarder, male, 18 [1892/3], Gentleman's Hairdresser, worker, b. Shoreditch, London

10.   Boston Guardian, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 6, 6 Sep 1913.

    By Mr. George White.
    14, BOTOLPH-STREET, BOSTON.
    GEORGE WHITE will SELL by AUCTION upon the Premises of Mrs. Elizabeth Maidens (leaving Boston), on THURSDAY NEXT, SEPT. 11th, 1913, a quantity of USEFUL FURNITURE, Picture, Vases, Pianoforte, and other Effects, in good order.
    Sale to commence at 2 o'clock.
    39, James-street, Boston.

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

    d. Elizabeth JESSOP, September Quarter 1914, Islington Registration District, Volume 1b, page 175, aged 83 [1830/1]

12. ↑ Islington Cemetery registers, in Deceased Online - The central database for UK burials and cremations.

    BURIALS in the Burial Ground at FINCHLEY, for the Metropolitan Borough of Islington, in the County of Middlesex, in the Year 1914
    No.	Name	Abode	When buried	Age	By whom the Ceremony was performed
    86357	Elizabeth Jessop	Highgate Hill Infirmary Islington	23 July 1914	83	F.H. Reichardt