Person:Elizabeth Moss (31)

Elizabeth Moss was born on 17th February 1883 at Luton in Bedfordshire, daughter of a straw hat finisher named Kate Moss, formerly Dalton, and her husband James Moss, a timber yard labourer. Elizabeth appears in the 1891 census living with her parents and siblings at 28 Old Bedford Road in Luton. By 1901 the family was living at 33 York Street, and Elizabeth was working as a straw hat finisher. She was listed as 'Lizzie' which is presumably how she was known.

On 1st June 1903, aged twenty, she married Thomas Lewis, who was only seventeen when they married. They went on to have eight children between 1905 and 1915, although the four youngest children all died as infants, including twins in 1910. The 1911 census finds them living at 15 Cobden Street. Thomas was working as a straw hat blocker, whilst was Elizabeth was described as a straw hat trimmer, working at home. Their four surviving children were all living with them on census night.

At the outbreak of the Second World War Elizabeth and Thomas were living at 11 Bailey Street in Luton. Thomas was described as an unemployed hat steamer at the time, whilst Elizabeth was described as doing unpaid domestic duties.

Elizabeth and Thomas were married for 38 years. Thomas died in 1941, aged 56. Immediately before his death they were living at 45 Henry Street. Elizabeth survived him by seventeen years. Elizabeth died on 17th August 1958 at St Mary's Hospital in Luton, aged 75.

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

   b. Elizabeth MOSS, March Quarter 1883, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 470, mother's maiden name Dalton

2. ↑ 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 1272; Folio 62; Page 35, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 28 Old Bedford Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Moss, head, married, male, 29 [1861/2], Labourer in Timber Yard, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Kate Moss, wife, married, female, 29 [1861/2], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Moss, daughter, single, female, 8 [1882/3], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Annie M. Moss, daughter, single, female, 6 [1884/5], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Louisa Moss, daughter, single, female, 5 [1885/6], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Arthur Moss, son, single, male, 1 [1889/90], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Moss, lodger, widower, male, 69 [1821/2], Sawyer, employed, b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire

3. ↑ 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 1518; Folio 8; Page 7, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 33 York Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   4 rooms occupied
   James Moss, head, married, male, 39 [1861/2], Wood chopper at Timber Yard, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Kate Moss, wife, married, female, 39 [1861/2], Straw Hat Finisher, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Lizzie Moss, daughter, single, female, 18 [1882/3], Straw Hat Finisher, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Annie Moss, daughter, single, female, 16 [1884/5], Straw Hat Finisher, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Louisa Moss, daughter, female, 13 [1887/8], Straw Hat Finisher, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Arthur Moss, son, male, 11 [1889/90], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Clara Moss, daughter, female, 6 [1894/5], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Eadie Moss, daughter, female, 3 [1897/8], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

4. ↑ 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 9003; Schedule 47, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 15 Cobden Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   4 rooms occupied
   'Thomas Lewis, head, male, 28 [1882/3], married 8 years, 6 children born to marriage, 4 still living, Blocker Straw hats - Straw Trade, worker, b. Luton
   Elizabeth Lewis, wife, female, 28 [1882/3], married, Trimmer Straw Hats - Straw Trade, worker at home, b. Luton
   Thomas Lewis, son, male, 5 [1905/6], b. Luton
   Stanley Lewis, son, male, 4 [1906/7], b. Luton
   Alfred Lewis, son, male, 3 [1907/8], b. Luton
   Percy Lewis, son, male, 2 [1908/9], b. Luton

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 General Register Office. 1939 Register
   Luton Municipal Borough, 29 Sep 1939.

   Address: 11 Bailey Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Lewis, Thomas / M / 15 Aug 1885 [originally written 82, corrected in later hand] / married / Unemployed Hat Steamer / Raid Warden Luton
   Lewis, Elizabeth / F / 17 Feb 1882 / married / Unpaid domestic duties

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

   Registration District Luton
   1958 DEATHS in the Sub-district of Luton Hospitals in the County of Bedford
   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
   70	Seventeenth August 1958 St. Mary's Hospital Luton	Elizabeth LEWIS	Female	75 years	of 8 Court Road, Luton Widow of Thomas Lewis, Hat Worker	Ia. Broncho-pneumonia II. Cerebral arterio-sclerosis Certified by H. Banks-Smith M.B.	S. Lewis Son Present at the death 12 Montague Avenue Luton	Eighteenth August 1958	Jean M. Speed Registrar