Person:Elizabeth Neal (10)

Elizabeth Neal was baptised on 16th June 1844 at Toddington in Bedfordshire, daughter of a straw plaiter named Sarah Neal, formerly Gobby. Sarah's husband, William Neal, was not Elizabeth's father; he had been transported to Australia in 1837 for sheep stealing. Sarah went on to marry again when Elizabeth was about one year old, with her second husband being an agricultural labourer called Joseph Kempson. He was not Elizabeth's father either, as he had been serving a year's sentence in Bedford Gaol between March 1843 and March 1844. However, for much of her childhood Elizabeth was described as Elizabeth Kempson, taking her stepfather's surname.

In the late 1840s the family left Toddington and moved to the small hamlet of Chalk Hill in the parish of Houghton Regis. A boy called Joseph White, who was about a year older than Elizabeth, also lived at Chalk Hill at the time. Elizabeth and her family later moved to Totternhoe, where they appear in the 1851 census with Elizabeth working as a straw plaiter. By 1861 they had moved into the nearby town of Dunstable, living on Church Street.

In 1864, aged 20, Elizabeth married Joseph White who had been her neighbour as a child. They married in Luton and settled there, having twelve children there between 1865 and 1889. Each census from 1871 to 1911 finds them living at a different address in the town. Elizabeth worked as a straw bonnet sewer, whilst Joseph was a bricklayer's labourer. Elizabeth's mother died in Luton Union Workhouse in 1873, whilst her stepfather Joseph Kempson died in 1880.

In 1911 Elizabeth reported that eight of her twelve children were still living. The infirmity column of the census form also says "paralysis 58", indicating that she had been paralysed since the aged of 58. She died in 1912, aged 68. Joseph outlived her by about eleven years.

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

   b. Elizabeth NEALE, June Quarter 1844, Woburn Registration District, Volume 6, page 108, mother's maiden name Gobby

2. ↑ England. Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast).

   ch. 16 Jun 1844, Toddington, Bedfordshire: Elizabeth daughter of Sarah Neal

   Needs to be confirmed at Bedfordshire Archives.

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 1757; Folio 12; Page 17, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Joseph Kempson, head, married, male, 35 [1815/6], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Kempson, wife, married, female, 41 [1809/10], Straw Plaiter, b. Wobourn [sic], Bedfordshire
   David Kempson, son, male, 11 [1839/40], Straw Plaiter, b. Stanbridge, Bedfordshire
   George Kempson, son, male, 8 [1842/3], Straw Plaiter, b. Stanbridge, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, daughter, female, 7 [1843/4], Straw Plaiter, b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   James Kempson, son, male, 4 [1846/7], Scholar, b. Puddle Hill, Bedfordshire
   Rebecca Kempson, daughter, female, 1 [1849/50], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire

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 1011; Folio 48; Page 3, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Church Street, Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   Joseph Kempson, head, married, male, 44 [1816/7], Ag[ricultural] Labourer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Kempson, wife, married, female, 51 [1809/10], Straw Plaiter, b. Wobourn [sic], Bedfordshire
   Rebbecca Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 18 [1842/3], Straw Plaiter, b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 17 [1843/4], Straw Plaiter, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   James Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 14 [1846/7], Straw Plaiter, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 8 [1852/3], b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire

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 1572; Folio 30; Page 9, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 8 Park Lane, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Joseph White, head, married, male, 28 [1842/3], Bricklayer's Laborer, b. Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth White, wife, married, female, 27 [1843/4], Straw Bonnet Sewer, b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   John White, son, male, 6 [1865/6], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Albert White, son, male, 4 [1866/7], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Frederick White, son, male, 3mo [1870/1], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

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 1652; Folio 36; Page 19, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 18 Foundry Lane, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Joseph White, head, married, male, 37 [1843/4], Bricklayers Labourer, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth White, wife, married, female, 37 [1843/4], b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   John White, son, unmarried, male, 17 [1863/4], Bricklayers Labourer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Albert White, son, male, 14 [1866/7], Errand Boy, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Frederick White, son, male, 11 [1869/70], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Emily White, daughter, female, 7 [1873/4], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Annie White, daughter, female, 5 [1875/6], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   George White, son, male, 3 [1877/8], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ada White, daughter, female, 2mo [1881], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

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 1274; Folio 18; Page 29, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 16 Cowper Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Joseph White, head, married, male, 46 [1844/5], Labourer (General), employed, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth White, wife, married, female, 47 [1843/4], b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   Emily White, daughter, single, female, 18 [1872/3], Straw Hat Machinist, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   George White, son, single, male, 12 [1878/9], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ada White, daughter, female, 10 [1880/1], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Maud White, daughter, female, 8 [1882/3], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ethel White, daughter, female, 4 [1886/7], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Lilla White, daughter, female, 2 [1888/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

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 1516; Folio 57; Page 30, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 48 Cowper Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Joseph White, head, married, male, 57 [1843/4], Bricklayers Labourer, worker, b. Chalk Hill, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth White, wife, married, female, 56 [1844/5], b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   Frederick White, son, single, male, 30 [1870/1], Coal Carter, worker, b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   George White, son, single, male, 22 [1878/9], Straw Hat Packer, worker, b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   Ada White, daughter, single, female, 20 [1880/1], Straw Hat Finisher, worker, b. Toddington, Bedfordshrie
   Maud White, daughter, single, female, 18 [1882/3], Straw Hat Machinist, worker, b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   Ethel White, daughter, single, female, 14 [1886/7], Straw Hat Finisher, worker, b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   Lily White, daughter, single, female, 12 [1888/9], b. Toddington, Bedfordshire

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 8997; Schedule 490, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 43 Ashton Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   5 rooms occupied
   Joseph White, head, male, 66 [1844/5], married, Bricklayer Labour, worker, b. Chalk Hill, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth White, wife, female, 66 [1844/5], married 46 years, 12 children born to marriage, 8 still living, b. Billington, Bedfordshire, Paralysis 58
   Lily White, daughter, female, 22 [1888/9], single, Washing, worker - at home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Stanley Taylor, son in law, male, 24 [1886/7], married, Coal Carter, worker, b. Caddington, Bedfordshire
   Ethel Taylor, wife, female, 24 [1886/7], married 2 years, 1 child born to marriage, 0 children still living, Straw Hat Finisher, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire

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

    d. Elizabeth WHITE, September Quarter 1912, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 272, aged 68 [1843/4]

11. ↑ Luton Times and Advertiser, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 8, 26 Jul 1912.

    DEATHS
    July 22nd, at 43, Ashton-road, Luton, Elizabeth White, aged 68 years.