Person:Elizabeth Osborn (28)

Elizabeth or Betsy Osborn was born on 30th June 1826 and baptised the following month at Totternhoe in Bedfordshire, daughter of a labourer called Stewart Osborn and his wife Mary. Elizabeth's father appears to have died in 1837. The 1841 census finds Elizabeth living with her mother and siblings at The Green in Totternhoe.

On Christmas Day 1845, aged 19, Elizabeth married Amos Kempson at Totternhoe. They went on to have eight children at Totternhoe between 1847 and 1864, although at least three died young. The 1851 census describes Elizabeth as a straw plaiter, whilst Amos was an agricultural labourer. The 1861 census specifies that the family were living at Lower End in Totternhoe.

By 1871 the family had moved to the neighbouring village of Stanbridge, where they lived on Totternhoe Road. Amos was by this time working as a straw dealer, whilst Elizabeth was described as 'domestic', although it is unclear whether this means she was principally engaged in domestic duties at home, or whether she was also employed as a domestic servant.

Amos died in 1879, aged 54. The 1881 census finds Elizabeth living at Houghton Regis and working as a straw plaiter. She had two apparently unrelated visitors staying with her on census night.

By 1891 Elizabeth had moved to Ivinghoe in Buckinghamshire, lodging at 6 Back Lane with another widow. Elizabeth's daughter Eliza lived with her husband in the same row of cottages. Elizabeth died in 1893, aged 66.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, England. Parish Register Transcripts (Bedfordshire Family History Society).

   ch. 30 Jul 1826, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire: Betsy daughter of Steward & Mary Osborne, labourer, Notes: 4th daughter, Born 30 Jun 1826

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 5; Book 36; Folio 7; Page 8, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: The Green, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Mary Osborn, female, 45 [1791-6], Straw Plaiter, born in county
   Fanny Osborn, female, 15 [1821-6], born in county
   Betsy Osborn, female, 14 [1826/7], born in county
   Rebecca Osborn, female, 11 [1829/30], born in county
   George Osborn, male, 5 [1835/6], 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 1757; Folio 14; Page 21, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Amos Kempson, head, married, male, 26 [1824/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, wife, married, female, 24 [1826/7], Straw Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   William Kempson, son, male, 3 [1847/8], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Thomas Kempson, son, 9m [1850], 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 1010; Folio 19; Page 10, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Lower End, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Amos Kempson, head, married, male, 33 [1827/8], Labourer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, wife, married, female, 34 [1826/7], Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   William Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 13 [1847/8], Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Thomas Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 10 [1850/1], Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   George Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 8 [1852/3], Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 5 [1855/6], Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Alfred Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 1 [1859/60], b. Totternhoe, 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 1562; Folio 100; Page 23, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Totternhoe Road, Stanbridge, Bedfordshire
   Amos Kempson, head, married, male, 45 [1825/6], Straw Dealer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, wife, married, female, 44 [1826/7], Domestic, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Thomas Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 20 [1850/1], Straw Cutter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   George Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 18 [1852/3], Straw Cutter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Kempson, daughter, female, 14 [1856/7], Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Kempson, daughter, female, 7 [1863/4], Scholar, b. Totternhoe, 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 1647; Folio 52; Page 11, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Turnpike Road, Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, widow, female, 54 [1826/7], Straw Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   George Bonham, visitor, married, male, 26 [1854/5], Lab[ourer] Ag[ricultura]l, b. Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire
   Elizabeth Bonham, visitor, married, female, 29 [1851/2], Straw Plaiter, b. Cheddington, Buckinghamshire

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 1267; Folio 5; Page 3, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 6 Back Lane, Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire
   4 rooms occupied
   Ellen Fields, head, widow, female, 62 [1828/9], Plaiter, employed, b. Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, lodger, widow, female, 63 [1827/8], Plaiter, b. Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire

   Although the birthplace of this Elizabeth is given as Ivinghoe, there is no evidence from the earlier censuses of an Elizabeth Kempson from Ivinghoe. At 10 Back Lane Elizabeth's daughter Eliza was living with her husband Edwin Rogers and their children.

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

   d. Elizabeth KEMPSON, March Quarter 1893, Leighton Buzzard Registration District, Volume 3b, page 253, aged 65 [1827/8]