Person:Elizabeth Thrussell (1)

Elizabeth Thrussell was born on 1st November 1753 at Hitchin in Hertfordshire, daughter of Elizabeth Thrussell, formerly Jeeves, and her husband John Thrussell, a labourer and victualler. Elizabeth was the eldest of her parents' three daughters, although she was the only one to survive to adulthood. Elizabeth's mother died in 1759, when young Elizabeth was only five years old. Her baby sister Ann died shortly afterwards. Her other sister, Sarah, died four years later, aged seven.

Elizabeth's next sighting is on 2nd October 1778, when she married a labourer named John Stokes at Hitchin. After their marriage, Elizabeth and John moved a few miles south to the town of Ware, where their eldest daughter was baptised in 1780. It would appear that John was serving in the militia at the time. They later returned to Hitchin, where they had another four children baptised between 1783 and 1793 and John worked again as a labourer. Their second child died at the age of two.

Sarah's eldest daughter, Elizabeth, married in 1802, and Sarah's first known grandchild was born the following year. Sarah's daughter Elizabeth died as a young woman in 1806, aged 25. Sarah's son Edward died in 1813 aged 24. Only two of Sarah's five children survived her.

John died in 1817, aged 70. At the time of his death they were living at Hollow Lane on the eastern side of the town. Elizabeth outlived him by eight years and was buried on 5th September 1825 at Hitchin. She was 71 years old, and she had seen at least thirteen grandchildren born in her lifetime. She had been living in an alms house immediately before her death.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Church of England. Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Hitchin. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   1753
   Born: Nov[embe]r 1
   Bap[tise]d: Nov[embe]r 28
   Elizabeth Dau[ghte]r of Jno & Eliz[abeth] Thrustle Lab[oure]r

   Whilst no named connection has been found, this baptism has been linked to the Elizabeth Thrussell who married John Stokes on the basis that it is at about the time implied by her death record and in the same parish in which the adult Elizabeth married, had most of her children and was buried. No evidence has been found to suggest that the Elizabeth baptised in 1753 died young or married anyone other than John Stokes, nor has any other plausible Elizabeth Thrussell birth or baptism record been found.

2. ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Hitchin. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   BURIALS in the Parish of Hitchin in the County of Hertford in the Year 1825
   No.	Name	Abode	When buried	Age	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   778	Elizabeth Stokes	Alm's House	Sep[tember] 5	73 [1751/2]	H. Wiles