Elizabeth Highfield were you telling lies?

[Biko]

My Great Grandmother is a  Elizabeth Highfield.(1881) Well that is the name she gave on her marriage certificate....I am begining to wonder about that.

She married a Thomas Worrall in Dec 1902 Chorlton

She also claimed she was born in Lancashire and her father was a Samuel Highfield, occupation Fustian Cutter.

I have searched/followed the line of all Elizabeth Highfields and variations of the name anything with an E. born within 20yrs of her claimed birth date. I have also searched and followed all Samuel Highfields (surprisingly it isn't that common a name)

And I have nothing...absolutely nothing after all these years. I can only conclude that somewhere along the way my grt grandmother told a few lies. Possibly about her age, her fathers name, his occupation, where she was born. Or maybe she just didn't know.

I am completely stumped by her...I haven't just hit a brick wall it's fallen on me.

Any help or guidence would be very much appreiciated.

Marjie

[avm228]

Hello Marjie

Did Elizabeth give any more precise birthplace than "Lancashire" in the 1911 census? Was her age in 1911 consistent with that given on the marriage certificate?

What was her address (and occupation, if any) at marriage?  Have you traced the occupants of that address in 1901?

Who were the witnesses to the marriage?

Anna

[Biko]

Hi Anna

She gives her place of birth as Manchester in the 1911 census and yes her age at the time is consistent with the marriage certificate. There is no occupation given and she shares the address with her husband Thomas Worrall 28 Cowcill St, C-O-M.
(that in itself speaks volumes)

The witnesses were P. Leonard and M. J. Welsh

Actually I haven't looked at who occupied the address in 1901 will do that now. But to add to the confusion I haven't be able to find Thomas Worrall in 1901 either. The only possiblity is one who is living in Liverpool with an uncle by the name of Horton.

However I do know that he served in the Boer War so may have already been in service in 1901(but somehow I doubt it)

The only other possible Elizabeth Highfield brn around this time in the 1901 census is a lodger in the Deansgate area born Lymm Cheshire and I have sent for that birth certificate and her father is not Samuel.

I really do think she told some porkys along the way or as managed to avoid all forms of registeration.

Marjie

[ivanidea]

The only other possible Elizabeth Highfield brn around this time in the 1901 census is a lodger in the Deansgate area born Lymm Cheshire and I have sent for that birth certificate and her father is not Samuel.

Hello Marjie

You've answered the question I was going to ask as to whether or not you had ruled out the Elizabeth Highfield from Lymm!

I mention it only because 3 of the Highfields living in Lymm in 1891 were Fustian Cutters!:

1891 census
RG12 Piece 2827 Folio 131 Page 46     
6, Morton Street, Lymm, Cheshire
HIGHFIELD, James Head Married 43 Bricklayer Ince,Cheshire 
HIGHFIELD, Ellen Wife Married 45 Fustian Cutter Lymm, Cheshire 
HIGHFIELD, James Son Single 18 Genl Labourer Lymm
HIGHFIELD, Ellen Daughter  14  1877 Fustian Cutter Didsbury, Cheshire 
HIGHFIELD, Thomas Son 12 Fustian Cutter Didsbury
HIGHFIELD, Joseph Father Widower 73 Laborer  Ince 

and there are other Highfields from Lymm who were Fustian Cutters.

Must just be coincidence!

Ivan

[Biko]

Hi Ivan

Yes I had followed that particular family because of the Fustian connection. Infact there was very little Fustian production within Manchester in this period and the name Highfield seems to be predominately from the Cheshire, Staffordshire and Lancashire(Chorley) areas.

I have a strong suspicion the Lymm Elizabeth Highfield is her, but why does she state her father is called Samuel...Did she not know? Is it a middle name?

She is so frustrating and more so because giving the period she was born she shouldn't be that difficult to trace. If I'd have started all this while my nan and her siblings were still alive maybe I would have got something from them about the mysterious Elizabeth Highfield.

Hoping someone can come at this with fresh eyes or come across a Highfield in their searches.

BMD have a few Samuel Highfields who I have been unable to find in the census

Marjie

[fizzix]

Hi Marjie,
I've found what appears to be this same family in 1881

RG11/3890/5
James INGLEFIELD 33 Bricklayer  Ince Cheshire
Ellen  36  Lymm
Joseph  11  Lymm
Mary  10  Lymm
James  8
Ellen  4  Didsbury
Thomas  2  Didsbury
Joseph  widow  56  Ince Cheshire

If this is them it explains why you can't find a birth & she would be too young to remember a change of name, although still doesn't expleain why.

they are also present on the 1871 RG10/3686/40

there's a possible marriage in Warrington June 1969 to Ellen Ditchfield

Hope this helps
Good luck
Jacqui