Elizabeth Stephenson 1822- 1897 has no parents (Northumberland)

[kdsoph]

Hi There!

I am parent hunting again. This time it is for my 3xgreat-grandmother.

Did you know that every Stephenson daughter in Northumberland was named Elizabeth from 1820-1830?! 

Elizabeth is ducking and weaving me as I am having "issues" finding verifiable information about her. This is what I know and how I know it...

Elizabeth STEPHENSON
1822–1897
BIRTH ABT. 1822 • Kirkhaugh, Northumberland, England
DEATH 13 SEP 1897 • Bloomfield, Victoria, Australia


* According to other unverified sources, Elizabeth married Peter Armstrong (1822- 1890), the son of John Armstrong and Elizabeth Wilkinson, in 1847 in Gretna Green so I am having challenges finding a marriage registration as well as a correct birth registration.
Apparently, Peter's brother, Samuel, married the same year approx. in Gretna as well - (no record found though)

* I have her birth year from 1851 Census when she was living with Peter in Lambley, Northumberland.

* I can't verify her in the 1841 Census and the only thing I came up with that is a possibility is that Elizabeth may have been working as a servant in St. Andrew for the Robson family.

* Elizabeth arrived in Australia on board "the Melbourne" (after Peter who had gone ahead)  with her 3 children and her sister-in-law, Sarah 6 Nov 1857 age 35 - not a Stephenson in sight!

* I work on Ancestry.com.au site and other trees have her born in Garrigill near Alston and Christened on 10 Mar 1822 Alston but with no source citation nor parents mentioned.

* I have a transcript of her death registration
Age: 75  Name: Elizth Armstrong 
Birth Year: abt 1822  Age: 75 
Death Place: Broomfield, Victoria 
Father's name: Stephenson 
Registration Year: 1897 
Registration Place: Victoria 
Registration Number: 8034


I would be beside myself with glee if I could find at least her parents' names, delirious if I could then find any more information about them, including Elizabeth's siblings etc and completely over the moon if there is a record of Elizabeth and Peter's marriage in Gretna Green and why they went there to marry.

with Kind Regards
Kim

[oldohiohome]

I don't know enough about UK records to be of much help, but just a suggestion:
Why not start with what you do know for sure, for instance the 1851 census, and work back to the marriage?

Is this them:
1851 Census, Lambley, Northumberland
at 4 Chapel New House

Peter Armstrong, 29, born Kirkhaugh, Northumberland
Elizabeth, 29, b Kirkhaugh, Northumberland
John, 1, born Haltwhistle, Northumberland
Hannah Jane, 5m, born Lambley, Northumberland

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SG6Q-C3Y [with a little help from the image at ancestry.com]

If so, I'd personally look for a marriage later than 1847, in either Kirkhaugh or Haltwhistle, Northumberland. Is that close to Greta Green? This American would need to Google it.

The marriage record should give her father's name. Then same for her birth, assume Kirkhaugh is correct. But the year puts you before the Civil Registration, so I don't know where you would go for that.

[oldohiohome]

The children's birth index information agree with Elizabeth's death index that Elizabeth's maiden name was Stephenson:

ARMSTRONG, JOHN mmn: STEPHENSON     
GRO Reference: 1849  J Quarter in HALTWHISTLE UNION  Volume 25  Page 316


ARMSTRONG, HANNAH  JANE mmn: STEPHENSON     
GRO Reference: 1850  D Quarter in HALTWHISTLE UNION  Volume 25  Page 290

[kdsoph]

Thank you so much for replying,

Yes, that is them on the 1851 Census.
Yes, Gretna Green, is over the border, about 26 miles (43km) northwest of Lambley where I am pretty sure, Elizabeth was working at the time with the Robson family; with whom they were living in the 1851 Census.
Their first child was born in April 1849 so the 1847 marriage fits. The latest would be 1848. I have scoured for their marriage for years.

You are fabulous though
thank you.
Kim

[brigidmac]

You may be wasting your time looking for a marriage they could have said they were married  to legitimise their children.
My great uncle D had a son in Belfast then a daughter in Scotland..I looked for marriage everywhere before finding daughters baptism record said the parents were unmarried..he died when she was a baby but the common law wife used his surname on all records. Daughters Marriage cert also noted that she was illegitimate daughter of D

[Dundee]

Do the marriage details match on the two Victorian birth certs for Peter and Elizabeth's children?

These families were Wesleyan.  The marriage of Samuel and Margaret is here, and her maiden name can be confirmed by the birth reg of daughter Hannah and baptism of son William.

Durham Diocese, Marriage Bonds & Allegations, 1692-1900

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6SV3-W2X
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6SV3-H58

You need to find out if the Wesleyan marriage registers for the Kirkhaugh/Haltwhistle area have survived.

Debra 

[Jamjar]

Could this be her on the 1841, it’s not so far from her place of birth?:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7W6-L8H

In case you don’t have it, Peter’s death notice, 3rd column: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article209577899

Jamjar

[Jamjar]

Have you looked at a WILKINSON connection for Elizabeth, given that it is son Joseph’s middle name?

An aside, write up on death of Joseph: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article114932744

A Stephenson/Wilkinson marriage in Allendale:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NVNS-DVZ

Notice for son John Stevenson Armstrong: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73327093

Jamjar

[Dundee]

Sorry, I just realised I am looking at the wrong Samuel.  That one was, I think, Peter's uncle?

Debra