Elizabeth Brenton (1835 - 1904)

Born 16 Aug 1835 in St Issey, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Wife of Henry Brenton — married 21 Nov 1857 in St Issey, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 1904 at about age 68 in Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Elizabeth Brenton was born in Cornwall, England.

(Not to be confused with the other Elizabeth Brenton baptised in the same year in St Issey, the daughter of William and Clarissa Brenton!)

Elizabeth Brenton was born on the 16th August 1835 and baptised on the 6th September 1835 in St Issey^[1] and the census records confirm that as her birthplace. She was the fourth child of ten born to the couple, Francis Brenton and Betsy Ball. Fortunately, the names and birth dates of these ten children are confirmed in a family bible owned by my 4th cousin, Kevin Brenton. He has kindly passed on a photo of this wonderful resource (see image attached).

There was a lot of variation in the spelling of Elizabeth's surname so it's no surprise that she was recorded as Brinton in her first census in 1841.^[2] Obviously, the adult ages were rounded down in this census so her parents, Francis and 'Betsey', were both listed as 35, and living in Tredinnick, St Issey. He is working as an agricultural labourer and they have five children at this point: Joanna (10), Henry (8), Elizabeth (6), Mary (3), and Jane (1).

By the 1851 Census, Elizabeth was aged 16 and working as a house servant for Grace Paynter, a widowed farmer.^[3] They were living at Church Town, St Issey. Sadly, Elizabeth's young brother, Francis, died this year at the age of ten.

Elizabeth Brenton married a Henry Brenton (from St Breock) on the 21st November 1857 at St Issey.^[4][5] The original parish register tells us that Henry was 22, residing in Trevorrick, a bachelor and labourer with a father, Henry. Elizabeth was recorded as being a spinster, 23 years of age, with a father, Francis, labourer.

In the 1861 Census, the family were living at Cleave Cottages, Chapel Street, Lanteglos-by-Camelford, Cornwall. Henry 'Brenter' was 25, and an agricultural labourer, and Elizabeth was also 25 but now had two children: Emma (3), born in St Breock, and Francis (10 months), born in Camelford.^[6]

Ten years later in the 1871 Census, the family had moved to 'Hawkesland', St Issey.^[7] Henry (36) was still working as a 'farm lab', and living with wife Elizabeth (35), and four of their five children: Emma (13), Joseph H (7), William (6) and Samuel (2).

In the 1881 Census, the family were living at Tredore Lane, St Issey.^[8] Henry, now 46, had the same occupation and was living with wife Elizabeth (46), and sons, William (16) and Samuel (12).

In the next two censuses, the children have all moved out and Henry and Elizabeth are on their own. In the 1891 Census,^[9] they are living at Halfway House, St Issey, and in the 1901 Census,^[10] they are living at Riversdale, Wadebridge. They were still living at Riversdale when husband, Henry, passed away in 1901, and Elizabeth was to follow three years later, dying in Wadebridge in 1904 at the age of 69. She was buried in St Breock on the 11th May 1904.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NGSV-WT5 : 11 February 2018, Elizabeth Brenton, 06 Sep 1835); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 246,875.
2. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQB3-LBF : 23 May 2019), Francis Brinton, St Issey, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
3. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SG2C-F3J : 11 September 2019), Elizabeth Brenton in household of Grace Paynter, St Issey, Cornwall, England; citing St Issey, Cornwall, England, p. 7, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
4. ↑ UK marriage registration: St Columb, Vol 5c, Page 193, December quarter 1857 (Henry Brenton/Elizabeth Brenton).
5. ↑ "England, Cornwall Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJHB-FZ4N : 18 July 2017), Henry Brenton and Elizabeth Brenton, 21 Nov 1857; citing Marriage, St Issey, Cornwall, England, Cornwall Records Office, Truro.
6. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M74V-XBH : 20 April 2019), Elizabeth Brenter in household of Henry Brenter, Lanteglos by Camelford, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
7. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDZG-5KS : 25 April 2019), Elizabeth Brenton in entry for Henry Brenton, 1871.
8. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27H-N35V : 11 December 2017), Elizabeth Brenton in household of Henry Brenton, St Issey, Cornwall, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales Census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 3, Piece/Folio 2295/14, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,774,197.
9. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W6B7-7W2 : 4 May 2019), Elizabeth Brenton in household of Harry Brenton, St Issey, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Cornwall county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
10. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSHD-JJW : 21 May 2019), Elizabeth Brenton in household of Henry Brenton, Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Egloshayle subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.

• St Issey Parish Register of Baptisms and Marriages, original image as seen on Family Search and the Cornwall Record Office, plus on microfiche at Wadebridge Library.
• St Breock Parish Register of Burials, original image as seen at the Cornwall Record Office, plus on microfiche at Wadebridge Library.
• Transcriptions of many, varied record-types can be found at the excellent (and free) website of the Cornwall OPC Database at his link: [1].