Elizabeth (Oxborough) Burch (1877)

Born 1877 in Bigges Main, Northumberland, England

Ancestors

Wife of Jeremiah Harry Burch — married 1901 in Beccles, Suffolk, England

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Donna Wakenight [send private message]

Biography

Sources

Information obtained from Ancestry.com (1) 1881 to 1911 England Census', (2) England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915 and (3) England & Wales FreeBMD Marriage Index, 1837-1915.

Notes

Elizabeth married Jeremiah Burch in 1901 Beccles, Suffolk. Three known children were born to this marriage, Reginald Walter Albert (1906 Beccles to 8 Jul 1944 France), Eileen Frances (27 Jun 1908 to 1997) and Basil Jeremiah (5 Sep 1909 to 1981), all born in Beccles.

I could not find a death record for Elizabeth. I know Reginald lived in Leicester, Eileen moved to Greenwich and Basil stayed in Beccles.

I was trying to find Walter on the 1871 England Census, with no luck. I then tried to find birth records on the four children born in Northumberland, again with no luck.

Lorina's first name is a little unique, so I removed the surname Oxborough from my search. I found a Lorina Oxborough Ward, Ward being the surname. I did the same search on Eliza, Charles and Elizabeth, with the same results. Their official surname is listed as Ward on the BMD records.

I then went back to the 1871 England Census and typed in Walter Ward. I found Walter J Ward, Eliza (wife), Walter and George (sons) living in Bigges Main, Little Benton, Northumberland. Walter's occupation was listed as a mason. On all the other Census' his occupation was listed as a bricklayer. I consider mason and bricklayer as meaning the same.

I am not sure why Walter changed his surname to Ward. When they moved back to Beccles, he changed his surname back to Oxborough.

I then wondered if the four children were adopted; however, on the 1911 England Census, Eliza states that she had 12 children, with 11 still living at that time.

If anyone has any ideas on why he changed his surname, please feel free to respond.

Also of note . . . .

Besides the four children's birth records on the BMD, I found son, Charles, had listed his name as Charles Oxborough Ward on the British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920. He had enlisted on 28 Jun 1916 and was discharged on 4 Jun 1918. Why was he still using the surname Ward? The marriage and death records had the surname listed as Oxborough.