Elizabeth Barber

(1867 - ????)

Elizabeth Barber was born to Henry Barber and Jane Barber (nee Bartlett) in the Bridgwater Union Workhouse on 05 October 1867. The workhouse entry records Jane as her mother and under the heading, "from what parish admitted" is stated vagrant - a term often used to denote not from the parish.

No baptisim record could be found but the GRO birth record confirms the above details and further identifies her father as Henry Barber, a Tinman - Journeyman. Jane Barber registered the birth and was presumably unable to write as she 'made her mark'.

At the time of the 1881 census, Elizabeth is the only Barber living in Bridgwater. She is recorded as the 13 year old adopted daughter of the Cox family; shopkeepers living at 35 Eastover.

The combination of adoption, same fathers name / occupation and that Elizabeth is the only Barber living in Bridgwater would suggest that Elizabeth is the sister of John Barber.

Elizabeth is recorded in the Bridgwater workhouse records as the mother of an unnamed child, born in the workhouse on 12 June 1889. It identifies that Elizabeth was admitted from Bridgwater parish and that the child was illegitimate. It further identifies that the child was not baptised.

GRO records identify the birth of Eva Witridge Barber in Bridgwater during June quarter 1889 (ref 5c 3?9). Her death was recorded during the December quarter of the same year (ref 5c 250).

The 1891 census of Westbury on Trym, Bristol identifies a 22 year old, Bridgwater born, Elizabeth Barber living in as a housemaid at 2 Tyndalls Park Road. The signifgicance of this has yet to be understood.

Further research into the life of Elizabeth has yet to be completed.