Elizabeth's baptismal record, from St Lawrence church in Ramsgate, states that she was baptised on 5th November 1826. Her parents were George and Sarah Ansell.
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| 1826 Baptism of Elizabeth Ansell (courtesy of Find My Past) |
I believe that Elizabeth's parents were George Ansell (1793 - 1881) and Sarah Cecilia Pettrie (1798 - 1869). I'm not entirely sure about Elizabeth's mother. From census returns it would appear that Sarah was from the Orkney Isles in Scotland but it has proved a little difficult tracking her down.
The first census document that Elizabeth appears on is that for 1841. At the age of 16 she was living in part of a house in Farley Place in Ramsgate. Elizabeth was living with her younger sister, Cecilia, who was 13 years old. At the time Elizabeth and Cecilia's parents and siblings were living in a different house. Now, I'll be honest, this has puzzled me for some time. I don't understand why 2 young teenage girls were living away from their family yet their brothers were with their parents. There is clearly something that I'm not aware of happening here! Sadly it may possibly explain what was to happen to Elizabeth later.
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| 1841 Census (courtesy of Find My Past) |
As far as I have found so far Elizabeth's siblings were:
George Horatio 1824 - 1844
Cecilia Margaret 1829 - 1879
Alfred Wheatley 1834 - 1908
This doesn't seem many siblings for the time so there may probably be some that I've missed.
On 2nd December 1848 Elizabeth Ansell married shipwright Abraham William Bristow. Abraham was obviously a little younger than Elizabeth as he was listed as a minor on the marriage certificate whereas Elizabeth was of full age.
Interestingly both Abraham and Elizabeth were able to sign their names rather than sign their mark. I suppose, as a shipwright, it would be expected for Abraham to be able to write due to his profession.
On the 1851 census Elizabeth and Abraham were living at 25 Camden Square in Ramsgate. This Square still exists today but their house seems to have been demolished. Still, it is good to see the other houses in the area which are probably similar to their house.
In 1851 Elizabeth and Abraham have 2 young children, Abraham William junior and Emma Elizabeth.
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| 1851 Census (courtesy of Find My Past) |
Elizabeth and Abraham were to have 9 children. Sadly several of them died before their parents.
Their children were:
Abraham William 1849 - 1877
Emily Elizabeth 1850 - 1852
Henry George 1852 - 1857
Alfred John 1853 - 1882
Cecilia Emily 1855 - 1857
Lavinia Eleanor 1858 - 1917
Frederick Henry 1861 - 1929
Walter Ernest 1865 - 1866
Horace Walter 1867 - 1955
Unfortunately Abraham and Alfred were to die during the course of their work as fishermen and were drowned at sea. Emily died of diarrhoea. Little Henry died after falling off a cliff and Walter died of gastric fever.
On the 1861 census Elizabeth and Abraham had moved to 3 Adelaide Place in Ramsgate. For a very short while, at some point between 1851 and 1861, Abraham was the landlord of a pub called the Fountain Inn in York Street in Ramsgate. At least 2 of his youngest children were born there. The pub no longer exists although York Street does.
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| 1861 Census (courtesy of Find My Past) |
In 1871 Elizabeth and her family were living in Albion Cottage somewhere on Albion Hill in Ramsgate. It is quite likely that Elizabeth was showing signs of the illness which was to kill her.
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| 1871 Census (courtesy of Find My Past) |
Not long after the 1871 census was taken Elizabeth was admitted into Barming Heath Asylum in Maidstone. She had been showing distressing symptoms and so was placed in the Asylum for her, and her family's, safety. At some point Elizabeth had contracted syphilis. Whether this was due to her earlier time living on her own or caught from her husband (which was very common) I don't know.
Sadly, Elizabeth died in Barming Heath Asylum on 18th October 1872. Her age of death on the death certificate was given as 43 years but she was probably a little older, possibly 45. Still, such a very young age and certainly a tragic end.
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