Elizabeth Walker
(1786-1872)

Elizabeth Walker (later Elizabeth Barber) was the third of the seven known children of Francis Walker and his wife Sarah of Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England.

Elizabeth married labourer Wenham Barber of the nearby village of Witcham, and together they had eight children, although sadly two died in infancy.

Elizabeth and Wenham's children appear in the Wesleyan Non-confirmist baptism register for St Mary's Church, Ely, a few miles South from their home in Littleport.

Wenham pre-deceased Elizabeth by forty years, leaving Elizabeth to care for her family alone, although his Will which was written the previous year, leaves his estate to her.

By 1841, she is noted as a Headmistress, and she continues in this role for at least ten years - appearing again in 1851 census, with the latter noting that she is running a "Dame School" at Sandhill, Littleport.

Elizabeth appears erroneously named as Mary Barber on the 1861 census - but her age, profession, location/order in the correct street, place of birth, and occupation, all in comparison to censuses either side of that one, make it almost certain that 'Mary' was actually Elizabeth.

In 1871, Elizabeth is noted as an 83 year old pauper, and she dies the following year.

Life Events

Born

• circa 1786 at Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England.

Baptised

• 3rd June 1786 at St. George's Church, Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England.

Married

• Wenham Barber (1784-1832) on 22nd July 1804 at St. Martin's Church, Witcham, Cambridgeshire, England.

Children

• Robert Barber (1807-1833)
• Wenham Barber (1810-1878) married Mary Padget (1809-18??)
• Mary Barber (1811-?)
• Susan Barber (1812-1829)
• William Barber (1814-1877) married Hannah Goltrip (1818-1895)
• John Barber (1816-1819)
• Jacob Barber (1819-1899) married Hannah Padget (1823-1893)
• Rebecca Barber (1828-1829)

Census and Residence

• 1841: 55yrs, Sandhill, Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1851: 63yrs, Sandhill, Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1861: 73yrs, Sandhill, Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1871: 83yrs, Sandhill, Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England.

Employment

• 1841-1851: Headmistress of Dame School at Littleport
• 1871: Pauper

Death

• January 1872 at Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England, aged 84 years.

Burial

• 27th January 1872 at St. George's Church, Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England.