Nat Gould

Elizabeth Austin 1855-1920

Milldale Village

Elizabeth Austin was born in 1855 at Milldale in Staffordshire, the daughter of John Murrell Bennington 1828-1901 and Hannah Austin. She was born before her parents married, and was known in the family as Bessie.

In 1861 she was living with her parents and infant brother William Bennington at Milldale in the household of her widowed great-grandmother Hannah Austin, born in 1776 at Ballidon, Derbyshire.

Ten years larer she was working as a servant in the household of John Beardmore, a farmer of 27 acres at Alstonefield, Staffordshire.

On 6 November 1873 she was married at Alstonefield in Staffordshire to Matthew Mellor of Longnor in Staffordshire, where they spent the rest of their lives. They were living at Top o' th' Edge there in 1881, Matthew Mellor then being recorded as a "labourer at limework". By 1891 they had moved to Dog Lane down in Longnor village. Elizabeth Mellor was then working as a charwoman.

Signature on 1911 Census Return

By 1901 they had moved to Town Head in Longnor, and Elizabeth became qualified as a certified midwife.

They had thirteen children, of whom seven were alive and six dead when the 1911 Census was taken. Their children included the following:

Mary Hannah Mellor. She was born in 1874. In 1891 she was working in Thornhill, Yorkshire. She married Thomas Armett, born in Longnor in 1871 the son of Thomas Armett 1841-1907 and his wife nee Ann Bradbury of Longnor 1841-1906. In 1901 they were living at Glutton Bridge, Earl Sterndale in Derbyshire, but later moved up to Longnor. They had the following children: Sarah Ann Armett (born in 1899; she was married to Jervis Wood Brindley 1886-1927), Mary Jane Armett (born in 1901), and Charlotte Elizabeth Armett (born in 1904). Mary Hannah Armett nee Mellor died in 1906 aged 31 years.

John James Mellor. He was born in 1878 at Buxton in Derbyshire.

William Mellor. He was born 1878 in Buxton, and had become a stone mason by 1901. He died in 1949 aged 72 years.

Sarah A Mellor. She was born on 2 April 1881. When the Census was taken on 3 April 1881 she was one day old.

Matthew Mellor. He was born 1883. He died in 1889 aged sixteen years.

Retta Elizabeth Mellor. She was born in 1885, and died in 1905 aged 20 years.

Emma Wood Mellor. She was born in 1887, and died in 1925 aged 37 years.

Thomas Mellor. He was born 1890. In 1911 he was working as a cowman for Booth Millward at Cold Springs Farm near Buxton.
Annie Mellor. She was born in 1894.

Martha Mellor. She was born in 1898.

Herbert Mellor. He was born 1903.

Their mother Elizabeth (Bessie) Mellor died in 1920 aged 65 years.

Her husband Matthew Mellor died in 1915 aged 74 years.