Elizabeth Wardell 1823-1886

Elizabeth Lafling was the daughter of William Laflin and Ann Pittock and was baptised in Manningtree on 27th July 1823. In the autumn of 2000, I was contacted by Brenda Marns from Western Australia, whose husband is descended from Elizabeth. She provided some of the following information. 

Elizabeth Lafling 1823-1886      |-Henry Wardell 1851-?   
     mar 1845 -------------------|-Frederick Wardell 1852-?
William Wardell  1822-1890       |-Elizabeth Ann Wardell 1855-?
                                 |-Louisa Caroline Wardell 1857-?
                                 |-George Wardell 1860-?
                                 |-Alice Maud Wardell 1863-?
                                 |-Alfred Wardell 1865-?
                                 |-Walter Wardell 1869-?

Like her brothers, Elizabeth left Manningtree and moved in to London. In 1841, Elizabeth Laflin, aged 18, was living at Brunswick Parade, St Mary Islington, Finsbury - this was the home of William Reed, a linen draper and Elizabeth was described as a "female servant".

On 3rd August 1845, a marriage was held in the parish church of St Georges in Middlesex after banns. The bride was Elizabeth Lafling, a spinster of full age (actually 22) living at 12 Upper Chapman Street and the daughter of William Lafling, a carpenter. The groom was William Wardell, a bachelor of full age and a sawyer living at 4 William Street and the son of John Wardell, a sawyer. The witnesses were John Lafling and Elizabeth Lambert and all four signed.

Their 10 children were born in Poplar, Limehouse and Stepney. In 1861 they were living at 14 Gun Lane, Limehouse with 5 children (Henry aged 10, Frederick aged 9, Elizabeth aged 6, Livinia aged 4 and George aged 1) and William was working as a Greengrocer.

In 1871, they were living at Gun Lane, Limehouse, accompanied by their children, and William was working as a greengrocer. Henry was now 20 and working as a barmen. Frederick was now 18 and working as a brass-finisher. The younger ones were Elizabeth Ann (aged 16), Louisa Caroline (aged 14), Alice Maud (aged 8), Alfred (aged 6) and Walter (aged 2). Compared with the previous census, "Livinia" has become "Louisa Caroline" and George has disappeared - he may have died young.

In 1881, they were living at 1a Sabberton Street, Poplar and William was working as a sawyer. With them were their two youngest sons, Alfred (a general labourer aged 16) and Walter (aged 13 and still at school) and a lodger, Thomas Kelly.

Elizabeth died on 8th December 1886, aged 63, at 74 Sabbarton St, Poplar, London. William died in the first quarter of 1890, aged 68.

Sources for this section.

Civil Registration Indexes available online from FreeBMD.
Civil Registration Indexes and 1841 Census available online from Findmypast.
private communication from Brenda Marns.

Page maintained by Susan Laflin. Last updated in December 2007.