Very little is known about Elizabeth Monica Lawrence. From the certificate for her marriage to Thomas Percy Hilditch we learn that, at least before April 8th, she was 20 years old in 1912; although she was apparently only 18 at the time of the 1911 census, suggesting her birthday was between April 3rd and April 7th. She was a spinster and her deceased father was named as Thomas Lawrence. At the time of her marriage she was residing at 24 Cranston Road, Forest Hill in Kent.

Elizabeth Hilditch née Lawrence October 1923

Family recollection suggests that she was born at the Islington Workhouse and this could be true. On July 4th 1892, Elizabeth, daughter of Elizabeth Lawrence, was born at Islington Workhouse, St John's Road. This wasn't the only workhouse in the area however and although there was an Elizabeth Lawrence at the St John's Workhouse recorded in the 1881 census, she was a widow aged 68, from Monmouth. There is no sign of Elizabeth Lawrence, senior, in the 1891 census either.

In 1901 Lizzie Lawrence, aged 8 and born in Holloway, was recorded as a visitor in the household of George Chalkley at 10 Gordon Road, Hornsey. This family had moved from Stevenage at least ten years before, and one of their daughters, Elizabeth, had married a silversmith named Albert Fred Howard. The young couple were living in Hornsey with their baby daughter. Ten years later Elizabeth and Albert Howard had moved into rooms in 10 Gordon Road, joining the now much smaller Chalkley family at the address. Elizabeth Monica Lawrence, aged 18 and born in Hornsey, is also listed at the same house. Her occupation is given as typist and she is described as a visitor once again, but this time visiting George Chalkley's daughter and son-in-law. Was this more than a coincidental occasional visit? One might think so, particularly as Albert Fred Howard was one of the witnesses at Elizabeth's marriage a year later.

A possible explanation is that many young children living in workhouses were found suitable homes locally where they could be looked after as one of the family. If this was the case for Elizabeth then she seems to have had a lasting relationship with her "foster" family.

Another photograph of Elizabeth, this time with her three daughters.

On the reverse appears the inscription "Priscilla, Gwen, Baby, Mama October 23rd 1923" and above "Baby" is written "Jess", in brackets.

The 1911 census provides cause for some intriguing possibilities involving Elizabeth, some of them verging on the very probable. Use the link below to see more.

Census 1911