Elizabeth and John Davis

Elizabeth Empson was born in 1846 and baptised in Fulbrook, north east of Burford in Oxfordshire. Her parents were Charlotte and Thomas Empson. In 1851 she was living with her parents still in Fulbrook. Also living there were siblings Joseph (13), Mary Ann (11) and William (1). By 1861 she was living with her brother Joseph, a beer house keeper and working as a servant, in Marylebone, London. In 1869 she married John Davis in Newbury. John had been widowed, probably earlier that year. John was a Grocer's Porter, born in Aldbourne, Wilts in 1833. His first wife Mary was older than him and had an illegitimate child, William Spruce, who lived with them.

John and Mary were living in Waterloo Place, off West Street in 1871. By 1881 Elizabeth was a live-in housekeeper to Henry Somerset, the son of the owner of Newbury Brewery, on Northbrook Street. John also lived there, still working as a Grocer's Porter.

By 1891 Henry Somerset had married and moved out of town (to Halfway), John and Elizabeth had moved across the road, near to the Hopson's shop. John is now listed as a Caterer/Coffee House. Elizabeth's mother Charlotte Empson was now living with them.

Charlotte died in 1896 aged 91. John died in 1900, aged 67. In 1901 Elizabeth, a widow, is living on her own at 1, Albany Place, off the south end of Bartholomew Street.
Elizabeth died in 1917, aged 71.

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