HUMPHRIES Elizabeth Sarah (or Sophia?) Brighton 1856/7/8?

[TimCSS]

Annette: I am not fixated on Elizabeth Sophia, I have an open mind on the whole thing! I had found the marriage you mention but had assumed it to be a double wedding, ie: a brother and sister getting married at the same time. I haven't applied for that certificate though. I couldn't find a birth for her either so thought it would be before 1837. However, by that time John Laing was already living at Powis Villas Brighton and I can't put that Elizabeth anywhere near there at the right time. Of course, I could be, and probably am wrong!
John Laing had two daughters one of whom died in infancy. He is buried at Horton in Bucks, (right under the flightpath for Heathrow!) together with his first wife and infant daughter as that is where his first wife came from. She was Lydia Whitefoord Bailey, (spelt Whiteford in the register but she signed it Whitefoord, / and sometimes with an e at the end) They married at St Michael's Horton on 6th January 1827 with consent of her mother Mary Bailey, widow. The witnesses were all relatives of one or the other family. John Laing's address is only given as 'St Mary parish in Kennington in the County of Surrey. Somewhere I'm sure I had the full address there and a later one in London where his daughter lived after her marriage. Strangely Lydia died at Tunbridge Wells not far from where we live. I haven't found out why she was there but taking the waters at TW Pantiles for various ailments was in vogue at the time.
Nell: I know what you mean about a servant girl getting in the wrong bed!
As you probably all realise, I've got paperwork concerning this coming out of my ears, but nothing for Elizabeth Sarah! That is why I decided to give it another 'push' now. Thanks to all. TCS.

[jonwarrn]

Elizabeth Sarah Humphries, dau. of James, fruiterer, married Thomas Humphries (yes, same surname), Chemist, son of John Humphries, tea dealer)  on 26/7/1864 St. Saviour, Southwark.

After marriage - zilch for either of them.   Can only assume they emigrated somewhere soon after the marriage as no deaths, no sightings on census. 

Buried together at Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney
4 Nov 1887, Thomas Humphries, died 2 Nov, age 58
6 July 1925, Elizabeth Sarah Humphries, died 5 July, age 85

Death registrations in Petersham
For Thomas Humphries in 1887, father Thomas, mother Rachel
For Elizabeth S Humphries in 1925, father James, mother Elizabeth

Death notice for Thomas says he lived in Brighton Street, Petersham
Funeral notice for Thomas says he was a chemist of Newtown.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/236774571

Sydney Daily Telegraph, 6 July 1925
Deaths
HUMPHRIES.—July 5, 1925, at her residence, "Chiswick", 12 Hopetoun-street, Petersham, Elizabeth Sarah, relict of the late Thomas Humphries, aged 85 years.
By request, no flowers.
Scroll down
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/245248915

And scroll further down for funeral notice.

[jonwarrn]

Funeral notice for Thomas says he was a chemist of Newtown.

Daughter
Baptism at St. Stephen's, Newtown, 4 March 1870
Born 5th February 1870
Alice Fanny
Parents Thomas + Elizabeth Sarah Humphries
Abode Newtown Road
Father a Chemist

What happened to Alice Fanny?

[jonwarrn]

Thomas Humphries left a will
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219928937

Don't know about Elizabeth Sarah.

[jonwarrn]

Probate for an Alice Fanny Humphries of Petersham, near Sydney, died 28 Aug 1952
She was a spinster
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/220006760

Death reg of Alice Humphries (28/08/52) in Ashfield district
Father Thomas
Mother NK
No age given

[jonwarrn]

See also Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980
Which has Alice Fanny Humphries at 12 Hopetoun Street, Petersham.
Still there after Elizabeth Sarah died.

[TimCSS]

Jonw & Annette; Many thanks for all that info which I will digest later, probably Monday as out tomorrow.
In the meantime I have been going through my copious notes on this lot.
John Laing Humphries (whose mother Elizabeth Sarah we are still looking for) was farmed out to live with the Potter family firstly in Brighton and later at Ringmer near Lewes. At Ringmer the Potters were living with one John BODY, a carpenter, whose wife had died in 1847 and his son William had died in 1856.
I have just found some notes I made years ago from which I see that a Richard BODY, a cabinet maker, and family lived at No 4 Grosvenor Street Brighton. The Potter family, (if I remember correctly) had also lived in Grosvenor Street before moving to Ringmer to live with John BODY.
Body is not a particularly common name so it can be presumed that these Bodys were related, maybe brothers?
NB: I think I previously mistakenly said that John Body was a 'Fly Operator'. No, that was Thomas Potter. Richard Body born1822 Brighton, John Body born 1823. Didn't note where.

[jonwarrn]

John Body of Ringmer died 1 Nov 1898, and left a will.
Executor Thomas Walter Potter, valet.
Have you got that?

I don't think we can be totally sure that Elizabeth Sarah was still around in Brighton when son John was baptized. It depends also on who she was, which we don't know.
Sometimes these "adoptions" were arranged very early on, and if John Laing was involved with that...

[TimCSS]

No I don't have J Body's Will. He's in Ringmer churchyard as well as most of the Potters. Good Night! TCS.