Elizabeth 'Bowler'

[NorthernGeezer]

The brick wall strikes again 
Elizabeth Bowler is not a blood relative but the 2nd wife of my great grandfather Joseph Bell (1883-1950) and the only grandmother my dad knew, his maternal grandmother dying in 1909.

Elizabeth first appears on my radar when she married Joseph in 1918 in Congleton although the family actually lived in Salford.
Further investigation has found that Elizabeth also appears on Josephs army form, Descriptive Form of Enlistment, this form is not dated but contains a statement 'home 5/1/1917'
Elizabeth is listed on the 1921 census living with Joseph in Salford and again on the 1939 register living in Oldham.
Joseph appears on the 1911 working on a canal boat in Cheshire so it appears he met Elizabeth sometime between 1911 and 1917.

I also have Elizabeth listed in the 1911 census as married and living in Fleetwood, her married name being Bowler, the big issue here is I have no idea what her birth surname is but census records list her place of birth as Ambleside, Westmorland.
Joseph Died in 1950 in Hulme Manchester but the GRO record is detailed as Salford, a newspaper obituary infers that Elizabeth is still alive
Any help pushing this forward would be gratefully appreciated.

[rosie99]

What information does the 1918 marriage give for her - does it name her father
BELL   Joseph   
BOWLER   Elizabeth Ann   
1918   Congleton, Civil Marriage or Registrar Attended   
Cheshire East   C/20/158   

[NorthernGeezer]

That's the one Rosie, I've only got the GRO record, I'll have to get the official certificate to take it further I think.

[jonwarrn]

Elizabeth Bowler, 20, in Fleetwood (Fylde RD) in 1901
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9KW-HJP

Possible marriage?
Sep 1899 Fylde 8e 1446
Bowler, Charles
Staveley, Elizabeth

Lancs BMD says Old Fylde Register Office or Registrar Attended.

Ambleside was in Kendal RD.
Birth reg possible
Dec 1879 Kendal 10b 643
Staveley, Elizabeth Ann       
Mother's Maiden Surname: —
 
Is she living with Staveley grandparents in Ambleside in the 1881 census? Enumerated as daughter, according to the free index
Elizabeth Staveley, 1, born Westmorland Ambleside
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/7572/records/22988975

or here
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBC%2F1881%2F0024342140

[Daisypetal]

Well done Jonwarn, I've been going round in circles looking for Elizabeth

Daisy

[jonwarrn]

Thanks, Daisy. Fingers crossed, hope it's the right Elizabeth!

[NorthernGeezer]

WOW!!!!!...... You've come up trumps there Jon, it never ceases to amaze me how the folks on here can find the information us mere mortals struggle with

I think its the right Elizabeth, everything you've found kind of makes sense, she seems to have travelled a lot though, born in Ambleside, which by any standard is STILL a small town in the lake district, and 20 years later ends up in Fleetwood.
Fast forward to the 1921 census and she's in Salford, married to my great grandfather in 1918 and helping him raise his 2 young daughters from his first marriage.

Unfortunately, I cant find Elizabeth, George, or Barbara Staveley in the 1891 census in Westmorland or Lancashire, or Elizabeth or Charles Bowler in the 1911 one either.
Her death will cause me problems too, Joseph died in 1950 in Salford and one would have thought she wouldn't have strayed far from there.
My dad was born in 1933 and remembers Elizabeth very well, unfortunately he's no longer around to ask about her death, although I've got a pretty good hint off FindMyPast of 1952 GRO 10e/40.

[Daisypetal]

Hi,

If this is the family in Ambleside in 1871,

https://www.rootschat.com/links/01ttz/

then I think Barbara is living with her now married daughter Ellen in 1891,

https://www.rootschat.com/links/01tty/

she is a widow.  This could be George's death

George STAVELEY    Sep Q 1884    Kendal    10b  415   
Age:  54


If Elizabeth is the daughter of one of George and Barbara's daughters I wonder if the daughter could have married and Elizabeth could be living with them in 1891 under the new married name?

Daisy

[willsy]

I keep coming back to this 1891 census looking at Lizzie's age age and where they are living

Millom, Cumberland, England, United Kingdom

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01tu0/

Lizzie (?S) Richards age 11
Birth  1880
Westmorland

Parents
Henry Richards age 27
Mary Richards age 29

Siblings
G Richards age 5
Adeline Richards age 2

Millom is where Barbara is

A Margaret Staveley married Henry Richards  1885 Bootle Cumberland

1901 as Margaret

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01tu1/