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Checking the 1861 census has a father called Anthony Sowerby who is a farmer of 200 acres. Not James, but would qualify as a gentleman.

I'm starting to think that James could be one of her father's names. Perhaps not his first name!

I have found an interesting possibility. Mother is a widow, and has a daughter called Mary Raine, and grandchildren.

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1871 Census Household Record
Address King Street
Parish Barnard Castle
District Teesdale, Barnard Castle
Administrative County Durham
Householder 1
Name Mary Sowerby
Age 56
Estimated Year of Birth 1815
Relationship to Head of Household Head
Occupation
Birth Place Yorkshire
Birth County Yorkshire
Householder 2
Name Elizabeth Sowerby
Age 11
Estimated Year of Birth 1860
Relationship to Head of Household Daughter
Occupation Juvenile
Birth Place County Durham
Birth County County Durham
Householder 3
Name Rachel Sowerby
Age 6
Estimated Year of Birth 1865
Relationship to Head of Household Daughter
Occupation Juvenile
Birth Place County Durham
Birth County County Durham
Householder 4
Name Mary Raine
Age 25
Estimated Year of Birth 1846
Relationship to Head of Household Daughter
Occupation
Birth Place County Durham
Birth County County Durham
Householder 5
Name Mary Raine
Age 3
Estimated Year of Birth 1868
Relationship to Head of Household Granddaughter
Occupation Juvenile
Birth Place County Durham
Birth County County Durham
Householder 6
Name Michael Raine
Age 0
Estimated Year of Birth 1871
Relationship to Head of Household Grandson
Occupation Juvenile
Birth Place County Durham
Birth County County Durham

Unfortunately She died a year later.

Found this for Tynemouth on Findmypastpast. This could be more promising, as it is just down the road from Newcastle:

Name: SOWERBY, ElizabethRegistration district: [?] Tynemouth County: NorthumberlandYear of registration: 1855Quarter of registration: Oct-Nov-Dec Mother's maiden name: Not available before 1911 Q3Volume no:[?] 10BPage no:[?]137
 

I have found a Female Sowerby birth registration on Findmypast.co.uk for Penrith, Cumberland 3rd quarter 1856. Not exactly sure if this is helpful. Perhaps they hadn't decided on name at the time, or is it a registration for a baby who died before they named it?

Yes - I followed the witnesses too - I can only think that they were friends, not relatives. Perhaps, as Thomas later dealt in wines as well as tobacco, they were 'sort of' work associates?

Anyway, it didn't help with the mystery!

Dea x

I have too dea and without the surname.

No clues in address 20 Edward st either
1871 D6 > 5 Westgate Newcastle
20 edward street
William Glendinning 1841
1881 D7a >20
Thomas lamb 33
Margaret 31
Sarah 6.


Witnesses Thomas Dunn 1852 (son of Joseph) comercial traveller for tabocco firm married to Mary Jane nee Gaul 1856 dad John Gaul.They married 1876.

Maryb.

I'v tried ALL the names Maryb - she just isn't there under any of them !!! :-(

Dea Xxx

So if she went by the name of Rose on 81/91/1911 census then maybe she would have been down on others as Rose.
It would have been strange for her to change her christian name after her marriage.
Just a thought.

Maryb.

BTW I forgot to mention her name was Elizabeth Walton on death record.

Thanks for finding that the 1854 Elizabeth is still single in 1891. Feel as though I'm running out of elizabeths at this rate.

1861 (from above link, Find My Past)

SOWERBY, Anthony Head Widower M 56 1805 Agricultural Labourer
Bongate
Westmorland
SOWERBY, Margaret Daughter Unmarried F 31 1830 Dressmaker
Bongate
Westmorland
SOWERBY, Elizabeth Granddaughter F 7 1854 Scholar
Bongate
Westmorland
SOWERBY, Joseph Grandson M 2 1859
Bongate
Westmorland
Piece:
3956 Folio:
54 Page:
14 Registration District:
East Ward
Civil Parish:
St Michaels Bongate Municipal Borough:
Address:
Terrace, Bongate, St Michaels Bongate County:
Westmorland

Chris :)

Sorry, I do not have credits for genes so cannot read that image - could you say what it is?
Thanks

(Age at wedding bumped up to 21 so as to be of full age - no permission necessary?)

The Elizabeth, 1854, appears still unmarried in 1891:
Elizabeth Sowerby
Age: 37 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1854
Relation: Servant Gender: Female
Where born: Appleby, Westmorland, England
Civil parish: Great Crosby Ecclesiastical parish: Christchurch
Town: Waterloo County/Island: Lancashire Country: England
Registration district: West Derby Sub-registration district: Crosby
Piece: 2982 Folio: 10
Page Number: 14
David Tweddle 51
Mary Tweddle 57
xxxElizabeth Sowerby 37
Source Citation: Class: RG12; Piece: 2982; Folio: 10; Page: 14; GSU roll: 6098092.

Another interesting possibility is this one I found yesterday:

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/records.page/image/e1861image/897810

Seeing as we have a selection of dates for her birth year, each one making her younger than before, it is possible thar this Elizabeth, born in 1854 in Bongate, Appleby, Westmorland fits the bill. She is illegitimate, living with her mother Margaret, and grandfather Anthony. She would have every reason to change her story. As yet I have not found out what happened to her,so this is another possibility.

The marriage cert. was witnessed by Thomas Dunn and M J Dunn.. She gave her age as 21, a year younger than her husband, suggesting she was born in 1857. Date of marriage 13 march 1878. Residence at time of marriage 20 Edward Street, Newcastle.

Her death record is for 2nd quarter of 1921 and gives her age as 62. I am waiting for a copy of death certificate. That age would suggest 1859.

So we have three birth years on the go, 1857, 1859 and 1861.

Not sure what to make of the Hartley record. Probably just a servant.

The more I look the more intriguing it becomes. I'm starting to think that she may have changed things in order to marry George who was a commercial traveller in the brewing industry. He certainly appears to have been reasonably wealthy.

1911 she says born 1861 Newcastle

Who were the witnesses to the marriage? and what was her address?

Does her death record confirm her birth year as 1857, and what name is used on it?
Thanks

Curious one. She's listed as daughter but name is definitely Hartley. Also father would have been 12 when she was born!

1871 England Census
about Elizabeth Hartley Name: Elizabeth Hartley
[Elizabeth Sowerby]
Age: 17
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1854
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: James Sowerby
Mother's Name: Mary Sowerby
Gender: Female
Where born: Wakefield, Yorkshire, England
Civil parish: Knottingley
Ecclesiastical parish: Christchurch
County/Island: Yorkshire
Country: England
Registration district: Pontefract
Sub-registration district: Knottingley
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Household schedule number: 47
Piece: 4631
Folio: 108
Page Number: 9
Household Members: Name Age
James Sowerby 29
Mary Sowerby 29
William Sowerby 8
Jane Sowerby 7
Margaret Sowerby 5
Nancy Sowerby 3
Anne Sowerby 3 Days
Elizabeth Hartley 17

Edit: Sorry, just noticed she's not a daughter on original.

Not the one above in 1861 she is working as a servant in 1881 and still single unfortunately.