Eliza’s great-uncle, Reuben, married into a prosperous local farming family in 1814, when he took the hand of Phoebe Willmott. Tragically, all their four children died – Thomas died of tuberculosis in 1826, Elizabeth of the same disease in the following year, and Reuben junior and Daniel similarly in 1828. In 1831 Reuben senior died, also of TB, leaving Phoebe desolate and without a family.
Better times for the Goode family arrived in the 1860s when Eliza’s grandfather, David, inherited land from a distant cousin. Eliza’s brother William found work as a coprolite digger. Another brother, Joseph, found work as a butcher’s boy. Eliza is thought to have found work as a maid in a rich London household.
Phoebe Willmott was born in 1796 and married Reuben Goode in 1814. Her youngest brother William (b) 1808 married Jane Barnard in 1828 and between them had 11 children. 8 girls and 3 boys. Phoebe’s other brother Serjeant Willmott (b) 1804 in Haslingfield married Eliza Willmott (b) 1815 from Bassingbourne in 1833.They had 6 children 2 girls and 4 boys one of which William (b) 1840 was my G.G.Grandfather.Unfortunately he died in 1868 of dysentry when his only son Edwin was 1 year old.The fate of his mother Elizabeth Willmott nee Edwards(b) 1845 in Haslingfield is unknown.According to the 1871 census Edwin was recorded with an old couple called Pearce living at 6 Barton Rd Haslingfield. I remember going there in the 1970’s where there was a run down 2 bedroom cottage with a hole in the roof.
Phoebe’s father William Willmott married Hannah Serjeant in 1796 and both died around 1825/1826 probably of tuberculosis which was a common infection at that time.