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Hi, I have Isabella Newton born 1843 in Hartlepool. In 1861 she marries Thomas Boyd. Thomas dies - register Q Oct/Nov/Dec 1877 in Essex.

In the 1881 Census Isabella is given as head of family being a widower. She is living in Dovercourt, Essex. Her occupation is given as a Stewardess on a boat.

In November 1900 Isabella marries John A B Laxton in Fulham. On the marriage certificate her surname is given as PELLS a widower. I know this Isabella is one in the same person as her father is given as Richard Newton deceased.

I have been mulling over this mystery for a few years now. What I am looking for is:-

Between Isabella having been widowed in 1877 when her husband Thomas dies and her marrying John Laxton, where does the name PELLS come from. I have searched for a marriage of Isabella and someone by the surname of PELLS but can find nothing.

Were people in those times just allowed to use any surname they wanted or had she indeed married someone by the surname of PELLS and had then been widowed from him?

Any help would be much appreciated. If anyone requires any further information about this mystery then please contact me albeit I don't think I have much more to impart.

Kind regards

Kathryn

Name: Isabella Newton
Gender: Unknown
Christening Date: 25 Dec 1847
Christening Place: Southwick, Durham, England
Birth Date: 18 Oct 1843
Father's Name: William Newton
Mother's Name: Eleanor Newton
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C01159-5
System Origin: England-EASy
GS Film number: 1885613
Reference ID: item 3 p 25

Name: Isabella Newton
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1861
Gender: Female
Age: 18
Relationship to Head of Household: Servant
Birthplace: Hartlepool, Durham
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Hartlepool
Sub-District: 1 Hartlepool
Ecclesiastical Parish: Christchurch
Parish: Stranton
Residence County: Durham

Name: Isabella Boyd
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1871
Gender: Female
Age: 28
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Birthplace: Hartlepool, Durham
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Tendring
Sub-District: Harwich
Parish: All Saints
County: Essex
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Self Isabella Boyd F 28 Hartlepool, Durham
Daughter Mary E Boyd F 9 Hartlepool, Durham
Daughter Isabella Boyd F 1 Stepney, Middlesex
Servant Fanny F Warner F 15 Monkson, Sussex

Name: Isabella Laxton
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1911
Gender: Female
Age: 68
Birthplace: West Hartlepool In The, Durham
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Paddington
Sub-District: Paddington North
Parish: Paddington
County: London

She's still called Boyd in 1891:

[EDIT: No, seems to be the wrong person, per Kathryn's post below, at 11:08.]

1891 England Census about Isabella Boyd
Name: Isabella Boyd
Age: 50
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1841
Relation: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Durham, England

Civil Parish: St Giles
Ecclesiastical parish: St Giles
County/Island: Durham
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View Image

Registration District: Durham
Sub-registration District: St Nicholas
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 4103
Folio: 126
Page Number: 10
Household Members:
Name Age
Isabella Boyd 50
Allan Boyd 23
Isabella Boyd 19
Elizabeth Boyd 17
Annie Boyd 13
Alice Boyd 10
Eleanor Boyd 6

It would appear that Isabella and Thomas Boyd's youngest son, Reginald Newton Boyd born 1875 ended up in Canada, marrying there in 1905 and dying there in 1917.

Have you considered that Isabella in her capacity of stewardess for the Great Eastern line may have traveled to Canada and either married the man named Pell either there or on board ship?

Hi all, thank you for your input. Much appreciated. I did wonder if she had married someone abroad during her stint as a Stewardess but is there any way to find this out please? I love mysteries but even more so if they are solved. I take it that one cannot just use any surname to get married?

Kind regards

Kathryn

Technically the surname given at the time of marriage by a woman should be the name by which she is currently known by. However as it is perfectly legal to be known by any name you choose providing it is not for fraudulent purposes any name might be given.

The Isabella Boyd indicated in the 1891 census above is not the Isabella Boyd that you indicate as being a stewardess in 1881. That begs the question, are you following the correct Isabella who married a Thomas Boyd?

How are you connected to Isabella?

1881: this is the Isabella listed in 1891 above. Perhaps this is the one you're looking for, and not the stewardess??

[EDIT: No, apparently not, per Kathryn's post below, at 11:08.]

1881 England Census about Isabella Boyd
Name: Isabella Boyd
Age: 40
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1841
Relationship to Head: Wife
Spouse: Thomas Boyd
Gender: Female
Where born: Durham City, Durham, England

Civil Parish: Crossgate
County/Island: Durham
Country: England

Street Address: Alergate
Marital Status: Married
Education:

Employment status:

View Image
Occupation: Curriers Wife

Registration District: Durham
Sub-registration District: St Oswald
ED, institution, or vessel: 16
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 4953
Folio: 121
Page Number: 41
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Boyd 44
Isabella Boyd 40
Allan Boyd 13
Margt. Elizth. Boyd 11
Isabella Boyd 9
Elizabeth Boyd 8
Ellen Boyd 5
Annie Boyd 5
Alice Boyd
Margaret Bell 46

Hi, Isabella is my 3rd great grandmother. I can find no trace of her in the 1891 Census. I do know that in the newspaper article in the Essex Standard in 1882 the article states that she was still a Boyd and that she pleaded guilty to and was fined for smuggling tobacco on the steamer the Richard Young between Harwich and Rotterdam. Not so sure that she would have been able to work on the steamers again. I have her in the 1881 Census living in Dovercourt, Essex but then nothing in black and white apart from her marriage to John Laxton until I find her in the ER in 1918 living in Paddington.

Regards

Kathryn

Perhaps she chose to change her name to hide her criminal past???

Hi ArgyllGran, Thomas, Isabella's first husband dies in 1877 so I do not believe that the Census you inform me of it s the correct one but I do thank you for your time and input.

Kind regards

Kathryn

this is the ony Isabella Pells I can see in Canada

Name: Isabella Pells
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 31 Mar 1901
Gender: Female
Age: 49
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Birthplace: Montrose N B
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Hackney
Sub-District: Stoke Newington
Ecclesiastical Parish: St Olave
Civil Parish: Stoke Newington
District/Parish/County: London, Middlesex

?????????????

Name: William Alfred Laxton
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 06 Sep 1897
Event Place: Toronto, York, Ontario, Canada
Age: 19
Birth Year (Estimated): 1878
Father's Name: John Laxton
Mother's Name: Isabella Laxton
Spouse's Name: Alice Easter Calhoun Young
Spouse's Age: 20
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1877
Spouse's Father's Name: Thomas Young
Spouse's Mother's Name: Mary Young
Registration Number: 002036
GS Film number: 1870917
Digital Folder Number: 004529265
Image Number: 00214

So Isabella was about in 1883 if she is a witness to daughter Mary's marriage.

I can't see he 1891 or John born 1872.

Did John Boyd marry Eliza Elizabeth day in 1896, he also was away at sea I presume in 1901/1911 as Eliza on her own.

Maryb.

Hi, I have found John born 1872 in Dovercourt, Essex in the 1881 Census and then not until the 1911 Census when it shows him being away at sea and says he was married. Where did you get that marriage from? I have just been looking at marriages for John (obviously going way off what my post originally started out as) but all info on this family is good thank you. Where does that John marry Elizabeth please?

Kind regards

Kathryn

Eliza Elizabeth Day married John Boyd in Tendring Essex o/n/d 1896. V4a P898

Maryb.

Hi Mary, since your previous post I had been doing some fishing and have now found that marriage. Thank you so much for your time and help. I am still puzzled over Isabella though.

Kind regards

Kathryn

Me too.

Maryb.