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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

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 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 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

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