1851 Census:

Eliza was eleven years old at the time of the 1851 census. She is living with her mother and brothers and sisters in the St Ives Union Workhouse, Hemingford Grey, Huntingdonshire. There are at least two other Mansfield families in the workhouse at this time.

Eliza's mother Kesiah was 37 years old. She is recorded in the institution schedule as married. Eliza's father was probably still in Australia, and by the 1861 census Kesiah is describing herself as a widow.

Eliza was the oldest child. The others were Samuel 8, Emma 7, Harriet 2 and Edward 1 month old.

Eliza was born at Needingworth, Huntingdonshire, the adjacent parish to Hemingford Grey and St Ives. Her mother was born in St Ives. All the other children were born in Hemingford Grey - is it possible that every single one of them was born in the workhouse? The transcript for their entry is here. The original page is here.

1861 Census:

Eliza was twenty-one years old at the time of the 1861 census. She was married, and living with her husband's parents. The Mortlocks lived at High Street, Swavesey, Cambridgeshire.

Her husband Thomas is shown as a bricklayer's assistant. He was 19. Thomas's father John Mortlock is shown as a baker and flour dealer. He was 68 years old. John's mother Mary was 57 years old.

Also living in the household were Thomas's two older sisters. Phebe was 31, Hephzibah was 21. Phebe is shown as an idiot, Hephzibah as a baker's assistant. Thomas and Eliza had a child of their own, Samuel, who was a month old.

Eliza was born at Needingworth, Huntingdonshire. Everyone else in the household was born at Swavesey, Cambridgeshire. Despite being in different counties, Swavesey and Needingworth are adjacent parishes. The transcript for their entry is here.

Eliza's mother Kesiah, brother Samuel, 18, and sister Harriet, 13, are living at The Barracks, Needingworth, Huntingdonshire. Kesiah is 47 years old and is shown as a widow. Kesiah, Samuel and Harriet are all shown as agricultural labourers. Also living in the household is a 36 year old lodger, John Moody.

Kesiah was born at St Ives, Huntingdonshire. Samuel was born at Needingworth, Huntingdonshire and his sister Harriet in the St Ives Union Workhouse,Huntingdonshire. John Moody was born in Needingworth, Huntingsonshire. The transcript for their entry is here.

1873: All Eliza's children are baptised on the 1st June at St John the Baptist, Holywell-cum-Needingworth, Huntingdonshire


1881 Census:

Eliza was forty years old at the time of the 1881 census. The Mortlocks still lived at High Street, Holywell with Needingworth, Huntingdonshire.

Her husband Thomas is shown as a bricklayer. He was 40.

The Mortlock family had nine children living home at the time of the 1881 census. They were Samuel 20, Thomas 13, Kate 9, John 7, Jannett 5, Julia 4 , Ruth 3, Martha 1 and an unnamed infant, almost certainly Alice, aged 3 days.

Eliza was born at Needingworth, Huntingdonshire. Her husband and her son Samuel were born at Swavesey, Cambridgeshire. The rest of the family were born at Needingworth in Huntingdonshire. The transcript for their entry is here.

Her daughter Eliza, my great-grandmother, was fifteen years old at the time of the 1881 census. She was living as a servant in the family of James Walter Stephens at Alexandra Place, St Ives, Huntingdonshire.

Eliza is shown as a general servant (domestic). James Stephens was a Grocer and Draper, aged 29. His wife Emma was 33.

Eliza was born at Needingworth in Huntingdonshire, today modern Cambridgeshire. James Stephens was born in St Ives. His wife Emma was born in Needingworth, the same as Eliza (significant?). They had three children born in Fenstanton and St Ives. The transcript for their entry is here.

1891 Census:

Eliza was fifty years old at the time of the 1891 census. The Mortlocks lived at Front Street, Holywell with Needingworth, Huntingdonshire.

Her husband Thomas is shown as a bricklayer. He was 49.

The Mortlock family had six children living home at the time of the 1891 census. They were Thomas 23, John 17, Julia 14 , Ruth 13, Martha 11 and Alice 10. Her daughter Eliza, my great-grandmother, had already married and left home.

Eliza was born at Needingworth, Huntingdonshire. Her husband was born at Swavesey, Cambridgeshire. The rest of the family were born at Needingworth in Huntingdonshire. The transcript for their entry is here.

1901 Census:

Eliza was sixty years old at the time of the 1901 census. The Mortlocks still lived at Front Street, Holywell with Needingworth, Huntingdonshire.

Her husband Thomas is shown as a bricklayer. He was 59.

The Mortlock family had two children living home at the time of the 1891 census. They were Martha 21 and Alice 19. Martha is shown as an assistant domestic, Alice as a dressmaker. Also living with them were Thomas and Florence Smith, shown as their grandchildren. Thomas was 19, and a brickleyer's assistant. Florence was 13.

Eliza was born at Needingworth, Huntingdonshire. Her husband was born at Swavesey, Cambridgeshire. The rest of the family were born at Needingworth in Huntingdonshire. The Smith children were born at Eaton Socon in Bedfordshire. Despite being in three different counties, all three villages are very close together. The transcript for their entry is here.

1911 Census:

Eliza was seventy-one years old at the time of the 1911 census. The Mortlocks lived at The Carpenters Arms, Bluntisham Road, Holywell with Needingworth, Huntingdonshire.

Her husband Thomas is shown as a bricklayer, working under his own account (ie self-employed). He was 69.

The Mortlock family had one child living home at the time of the 1891 census, Martha aged 31 She is shown as assisting at home.

Eliza was born at Needingworth, Huntingdonshire, as was her daughter Martha. Her husband was born at Swavesey, Cambridgeshire. The transcript for their entry is here. The original form is here.