The Two Elizabeths

Henry DAWES (1831-1864) married Sophia SANTER (1831-1914) on 11 Aug 1856 in Uckfield, Sussex. They had one child, a daughter, Elizabeth b. 1856 in Uckfield. Henry died in 1864 and his wife then married his recently widowed uncle George DAWES (1821-1869) on 19 Aug 1864 in Brighton. George brought 5 children with him into the union and then he and Sophia had 2 more, Elizabeth M. b. 1866 in Brighton whom I'll call Eliza and Charles William b. 1868 in Uckfield.

The census returns provide the following clues to their existance:

Elizabeth 1861 (age 4) born Uckfield
Elizabeth 1871 (age 14) born Uckfield
Eliza 1871 (age 5) born Uckfield (should have been Brighton)
Elizabeth 1881 (age 26) born Uckfield working as a cook
Eliza 1881 (age 14) born Uckfield (should have been Brighton)
Elizabeth 1891 (age 35) born Uckfield working as a cook
Eliza 1891 -- not found
Elizabeth 1901 (age 47) born Uckfield working as a cook
Eliza 1901 -- not found
Elizabeth 1935 (age 78) died in Uckfield

It is clear that there were two Elizabeth's because they are both in the same household with Sophia in 1871 and both identified as her daughters while George's children are identified as in-laws which was used for step children.

There are no deaths registered for either Elizabeth DAWES or Eliza DAWES beween 1881 and 1901 nor is there a marriage so what happened to her?

Check out the updated information posted Friday 18 Sep. 2009

Below is a photo c. 1908 of the first Elizabeth Dawes b. 1856