Great x3 Half Aunt Eliza Susan Chapman (nee Heard)

My Great x3 Aunt Eliza (1827 - 1900) was a servant, housewife, mother of eleven, and an older half sister of my Great Great Grandfather Ezekiel Herd Easterbrook (1839 - 1920).

The spelling Eliza's maiden name varies on records between Herd and Heard.

Eliza was born around 1827 to William Herd (?), a sawyer and carpenter, and Dinah Herd (nee Bennett) (about 21), a housewife and former servant.

Eliza was named for her maternal half aunts Eliza and Susan Turner, who both passed away whilst Dinah was pregnant.

Eliza was baptised on 26th February 1827, in Jacobstowe. 

She was William and Dinah's only child.

Around 1835, Eliza's father William moved to America, leaving behind his wife and daughter.

By 1838, Eliza's mother was in a relationship with widower and thatcher Walter Easterbrook.

Dinah and Walter would never marry, but lived together for many years, with Dinah appearing on censuses as servant, housekeeper, visitor and nurse.

From this relationship, Eliza, aged about twelve, gained one younger half brother:

• Ezekiel Herd Easterbrook  1839 - 1920  (80 years old)

By the time of the 1841 Census, Eliza, about fourteen, was not living with her mother and younger half brother in Exbourne.

It seems most likely that Eliza was a live-in servant for the Drake family at New Inn, Zeal Monachorum.

1841 Census:

On 16th November 1846, Eliza (about 20), married Walter Chapman (about 28), a labourer, in Stoke Damerel (about 40 miles south-west of Eliza's native Jacobstowe).

Eliza and Walter's signatures (1846)

Both Eliza and Walter signed their names on their marriage certificate, implying both could write.

At the time of their marriage, Eliza was living at 10 Back of Cornwall Street.

Eliza and Walter would live their long married live in Stoke Damerel.

Eliza and Walter had eleven children (7 daughters and 4 sons):

• Selina  1847 
• Eliza  1849
• John  1850
• Mary Jane  1852 - 1853  (6 months old)
• William Albert or Alfred?  1854
• Walter James  1857
• Emmeline 'Emma'  1859
• Ellen Augusta  1861
• Edwin Albert  1864
• Selina Jane  1866
• Alma Mary  1869

1851 Census:

Sadly, Eliza and Walter's fourth child Mary Jane passed away, aged six months, in 1953. She was buried on 26th April 1853, in Devonport.

1861 Census:

Sadly, Eliza and Walter's eldest child Selina passed away, aged seventeen, in Oct/Nov 1864, She was buried on 6th November 1864, in Stoke Damerel.

1871 Census:

1881 Census:

1891 Census:

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1900, Eliza passed away, aged seventy-two, in the district of Plymouth.

Wedding photograph of Eliza and Charles's granddaughter Olive Hannaford to William Knight (both sat centre), 1919.

Olive's mother (Eliza and Charles's daughter) Emma is stood second from the right in a dark hat and dress.

Eliza and Walter's second youngest daughter Selina Jane married shipwright Charles Lillicrap. 

Their eldest son (Eliza's grandson) was Sir Charles Swift Lillicrap, KCB MBE, who designed warships during both world wars. 

His eldest son Charles Albert Lillicrap was a doctor and mayor of Lincoln. Both of Sir Charles's sons - Dr Charles and Edward were councillors - Dr Charles was an independent, but had conservative associations, whilst Edward was a conservative councillor. 

Sir Charles, his wife Harriet, and their children Ethel, Charles (stood centre - later doctor and mayor) and Edward. At their home, 1920's

Being from a family with a mainly liberal working class Devonian background, finding out I am (even if distantly) related to men, who designed warships for our biggest ever wars and stood for a right wing party - it's something to process.