Elizabeth Crosby was the second child of Mary Crosby, christened April 8th, 1803 at Bishop Middleham.
Elizabeth married Thomas Earnshaw on September 6th, 1824 at St Michaels church, Bishop Middleham. Witnesses at the wedding were George Earnshaw (Thomas’ brother), Jane Stephenson (her mark) and John Wilson. Thomas Earnshaw was presumably unable to write as he made his mark on the marriage certificate. Thomas was born April 6th 1801 at Muggleswick, the first son of Jane Wales & John Earnshaw, a farm labourer.
It appears Thomas was initially a farm labourer. By 1841 Thomas and Elizabeth
were living at Dawdon Hall, Dawdon, Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham & Thomas
was a coal trimmer – a dirty and dangerous job.
According to Durham Records Online Dawdon Hall was a fairly derelict building
at this time. It had just 4 families living there; by 1851 there were only
3 families and it was abandoned as a habitation by the time of the 1861 census.
By 1841 Thomas and Elizabeth had 4 sons – John (15), Thomas (10), George
(8) and Robert (1) and 2 daughters – Jane (5) and Elizabeth (3). Also
living with them was Elizabeth’s brother Robert Crosby (30), a cartman.
In 1851 the family were living in William Street, Dawdon. Thomas was still employed as a coal trimmer and children living at home were George (20) a railway labourer, Jane (16) a house servant, Elizabeth (14) a house servant, Robert (11) and Mary (8). A visitor was recorded at this time, William Ducker Taylor (27), a mariner born Thorne, Yorkshire, presumably a relative (brother?) of Thomas Ducker Taylor who married Elizabeth’s sister Isabella. A separate family were living in the same house – John (coal trimmer) & Isabella Stamp and their 3 children.
Thomas died on December 19th, 1860 at Seaham Harbour aged 59 and was buried on December 23rd, 1860 at St Andrew’s, Dalton-le-Dale, Co Durham. Administration of his estate of £25 was granted to son John Earnshaw of Seaham Harbour, a mason, in 1887.
In 1861 widowed Elizabeth (57) was living at 28 William St, Dawdon and recorded as head of the house. Sons George (30), a parish clerk and Robert (21), a miller and daughter Mary (18) were still at home. Also living there was Elizabeth’s sister, Isabella Taylor (nee Isabella Crosby) (45) with her son George Crosby Taylor (20), a shipsmith. A boarder was also recorded there – John Robinson (38), a railway labourer, born in Bishop Middleham.
In 1881 Elizabeth (77) was still at 28 William St, Dawdon. Sister Isabella (Taylor) was again living with her, along with husband Thomas Taylor (67), a master mariner. Elizabeth’s granddaughter Mary E Hall (10) was visiting.
Elizabeth died on August 10th, 1887 at Seaham Harbour aged 83 & was buried at St Andrews, Dalton-le-Dale..
The children of Thomas Earnshaw and Elizabeth Crosby were:
e.1.1 John Earnshaw born 1825 at
Cornforth, Co. Durham; christened May 1st, 1825 at Bishop Middleham;
died Jan-March 1897 Dawdon
e.1.2 Thomas Earnshaw born
at Haswell & christened August 31st, 1828
e.1.3 George Earnshaw born
at Dawdon
Hall & christened February 6th, 1830 at St Andrew's, Dalton-le-Dale, Co.
Durham; died January 22nd, 1911 at Wood View, Spennymoor
e.1.4 Jane Earnshaw born at Dawdon
Hall & christened May 21st, 1834 at St Andrew's, Dalton-le-Dale, Co. Durham;
died Oct-Dec 1904 Middlesborough
e.1.5 Elizabeth Earnshaw born
at Dawdon Hall & christened February 19th, 1837 at St Andrew's, Dalton-le-Dale,
Co. Durham; died 1919 in Toronto, Canada
e.1.6 Robert Earnshaw born January
11th 1840 at Dawdon Hall & christened February 23rd 1840 at St Andrew's
Dalton-le-Dale, Co. Durham; died November 21st, 1909, buried St Aidans cemetery,
Grangetown
e.1.7 Mary Earnshaw born at Dawdon
Hall & christened August 27th, 1842 at St Andrew’s, Dalton-le-Dale,
Co. Durham; died October 4th, 1912 at Spennymoor, Co Durham