Elizabeth Mays was the third child of Richard Mays & Caroline Roser christened December 10th, 1837 at East Grinstead.
In 1841 Elizabeth, her sister & 2 brothers & her parents were living at East Grinstead where her father was a farmer.
By 1851 Elizabeth had left home & was working as a servant for James Agent, a woodman?, & his wife at Shovelstrode Cottage, Ashurstwood, East Grinstead.
On November 28th, 1861 Elizabeth married William James Lucas, a 30 year old bricklayer, at St John’s, Croydon. Witnesses at the wedding included Richard Mays & Emma Rose Selby.
No further census record of Elizabeth has been found. There is a burial record for Elizabeth Lucas in East Grinstead on October 21st, 1864.
The children of Elizabeth Mays & William James Lucas were:
m.2.3.1 William Henry Lucas born Oct-December 1862 in East Grinstead, Sussex
It appears that William & Elizabeth had had a son, Henry, born in 1862, as 8 year old Henry is recorded with his father in the 1871 census. By this time William, still a bricklayer & also a chimney sweep, had remarried. His new wife was Harriet Cresswell, who he married in July-September 1865. (William was lodging with Henry Cresswell & family in 1861 in East Grinstead). The family were living at Glen Vue Rd, East Grinstead & William & Harriet had a 13 month old son Caleb. Harriet’s widowed mother, Elizabeth Cresswell, & Harriet’s 2 sisters were also living with them.
On December 3rd, 1879 William married for the third time at St. Swithin’s Church, East Grinstead. He married 50 year old Ann Smeed [sm.8] the daughter of Caroline Turner & William Smeed, a farmer. Witnesses at the wedding were Thomas and Ellen Smeed. At this marriage William gave his father’s name as William Sandels (Sanders). No birth record has been found but William’s mother Charlotte married Richard Argent in 1832 in East Grinstead.
In 1881 Ann and William were living at Cemetery Road, East Grinstead and William was working as a bricklayer.
By 1891 they had moved to 111 West Street, East Grinstead and William was still a bricklayer. They had an 11 year old boarder, Amy Ruddle.
Ann and William continued to live at 111 West Street in 1901 and William was now described as a job bricklayer. With them was niece Amy Barber a 21 year old dressmaker.
William died on December 9th, 1909 at 111 West Street, East Grinstead & was buried at Queens Rd Cemetery. Probate was granted on January 19th, 1910 to widow Ann. William’s effects were £454.11s.6d.
In 1911 widowed Ann was still living at 111 West Street and boarding with her were Amy and John Barnes and their 3 month old son Frederick.
Ann, of 111 West St, died June 11th, 1912 at the Star Inn, Felbridge, Godstone, Surrey, aged 83 & was buried at Queens Rd Cemetery.