On 7th Sept.1859 Elizabeth married Barnaby Benson at Newport Parish Church. She was 21 years old and a spinster. Barnaby, son of James Benson, was 25 years old, a bachelor and his profession is police officer. Barnaby was born at Barling, near Southend Essex.
A Mary Elizabeth Benson daughter of Barnaby Benson and ‘Mary Elizabeth’ was christened at Newport 23rd Jan 1860 and buried there on 27th Jan. The mother’s name must just be an error in the marriage or christening registers.
In 1861 Barnaby and Elizabeth Benson were living in Newport on the census schedule.
Barnaby Benson served with the Essex Police Force from 2nd March 1857 until 18th June 1870. On his service record, the reason for leaving was ‘died’. His death, at the age of 35, shows he was buried at Henham, Essex.
On the 1871 census Elizabeth Benson was a visitor at the home of her elder married sister, Sophia Smith, at Woodside, Epping.
She is a widow, aged 33, with two young daughters:
Mary Benson born c1866 Newport, Essex
Fanny Elizabeth Benson c and died October 1869 Henham
Fanny Benson
Fanny is 4 months old on the 1871 census and her birth Fanny Elizabeth is registered at Saffron Walden Dec ¼ 1870 was therefore born 6 months or so after Barnaby died. She was not christened at Newport.