MARY URSULA TILBURY
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| A large ear-trumpet |
Tilbury, Nelson
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Family mythology
"From an aunt:"
"Ellen Tilbury met her husband Benjamin Nelson through an advertisement in the newspaper."
"From another old relative now deceased - his words:"
"Polly married a Danish sea captain, Benjamin Nelson, and lived in Newcastle. Had one son who died from burns when his nightshirt caught alight from a candle while raiding the larder at night. Polly used to come down to Harrow every summer during the 20's to stay with Eliza (she was a widow then). She was as deaf as ? and had an old fashioned ear trumpet into which one had to shout. It was my (Ted N.) job to escort her and always by horse drawn cab. As she was an alien (having married a Dane) once a week we had to go to the police station at the top of Harrow Hill for her to register. She died about 1927."
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The family mythology suggested that "Polly" was Ellen; however Polly more usually replaces Mary:
Yahoo Answers
It was common in the Middle Ages to exchange Ps for Ms in nicknames. Thus Mary or "Molly" was transformed into "Polly".
Benjamin NELSON is an infrequent name, and only one appears to have married a TILBURY (FreeBMD, November 2008):
Mary Ursula TILBURY
m. Benjamin NELSON 3Q 1895 (Morpeth 10b/550)
Mary Ursula TILBURY b. 2Q 1853 (S Hampton 2c/18)
From the IGI:
Mary Ursula TILBURY Chr. 11 March 1871 Southampton All Saints, Hampshire
(Father: Charles, Mother: Eliza)
Thus it would seem that Mary Ursula was a sibling of Charles, Francis William, James, Ellen, Eliza and Kate, children of Charles TILBURY of Southampton and Aldershot, and his wife Eliza ROBINSON. Mary Ursula seems invisible in the 1861 census; her sister Ellen was deaf and appears to have spent some time in an institution; might Mary Ursula also have received an education specific to her hearing difficulties? In 1871 she is listed as a Servant:
1871: lvg. ___, Hampshire
Mary TILBURY b. c.1854 Southampton, Servant to:
Sarah Ann DYER b. c.1823 ___, Middlesex (Head)
Hellen DYER b. c.1826 ___, Middlesex (Daughter of Sarah Ann) [Therefore the dob for Sarah Ann must be erroneous]
+ Caroline TURNER b. c.1822 ___, Hampshire (Servant)
1881: lvg./wkg. 23 St Stephens Sq, London, Middlesex
Mary TILBURY age 27 b. Southampton, Parlour Maid to:
James B. NASMYTH, Head (U) age 40 b. Edinburgh, Scotland
+ Martha SELLIS age 32 b. Gt Massingham, Norfolk (Ladysmaid)
+ Ellen LORIMER age 21 b. Kings Lynn, Norfolk (House Maid)
In 1891 Mary was with Ellen and James, in the household of Thomas BAXTER (or BARTTER), in West Ham, Essex; no relationship was given.
1881: BAXTER family at 1 Fowler rd, West Ham, Essex
(Thomas, wheelwright; uncle Henry, coachsmith)
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The Family of Benjamin Nelson
Benjamin NELSON
m. Annie ROBSON 3Q 1875 (Tynemouth 10b/309)
1881: lvg. 135 Bowes St, Cowpen, Northumberland
Benjamin NELSON, Head age 34 b. Denmark (Coal Miner)
Annie NELSON, Wife age 40 b. Blyth, Northumberland
Benjamin NELSON, Son age 5 b. Blyth, Northumberland (Scholar)
Lewis P.T. NELSON, Son age 3 b. Blyth, Northumberland (Scholar)
Anne C.E. NELSON, Daur age 6ths b. Blyth, Northumberland
Another NELSON family was also living in Cowpen:
1881: West Row, Cowpen, Northumberland
John DODDS, Head age 59 b. Felkington, Northumberland (Coal Miner)
Ann DODDS, Wife age 53 b. Newbiggen, Northumberland
Robert DODDS, Son age 17 b. Cowpen Colliery, Northumberland (Coal Miner)
George NELSON, Son In Law (M) age 24 b. Cowpen Colliery, Northumberland (Coal Miner)
Ann NELSON, Daur (M) age 21 b. Cowpen Colliery, Northumberland
Archbold NELSON, Grandson age 1 b. Cowpen Colliery, Northumberland
1891: lvg. North Seaton, Northumberland
Benjamin NELSON b. c.1847 ___, Denmark (Head, Spouse of Annie)
Annie NELSON b. c.1840 Blyth, Northumberland (Wife of Benjamin)
children: Annie C. E., Benjamin, Lewis P.T.
An Ann NELSON d. 1Q 1894 age 53 (Morpeth 10b/222)
Benjamin NELSON
m. Mary Ursula TILBURY 3Q 1895 (Morpeth 10b/550)
Charles Tilbury NELSON b. 4Q 1896 (Morpeth 10b/418); d. 1Q 1901 age 4 (Morpeth 10b/258)
From a descendant:
"I have had contact through genes reunited with a MarilynR and found we had a match. She has copied from the family bible relevant pages -
Benjamin Nelson b. Helsingor 31st December 1846 and m. Mary Ursular Tilbury (b. 18th April 1855) in Woodhorn Church by the Rev. O. Rhodes 30th August 1895.
It also confirmed the death of their son Charles Tilbury Nelson (and how he died) 9th January 1901, interred at Seaton Hirst churchyard 12th January 1901."
Annie Christina E. NELSON
m. [John ANDERSON] 1Q 1901 (Morpeth 10b/559)
1901: lvg. Northumberland North Seaton
Benjamin NELSON age 54 b. Denmark British Subject (Coal Miner Stationery Confirm)
Mary U. NELSON age 47 b. Southampton Hants
Benjamin NELSON age 25 b. Northnd Cowpen Quay Blyth (Coal Miner Joiner)
1901: lvg. Northumberland East Denton
Lewis NELSON age 23 b. Northd (Police Constable)
1901: lvg. Northumberland Hirst
Annie ANDERSON age 20 b. Northd Blyth
[Possibly: John ANDERSON age 22 b. Northd North Seaton (Coal Miner Hewer)]
The other NELSON family in Cowpen in 1881 had also moved to North Seaton by 1901:
George NELSON age 43 b. Northumbernd Alnwick (Coal Mines Blacksmith)
Ann NELSON age 41 b. Northumbernd Blyth
Archbold NELSON age 20 b. Northumbernd Blyth (Tailor)
Sarah NELSON age 9 b. Northumbernd North Seaton (Juvenile)
Benjamin NELSON
m. 3Q 1901 (Morpeth 10b/698) [?Ada PEARCE]
(Births: 1916 William NELSON, 1917 Gerald M. NELSON, 1920 Ada, were registered for Morpeth, mother PEARCE)
Lewis Peter T. NELSON
m. 3Q 1907 (Auckland 10a/427) [?Mary Jane FRAISER]
(Births: 1912 Mary E., 1914 Margaret, were registered for Tynemouth, mother FRAISER)
Family reminiscences have "Polly" [TILBURY] NELSON in Newcastle at the end of her life; this is PERHAPS the registration of her death (no Mary U. recorded):
Mary A. NELSON d. 1Q 1921 age 66 (Newcastle T. 10b/14)
Benjamin NELSON d. 1Q 1923 age 47 (Morpeth 10b/543)
Guestbook entry of June 2012 by MarilynR:
"Mary Ursula Tilbury who married Benjamin Nelson is buried alongside her son Charles Tilbury and her husband Benjamin in the churchyard of St. John's, Seaton Hirst, Ashington, Northumberland."
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The identity of "Polly"
The above seems fairly conclusive, that "Polly" was Mary Ursula TILBURY b. Southampton, baptised in 1871 as the daughter of Charles TILBURY & Eliza, and whose only child was named Charles Tilbury NELSON. A great-niece of Charles' wife Eliza [ROBINSON] was named Ann Ursula; the first child of Francis William TILBURY & Georgena [WILKINSON] was named Eliza Ursala. The only Ellen TILBURY in West Ham, Essex, died unmarried (1893). Both Ellen and Mary Ursula had hearing difficulties, Ellen having been recorded as "Deaf" in 1851 and seemingly never to have worked.
Charles, Francis William, James Tilbury & sisters Ellen, Eliza, Kate, Mary
Their father Charles Tilbury of Southampton and of the Royal Hotel, Aldershot
Sources: Descendants, IGI, Censuses, FreeBMD - with thanks