occupation

Domestic service

dates

Born: 7 Jun 1877, St Clements, Oxford

Married: First to Mr JONES; second to Albert Edward BURNET, 28 Jul 1905

Died: 20 Feb 1964, Botley, Oxford

residence

London; Oxford

submitted by

Ann RYDER (great-niece)

related faces

Alfred HIGGINS (father)

Elizabeth Lavina NOYES (mother)

Mary Ann TAGG (grandmother)

Frederick SAMMONS (grandfather)

Charles Alfred HIGGINS (brother)

Henry James HIGGINS (brother)

Florence May HIGGINS (sister)

Annie Sarah HIGGINS (sister)

Ann Sarah NOYES (aunt)

William Thomas SAMMONS (uncle)

Ann WALE (great-grandmother)

Henry SAMMONS (uncle)

Background information

Elizabeth was in service most of her life. 

When she was in service for Sir George ELLIOTT and Lady ARMSTRONG at Winloed, Pangbourne, she was woken up late one night by pebbles being tossed at her window; thinking it was the stable boys, she called out “go away!”

A voice replied “Bessie it is your master come down and make me and my friend a cup of tea”.

She did it (but first had to light the coal fire range to boil the kettle); she took in the tea to her master and his friend Mr. Churchill…

Another occasion The Prince of Wales (David) who had been out for the evening came to the kitchen door rather inebriated.

The footmen sobered him up by giving him raisins to eat, that made him sick then fed him coffee to sober him up before he was allowed to go through the green baize door to the house.

Elizabeth drove ambulances during the 1914-18 war.