Amelia Darby

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Amelia Darby was also known as Frances Amelia Darby.¹ Amelia was born on Sunday, 11 April 1813 at Hertford.^2,3 She was the daughter of George Darby and Elizabeth Aylott. The city of Hertford dates back to at least 673, and was an important market town surrounded by agricultural land. From the late 16th century, it had access to the London corn markets via the Lea river.

Amelia Darby was baptised at Lady Huntingdon's Connexion on Sunday, 8 December 1816 at Hertford.⁴ Lady Huntingdon's Chapel was one a series of chapels founded in the 18th century by the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion as part of a Calvinistic movement within the Methodist church. She insisted that they should all subscribe to the doctrines of the Church of England and use only the Book of Common Prayer. It was apparently founded in 1800, and started keeping registers from 1806.



Her mother died circa January 1821. She was about 5 when this happened.⁵

She may have attended the wedding of her sister in the marriage of Jerimiah Playl and Eliza Darby in a Church of England ceremony at St. Leonard's on Monday, 7 April 1828 at Shoreditch, London. Eliza was married on the same day as her older sister Lucretia, and they, along with their father, were witnesses for each other. Jerimiah and Eliza went on to have six children together.⁶

She may have attended the wedding of her sister in the marriage of John Warner and Lucretia Darby in a Church of England ceremony at St. Leonard's on Monday, 7 April 1828 at Shoreditch, London. Lucretia was married on the same day as her younger sister Eliza, and they, along with their father, were witnesses for each other.⁶

She may have attended the wedding of her sister in the marriage of John Speller Wright and Martha Darby in a Church of England ceremony at St. Pancras Parish Chapel on Wednesday, 11 January 1837 at St. Pancras, London. John and Martha went on to have two children together.^7,8,9

Amelia and Laurence John Coxall attended the wedding of Joseph William Peck and her sister Ann Darby in a Church of England ceremony at St. Leonard's on Monday, 1 April 1839 at Shoreditch, London. They also signed the marriage certificate as witnesses. They married seventeen days before they set sail for South Australia. Joseph and Ann went on to have five children together.^10,5 Amelia lived in September 1840 at Shoreditch, London.⁵

She married Laurence John Coxall, son of William Coxall and Frances (?), at St. Leonard's on Friday, 18 September 1840 at Shoreditch, London. She was 27 and her husband Laurence was 19..⁵

She may have attended the wedding of her brother in the marriage of Samuel Darby and Mary Ann Taylor in a Church of England ceremony at St. Mary on Sunday, 27 June 1841 at Ealing, Middlesex. Mary and Samuel had no known children.^11,12

Amelia and Laurence John Coxall attended the wedding of William Skerman and her sister Mary Ann Darby in a Church of England ceremony at St. Pancras New Church on Wednesday, 26 October 1842 at St. Pancras, London. They also signed the marriage certificate as witnesses. This was the third marriage for William. Others who may have attended the wedding include George Darby as father of the bride.^13,14,15

Amelia and her husband Laurence emigrated from England in 1845.^16,17 Amelia and her husband Laurence arrived at Canada circa 1846.^16,5
She was listed in the 1851 census at Wolfe Island, Ontario.¹⁸

On 26 January 1853 her brother John died at the approximate age of 34 in South Australia.¹⁹

Her father died 4 March 1853 at the approximate age of 74. Amelia was aged 39 when this happened.

Her husband Laurence died 14 March 1857 at the age of 36, leaving her a widow at age 43.

Amelia Darby was recorded as head of household in the 1861 census at Wolfe Island, Ontario. Amelia Darby was 47 years old. Her age next birthday was recorded as 40 years old and she was reciorded as living with five of her children aged 3 to 15.²⁰ She was a grocer.²⁰

Possibly recorded under the name of 'Cockswell', Amelia Darby was recorded as head of household in the 1871 census at Wolfe Island, Ontario. Amelia Darby was 57 years old. Her age was recorded as 69 (wrong by 12 years) and her first name as 'Emeline.²¹' She was a cooper(?)²¹

She was recorded as living with her daughter and family, including four grandchildren in the 1881 census at Wolfe Island, Ontario. She was recorded as being 65.²²

She was recorded as living with her daughter Fanny and husband and five grandchildren in the 1901 census at Wolfe Island, Ontario. She was recorded as being 88.²³

Amelia died on 17 May 1903 at Wolfe Island, Ontario, at age 90 of senile decay.^24,5 Her body was interred at Christ Church Anglican Cemetery at Wolfe Island, Ontario.²⁵