Elizabeth Perry

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Elizabeth Perry was born circa 1755.

She married Thomas Darby, son of Richard Darby and Sarah Peachy, in a Church of England ceremony at St. Peter's on Monday, 14 September 1778 at Roydon, Essex.. Others attending the wedding may have included Sarah Peachy as mother of the bride and Richard Darby Brothers and sisters who may have attended include Richard Darby, Martha Darby, Benjamin Darby, Jane Darby and Susannah Darby. Elizabeth and Thomas went on to have 11 children together over 17 years.^1,3 The church has walls of flint and rubble, and probably dates back to at least 1260. Historically, Roydon was a parish of scattered farms and cottages, with open fields and common meadows. There were 105 ratepayers named in 1734, and the population was 667 in 1801. On the north and west, rivers form the parish and county boundaries.⁴



Elizabeth and Thomas Darby attended the wedding of George Darby and Elizabeth Aylott in a Church of England ceremony at All Saints and Saint John on Tuesday, 22 April 1800 at Hertford. They also signed the marriage certificate as witnesses.^5,6

In Thomas Darby's will on 9 July 1830 Elizabeth Darby, Ann Darby, Richard Darby, James Darby, Hannah Darby, George Darby, Elizabeth Perry and Sarah Darby were named as heirs. The will specified that all of his posessions were to go to his wife, and then after her death it was to all be sold and divided amongst his children equally..⁷

In the codicil to Thomas Darby's will on 5 August 1830 Elizabeth Darby, Ann Darby, Richard Darby, James Darby, Hannah Darby, George Darby, Elizabeth Perry, Elizabeth Darby and Sarah Darby were named as heirs. The codicil added that after the will was executed his children were to each generally pay 20 pounds each back to his executors, who would then divide the amount into three and give the resulting amount "for the use of my children which are these three William Darby, Elizabeth Brown and Susannah Bush for their own use and benefit in addition to their shares as before mentioned they not having had so much assistance from me". It is suspected that Thomas did not actually have a daughter Susannah, but referred to another close member of his family. He also bequeathed 40 pounds to the maintenance of Elizabeth, the daughter of his late son Benjamin..⁷

Thomas Darby's will was probated on 9 August 1833. Thomas' wife Elizabeth died less than three years later, and his property was sold (and presumably the proceeds divided up as he specified) in accordance with his will and codicil..⁸

Elizabeth died on 20 April 1835 at the reported age of 79.^1,9,10 She was buried on 25 April 1835 at St. Dunstan's, Hunsdon, Hertfordshire.⁹ "About two miles north-east from Stanstead, in the same hundred (Braughin), stands the pleasant village of Hunsdon, in the parish of its name. From the church, and other positions in the neighbourhood, some beautiful views may be obtained, including the course of the Stort to join the Lea ... The parish [1839] contains about 600 inhabitants." The church stands close to Hunsdon House, nearly a mile south of the village. The walls are of flint rubble with stone dressings, the south chapel being built of brick. This church possesses some exceptionally good details of fittings of the 16th and 17th centuries.¹¹