Some ancestors are so much harder to trace than others and this weeks ancestor is no exception.
She’s been a tricky one that’s for sure.
I have a good few lines on my martial line, that have the highest, strongest, brick walls to break.
The O’Connor family is with-out a shadow of a dealt the hardest, then comes the Townsend family, even though I have got back to my 3rd great-grandfather, I just can’t seem to get a break on his parents. I know their names but thats about it.
Then there are the Wheelers, Kirby’s and Money’s, they are a tricky bunch.
You then get lines that are easy, which almost takes the fun out of researching.
The Sweet family seems to be one of the easy ones. I’ve managed to get back to 1695 on their line, admittedly I haven’t researched them in over 10 years, which I must find time to do.
The Willats family is a dream to work on, not easy but fascinating, I love them.
That brings me to the Porters, I’ve traced them back to my 6th great-grandfather Andrew Porter, but it’s his 3rd great-granddaughter that likes to play hide and seek.
Let me tell you all about her.

Elizabeth Grace Gibbs Porter – Week 11.

Elizabeth Grace Gibbs Porter, my 2nd Great-Grandmother, was born on the 1st September 1871 at The Coast Guard Station, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, Hampshire.
Her parents were Isaac Porter and Jane Gibbs.

We believe Elizabeth was named after her sister Elizabeth Grace Porter, who died on the 19th July 1870. You can read all about her story here.

Elizabeth Grace Gibbs Porter was christened on the 21st September 1871 at Freshwater, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England

From 1873 until 1881, Elizabeth welcomed two sisters, Daisy Cheney Porter and Mary Ethel Porter and one brother, John Richard Porter, into their growing family.

Tragically the family loose their father Isaac Porter on the 10 January 1881 to Morbus Cordis Heart disease.

The family was living at High Street, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England, at the time of his death.

This is when Elizabeth decides to play hide and seek.
In the 1881 census, I find her mother Jane Porter Nee Gibbs living at, High Street, Freshwater. Jane has her sons, William and John, her daughters Jane, Ann and Mary living with her, but there is no sign of Elizabeth or Daisy.
Jane’s sister in-law Mary A Porter and two lodgers, Joseph and May Hall, are living with them.

Name Age Jane Porter 44 William J. Porter 17 Jane Porter 15 Ann E. Porter 13 John R. Porter 5 Mary E. Porter 3 Mary A. Porter 49 Joseph Hall 44 May Hall 38

So where is Elizabeth and Daisy ?
I tracked Daisy, down at Beacon View, Freshwater. She is living with her Aunt and Uncle, William Hayman and Ann Hayman nee Gibbs.

Name	Age
William Hayman	61
Ann Hayman	53
William H. Hayman	30
Anne E. Hayman	20
Jane Hayman	18
Frank Hayman	16
Daisy C. Porter	7

I finally after months of searching of Elizabeth Grace Gibbs Porter, find her under the name of Grace Porter, living with her uncle John Gibbs family at 26 Old Nelson Street, Lowestoft, Suffolk. Her uncle John isn’t present at the time of the census. Her aunt Ann Gibbs nee Hall,  is looking after her. Elizabeth seems Go by her middle name Grace, from here on out.

Name Age Ann Gibbs 56 William Gibbs 22 Edwin Gibbs 20 Mary J. Gibbs 19 James T. Gibbs 15 Grace Porter 9

 

I’ve searched and searched some more and I just can’t find her in the 1991 census, it is like she has vanished off the face of the earth. Where can she be? 🤔

Jane Porter Nee Gibbs, Elizabeth’s mother, is still living at High Street, Freshwater, with two of her children, William and Ethel and her sister in-law Mary.

Name	Age
Jane Porter	54
William Porter	27
Ethel Porter	13
Mary Porter	59

Elizabeth Grace Gibbs Porter, makes an appearance in December 1894 when she marries George Frederick Sweet on the 22nd December 1894 at The Register Office, Isle of Wight. She gives her address as High Street, Freshwater.

Their witnesses are Edward Sweet and Daisy C Porter.

In the June quarter of 1896 she gives birth to her first Son, William George Sweet, on the Isle of wight, Hampshire.

He was christened on the 29th dec 1895 at Freshwater, Hampshire.

Elizabeth Grace, gives birth to her first daughter Louisa Grace Sweet, on the 11th July 1898 at Chelsea, London.

Louisa Grace is Baptised on the 11th September 1898. The family are residing at 74 Queens Road, West, St Luke’s, Chelsea, London, England.

Elizabeth and George have another son, Edward Isaac Sweet, on the 11th March 1900 at Freshwater, Hampshire, England.

By 1901 Elizabeth and George are living at Queens Road, Freshwater, Hampshire,  with two of their children, William and Edward Sweet.

Name	Age
George Sweet	30
Grace Sweet	28
William Sweet	5
Edward Sweet	1

Their daughter Louisa is with her aunt and uncle, Frederick Chessell and Elizabeth Chessell Nee Sweet, in Ryde, Isle of Wight, Hampshire.Ryde, Isle of Wight, Hampshire.

Name	Age
Frederick Chessell	25
Elizabeth Chessell	24
Louisa G Sweet	2

Elizabeth gives birth their third son, Jack James Sweet, on the 21st November 1901 on the Isle of Wight.

Elizabeth is firing on full cylinders and gives birth to a second daughter, Ethel Daisy Sweet, on the 9th August 1903 in Ryde, Isle of Wight, Hampshire..

On the 26th March 1909, my Great, Grandmother Bessie Eva Annie Sweet, is born at Ryde, Hampshire, England.

 

 

On the 2nd April 1911 the census is taken. I find the Sweet family living at Arethusa Cottage, Rosemary lane, Ryde, Hampshire.

Name Age George Sweet 41 Grace Sweet 39 William Sweet 15 Louisa Sweet 12 Edward Sweet 11 Jack Sweet 9 Ethel Sweet 7 Eva Sweet 2

George Sweet is working as a Fruit and Vegetable salesman under own account. Their son William is working as a Draper’s Errands Boys.

Elizabeth and George have been married for 16 years and have 6 children, all still living. I must say my Great, Great Grandfather has rather good handwriting, I’m kind of jealous., I’m guessing  he got a lot of practice while running his business.

1935 sees the death of Elizabeth’s husband and father to her children. George Frederick Sweet, dies in the September quarter of 1935 in Ryde, Hampshire. I have ordered his death certificate, but unfortunately it hasn’t arrived in time.

It looks like Elizabeths life is thrown upside down as she moves off the Island to Southampton, where I find her living with her daughter Louise, Louise’s husband Frederick Leach, and their son Henry A G Leach, at 45 Elansontum Road, Southampton, Hampshire, in 1939, jut before the war.

Elizabeth survives the horrors of the second world war, she sheds tears at the births and deaths of her grandchildren and lives to a grand old age of 79.

Elizabeth Grace Gibbs Sweet Nee Porter, died between the January and March quarter of 1951 in Southampton, Hampshire, England. Sorry her death certificate didn’t arrive in time, I will of course upload the correct information as soon as I can.

My uncle Ray also told me that his gran was a petite lady with a huge heart, and that I must get my shortness from her, it had to come from someone. My uncle Ray was always right so I’m going to take his word for it.

From one shortie to another, sleep peacefully, Great, Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Grace Gibbs Porter. You are not forgotten.

Elizabeth Grace Gibbs Porter
1871-1951

🦋🦋🦋