Elizabeth Rachel Scott (Cockburn) Harris (abt. 1838 - 1914)

Born about 20 Jul 1838 in Woolwich, Kent, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Wife of William Prole Harris — married 19 Apr 1860 in Parish Church, Braunton, Devon, England

Descendants

Died 1 Jul 1914 at about age 75 in Wharekahu, Maketu, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

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Biography

Elizabeth (Cockburn) Harris was born in England.

Elizabeth (Cockburn) Harris was born in Woolwich, Kent, England.

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Rachel Scott Cockburn was born on about 20 July 1838 in Woolwich, her birth being registered at Greenwich, London in the 3rd quarter of that year^[1]. She was the only daughter of John Davidson Cockburn and Jessie Scott.

In the 1841 England Census enumerated on the night of Sunday, 6 June 1841, Elizabeth Cockburn was aged 3, and was recorded living with her father John Cockburn (50 and Independent) and her mother Jessy Cockburn (40) at No. 1 Rectory Place, Woolwich, Kent. Also in the household were Mary McClaws (40), Jane McClaws (18), Anne Scott (20) and Jane Scott (18)^[2][3].

Lizzie was not recorded living with her parents in the 1851 England Census^[4]. It appears 12 year old Elizabeth Cockburn was attending a boarding school at 39 Drummond Place in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland^[5].

Her mother Jessie died in 1857 at about age 59, her death being registered in the June Quarter at Barnstaple, Devon, England^[6].

Marriage

At the age of 22 Lizzie married 32 year old William Prole Harris (the son of Edward Harris and Rebecca Watson Prole) on 19 April 1860 at the Parish Church (Anglican) in Braunton, Devon, England, by Licence^[7]. She was a Spinster of Braunton. The witnesses were Euphemia Harris, Elizabeth Page and Elizabeth Mazek. Notice of their marriage was printed on page 5 of the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette dated 21 April 1860:

HARRIS-COCKBURN- April 19, at Braunton, by the Rev. J. W. R. Landon, William Prole, second son of Edward Harris Esq., to Elizabeth Rachel Scott, only daughter of John Cockburn, Esq., of Braunton.^[8][9]

Elizabeth R S Harris (aged 21 and a Banker's wife) was recorded in the 1861 Scotland Census in the household of her aunt Christian Dickinson (70) at 39 East Clarmont Street, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. Also in the household were three servants^[10].

Between 1863 and 1871, she and her husband had five children.

In the 1871 England Census, Elizabeth R S Harris (aged 32) was recorded living with her husband William P Harris (32) and their five children Oliver A S Harris (8), Jessie M G Harris (4), John J P Harris (3), Edward S Harris (1) and Lucy E M Harris (4 months) at Prospect Lodge, Braunton, Devonshire. Also in the household were two servants^[11].

On 3 February 1873 she gave birth to a stillborn daughter, who remained unnamed. The following year, her infant son William Arthur Cecil Harris passed away on 23 September 1874 at Braunton.

Two years later, her father John died on 21 February 1876 in Barnstaple, Devon and was buried at Barnstaple Cemetery^[12].

By the time the 1881 England Census was enumerated on the night of Sunday, 3 April 1881, Elizabeth R S Harris (aged 42) was recorded living with her husband William P Harris (42 and an Annuitant) and their nine children Oliver A S Harris (18), Jessie M G Harris (14, a Scholar), John J P Harris (13, a Scholar), Edward S Harris (11, a Scholar), Lucy E M Harris (10, a Scholar), Mabel R. Harris (9, a Scholar), Florence M. Harris (5, a Scholar), Herbert A. Harris (2) and Arnold T. Harris (5 months) at The Firs, Braunton, Devon. Also in the household was one Cook and one Nurse^[13].

Emigration to New Zealand

Elizabeth (Cockburn) Harris migrated from England to New Zealand.

Elizabeth and her husband William, along with their nine surviving children, emigrated from England to New Zealand, departing from Gravesend on 3 December 1881 on the ship "Oxford", travelling in Steerage. The voyage took 98 days with Captain Braddock in command^[14]. They arrived in Auckland on 10 March 1882, and would settle on land at Te Puke in the Bay of Plenty which they had purchased before they left England. They were part of the George Vesey Stewart^[15] scheme, a grand plan to populate the areas of Katikati and Te Puke with British migrants.

After their arrival they lived for about two years in Tauranga until their family home could be built in Te Puke, this being completed some time in about 1884. Whilst in Tauranga, the family was in possession of approximately 1 acre of land, comprised of Lots 41, 42 and 56 of the Topcroft Estate, in the vicinity of Christopher Street/Edgecumbe Road. The land appears to have then been sold to a Mr. Joseph Paul.

The Harris family home, named "Lynwood", was on No.1 Road in Te Puke, just over 5 kilometres from the main road. Sadly on 12 July 1888 her 18 year old son Edward died at their home.

Elizabeth and her family later lived at "Wharekahu" in the coastal town of Maketū in the Bay of Plenty.

In 1893 New Zealand was the first country in the world to enshrine in law the right for women to vote in parliamentary elections. Elizabeth duly enrolled, and in the 1896 NZ Electoral Rolls, Elizabeth Rachel Scott Harris was recorded living at Te Puke with her family. Her occupation was recorded as Domestic Duties.

Her husband William passed away in 1909, then a year later her unmarried daughter Mabel Rose died at the age of 38.

In the 1911 NZ Electoral Rolls (1853-2010), Elizabeth Rachel Scott Harris was recorded living at Maketu, Bay of Plenty, a Widow.

Death

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Rachel Scott Harris died on 1 July 1914 at the age of 76 at her home in Maketu. Cause of death was recorded as Carcinoma of the Liver (1 year) and Exhaustion (2 weeks).

Death record of Elizabeth Harris

She was buried on 3 July 1914 with her late husband in the Old Te Puke Cemetery, Main Road, Te Puke, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand^[16].

Inscription:

In Loving Memory of

LIZZIE RACHEL SCOTT

THE BELOVED WIFE OF WILLIAM P. HARRIS

WHO PASSED AWAY

JULY 1st 1914

AND HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP

Newspaper Death Notices

Te Puke Times, Volume II, dated 7 July 1914, Page 2:

HARRIS On 1st July, at Maketu, Elizabeth Rachel Scott, widow of the late W. P. Harris. "Her end was peace." -^[17]

Bay Of Plenty Times, Volume XLII, Issue 6121, dated 8 June 1914, Page 2:

On July 1st at her residence Wharekaahu, Maketu, Elizabeth Rachel Scott, beloved wife of the late William Prole Harris. 'Thy will be done'.^[17]

Bay Of Plenty Times, Volume XLII, Issue 6133, dated 6 July 1914, Page 5:

The death occurred at Maketu on Wednesday last of Mrs Harris. Deceased who is survived by a grown up family, had previously resided in Te Puke and Rotorua, and was held in great esteem by a large circle of friends. ^[17]

Sources

1. ↑ England and Wales Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 Birth registration for Elizabeth Rachel Scott Cockburn, 1838 Sep Quarter, Greenwich, London; Vol 5, page 22; database online, Lehi, Utah, Ancestry.com, 2006.
2. ↑ 1841 England Census Woolwich, Greenwich, Kent, England; Elizabeth Cockburn age 3, living with parents John and Jessy; Class: HO107; Piece: 493; Book: 1; Civil Parish: Charlton Next Woolwich; County: Kent; Enumeration District: Royal Military Academy (1); Folio: 24; Page: 47; Line: 14; GSU roll: 306884; database online, Provo, Utah, Ancestry.com, 2010.
3. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQKY-VKK : 6 March 2021), Elizabeth Cockburn in household of John Cockburn, Woolwich, Kent, England, United Kingdom; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
4. ↑ 1851 England Census Woolwich, Kent, England; John Cockburn age 53 living with wife Jesse; Class: HO107; Piece: 1588; Folio: 366; Page: 15; GSU roll: 174825; database online, Lehi, Utah, Ancestry.com, 2005.
5. ↑ 1851 Scotland Census Elizabeth Cockburn age 12, boarder, scholar, 39 Drummong Place, Edinburgh St Mary, Scotland; Parish: Edinburgh St Mary; ED: 11; Page: 23; Line: 1; Roll: CSSCT1851_180; Year: 1851; database online, Provo, Utah, Ancestry.com, 2006.
6. ↑ "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2NFK-QFV : 31 December 2014), Jessie Cockburn, 1857; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Barnstaple, Devon, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
7. ↑ "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DWJ-QRY : 13 December 2014), Elizabeth Rachel Scott Cockburn, 1860; from “England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005,”
8. ↑ Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 21 April 1860, Page 5 (requires subscription to view)
9. ↑ "British Newspaper Archive, Family Notices," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPCK-1WG7 : 18 April 2019), Elizabeth Rachel Scott Cockburn, Daughter in entry for William Prole Harris, Son, Exeter, Devon, England, United Kingdom; records extracted FamilySearch and images digitized by FindMyPast; citing Exeter, Devon, England, 21 Apr 1860, The British Newspaper Archive, Ireland; FHL microfilm .
10. ↑ Parish: Edinburgh St Cuthberts; ED: 78; Page: 8; Line: 4; Roll: CSSCT1861_126. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1861 Scotland Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: Scotland. 1861 Scotland Census. Reels 1-150. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.
11. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5TQ-W43 : accessed 11 November 2015), Elizabeth R I Harris in entry for William P Harris, 1871.
12. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #158309418
13. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27X-8VTD : 20 August 2016), Elizabeth R S Harris in household of William T Harris, Braunton, Devon, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales census,"
14. ↑ https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~shipstonz/genealogy/PassLists/oxford1882.html
15. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Vesey_Stewart
16. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42718008/elizabeth-rachel_scott-harris: accessed 02 November 2023), memorial page for Elizabeth Rachel Scott “Lizzie” Cockburn Harris (20 Jul 1838–1 Jul 1914), Find A Grave: Memorial #42718008, citing Old Te Puke Cemetery, Te Puke, Western Bay of Plenty District, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand; Maintained by lindylou631 (contributor 49254308).
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1 17.2} BOP Times Death Notices

See also:

• http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2s45/stewart-george-vesey
• NZ BDM Historical Death Records: Registration No: 1914/4665 | Family Name: Harris | Given Name(s): Elizabeth Rachel Scott | Age at Death: 76Y | https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/Search
• http://www.interment.net/data/nz/bayofplenty/tepuke/tepuke_go.htm