02 June 2015

Lily Matthews of Staindrop, Durham

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lily-matthews-back

This photo is another one that I found in the Hawera Antique shop, the names on the back are written in the same tiny handwriting as the other photos, mainly of the Spence family posted in a previous post.

I found the following Lily Matthews who had a sister named Ethel living in Staindrop, Durham in the 1911 census, she is just a few years older than Eric Marmaduke Spence’s wife Sarah Lillian (née Alderson), so I think if they aren’t related they were probably friends in Durham before the Spence’s emigrated to NZ. The message is why I thought Sarah Lillian might have been known as Lily.

Lily Matthews was born 1892 in New Raby, Staindrop, Durham, the daughter of James Matthews and Mary Ann née Hugill. She is living with her parents in New Raby in the 1901 & 1911 census, that’s all I know about her because with such a common surname it’s hard to know for sure if any of the marriages and/or deaths after that are hers.

Lily had nine siblings all born between 1879 & 1898, they are:- George, Sarah Ann, Edith, Mary, Rose, Jim, Maggie, Minnie & Ethel.

As to whether the Lily Matthews I found is the right one remains to be seen!

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If anyone knows anything about or is connected to the MATTHEWS family please do contact me, I would love to pass the photos onto a family member, even a distant one. Contact by email is preferable but if you are going to leave a comment please don’t forget to include your email address.

Dawn Scotting
pandora[at]kc.net.nz

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