Barnard, Mrs Elizabeth

Singer

Collection date: Apr 1907

Area: Somerset - Bridgwater Town

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Elizabeth Barnard of Bridgwater: age 39 (by Sharp's notes), 2 songs (FT1352/3) on 10 Apr 1907: It’s likely that this is a relation of Jack Barnard, the prolific singer of 60 songs to Sharp. Jack’s family name was sometimes ‘Barnett’ and sometimes ‘Barnard’. The best candidate is therefore Elizabeth Barnett, wife of Jack’s younger brother George. Elizabeth said she was 32 in the 1901 census, making her 38 for a meeting with Sharp (RG13/2283 f69 p35).

She was born Elizabeth Jane Whitford, daughter of William Whitford, a miner. Birth date was probably in January qr 1868 nr Redruth in Cornwall. She married George Barnett, labourer age 26, at St Mary’s Bridgwater on 7/8/1897. She had 3 children and in 1901 was living at 77 West Street, quite close to brother-in-law Jack. In 1911 she was at 4 St Matthew’s Field and called herself ‘Bessie’ then. It’s not known when she died.

Much less likely is Eliza Barnett, wife of Jack’s older brother Robert. In 1901 census she was living in Union Street, aged 37, making her 43 at any meeting with Sharp. Name and age are not quite right.