Born Eliza Ann Savory. Married W. F. R. Stanley on 2 February 1857 (his 28th birthday). They lived "above the shop" in central London as, at that time, they could afford only to rent four rooms in the same street as his shop. Five years later, the couple moved to Kentish Town, moving to South Norwood in 1865, initially to a house on the corner of Albert and Harrington Road.
Stanley had a pair of large 3-storey semis built, numbers 74-76 (lost) Albert Road, and in 1867 he and Eliza moved into number 74 and called it 'Stanleybury'. In 1878 they moved to Cumberlow.
The couple were childless but adopted Stanley's niece Eliza Ann and another child, Maud Martin, whose father and brother drowned at sea.
Information from Wikipedia and the Croydon Guardian and GLIAS.
Our colleague, Andrew Behan, adds that Eliza Ann Savory was born on 28 June 1838, the daughter of Charles Savory and Mary Ann Savory. On 21 July 1839 she was baptised in St Margaret's Church, Westminster, Middlesex (now Greater London), where in the baptismal register her family was shown to be living at 14 Gardiner's Lane, King Street, Westminster and that her father was a coal porter.
In the 1851 census she is shown as aged 11 years having been born in St Clement Danes, Middlesex (now Greater London) and now living at 9 New Church Court, Westminster, with her widowed mother, aged 51 years, a charwoman who had been born in Cumberland (now Cumbria).
On 22 February 1857 she married William Ford Robinson Stanley (1829-1909) at St Giles in the Fields Church, St Giles High Street, Holborn, Middlesex (now Greater London), where in the marriage register she is shown as aged 18 years and a spinster living at 3 Great Turnstile, Holborn, the daughter of Charles Savory, a waterman, whilst her husband was recorded as William Ford Stanley, aged 28 years, a bachelor and a mathematical instrument maker also residing at 3 Great Turnstile, the son of John Stanley, an engineer.
When the 1861 census was undertaken, she was shown as aged 30 having been born St Mary le Strand, Middlesex (now Greater London) and still residing at 3 Great Turnstile, Holborn, together with her husband who was described as aged 36 years, an optician employing 12 men and 5 boys.
She is shown in the 1881 census as aged 41 years and born in St Mary's le Strand, London and living at Cumberlow, South Norwood Park, South Norwood, Surrey (now Greater London) with her husband who was described as an optician, together with three female domestic servants.
The 1891 census shows her as aged 51 years and living at 1 Lancaster Road, South Norwood, with her husband who was listed as an optician, author and artist, their two nieces: Eliza A. Stanley, aged 22 years who had been born in Anerley, Surrey (now Greater London) and Eliza S. Walker, aged 19 years who had been born in Marylebone, Middlesex (now Greater London), their adopted daughter Maude M. Stanley, aged 9 years who had been born in Bow, Middlesex (now Greater London), together with a cook, a parlourmaid and a housemaid.
She was shown as aged 61 years in the 1901 census still residing at 1 Lancaster Road, South Norwood, with her husband, who was described as an optician and a Justice of the Peace and their adopted daughter Maud Martin Stanley, together with a cook, a needlewoman and four other female domestic servants.
When she completed her 1911 census return form she listed herself as aged 71 years, a widow living on private means in a 17 roomed property called Cumberlow, 1 Lancaster Road, South Norwood, with Maud Martin Stanley, whom she described as her niece, together with a cook, a parlourmaid and two housemaids.
Her death was registered as aged 73 years (this was incorrect as she was aged 74 years) in the 2nd quarter of 1913 in the Croydon Registration District, Surrey (now Greater London) and she was buried in the grave of husband at Beckenham Cemetery and Crematorium, Elmers End Road, Beckenham, BR3 4TD.
Probate records confirm that her address had been 2 Lancaster Road, South Norwood Park, Surrey (now Greater London) and that she had died on 26 April 1913. Probate was granted on 9 June 1913 jointly to George Collis, a stock exchange member and to Frank George Fabian Jeffery, the principal of a trade's school. Her effects totalled £16,302-8s-10d.
She is shown as 'MRS W. F. STANLEY' on the portrait medallion attached to the side of Stanley Halls, South Norwood Hill, London, SE25.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk
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