THE GOODLIFFE FAMILY OF BATTERSEA

Maria Fanny RUSHTON (1851-1903)

Maria was the wife (or probably the common-law wife) of James Goodliffe. Her story starts in late 1851 when she was born to Charles and Maria RUSHTON (Marylebone Dec 1851 1/166).

                        1830                     1831
                        Charles Henry            Maria Hinton
                        RUSHTON========v=========GARD
                                      1850
                                       |
      |---------|-----------|----------|---------|---------|---------|
     1851      1853        1855       1859      1865      1867      1870
     Maria     Charlotte   Charles    Frances   Mary      Alice     Ann
       |        |           |          |         |          |        |
       |        ?           ?          ?         ?          ?        ?
       |
       |------------v----------------------------------------------------v
      m: -          m: ?                                                 m:?
      unknown      James                                                William
       |           GOODLIFFE                                            ARNOLD
       |            |                                                    |
       |            |                                                    |
      1851          |--------------|----------|----------|               |---------|
      Maria        1872           1874       1875       1877          1880        1886
                   James Joseph   Emily      Charlotte  Florence      William     Charles  
                   GOODLIFFE     GOODLIFFE   GOODLIFFE  GOODLIFFE     ARNOLD      ARNOLD
                    |              |          |          |             |           |
                   m:1894
                   Elizabeth
                   SMITH
                    |
     |--------------|-------------|---------------|
     |              |             |               |
   1896-1930       1898         1901             1911
   James           Florence     William          Kathleen
     |              |            |                |
   m:1919           ?          m:1924             ?
   Kate                        Helen
   GOODING		     WEAVING
     |                           |
     |                           |------------|
    1919                        1925         1927
    Kathleen                    Denis        Anthony
     |                           |            |

Her father Charles RUSTON was born about 1830 in Staines, London
Her mother Maria Hinton GARD was born about 1831 in Pimlico, London.
Charles and Maria married in 1850 (Dec qtr 1850, Kensington 3/333).

In the 1851 census the young couple were living at 14 Beaumont Mews, where Charles was a coachman.

Charles and Maria had 7 children:

In the 1861 census Charles and Maria are in Portland Palace, Marylebone where Charles was a "carman". 

In 1871 they were living at 17 Beaumont Mews, Marylebone, and Charles was still a carman:

After the 1871 census, Charles and Maria seem to vanish. I cannot find them in any other census. Perhaps they emigrated.

Maria Fanny RUSHTON

Maria, born in 1851 (Dec qtr Marylebone 1/166) was the oldest child of Charles and Maria: see above). She is not listed with them in the 1871 census, as she was in the St Marylebone Workhouse for young mothers. She has her daughter Maria, aged under 1 month with her. The young Maria was registered in 1871 (Jun qtr Marylebone 1a/472). The 1871 census was taken on the night of 2 April 1871, so Maria was born in late March.

I cannot find any further reference to the younger Maria. She is not listed under that name in the 1881 census, so perhaps she was adopted and changed her name.

Relationship with James GOODLIFFE

On 13 July 1872, Maria gave birth to a son, Joseph James GOODLIFFE at 11 Lizard St, St Lukes, London. This is about 16 months after having Maria. Although she had given her name as Maria Goodliffe, I cannot find any records of a marriage, so I suggest she was James' common-law wife.

Maria and James went on to have 3 children (Joseph 1872, Emily 1874, Charlotte 1875),  before James died after apparently falling off scaffolding in early 1877. Maria had a 4th child, Florence Maria several months after James had died.

The census records are of little help with James' family. He "married" Maria soon after the 1871 census and died in 1877, well before the next census in 1881. 

Relationship with William ARNOLD

By late 1877, Maria was widowed and had 4 young children. In the 1881 census she and the children are living with William ARNOLD. Although Maria and the children are listed under the surname of ARNOLD, again I cannot find a marriage record:

In 1891 we see the correct relationship being recorded - well almost. James, Emily, Charlotte and Florence are step children to William Arnold, but William and Charles are his full sons.

In 1901 the correct names and relationships are finally recorded:

Maria died on 31 January 1903 at the Horton Asylum, Horton Epsom. Her oldest son, Joseph James was the informant and he recorded her surname variously as "Rushton otherwise Goodliffe otherwise Arnold". Intriguingly, he gave the same story for his own name.

Back to the James Joseph Goodliffe History