Elizabeth Colecott was born in 1878, a daughter of Richard Colecott (1835-1904) and Eliza Colecott née Munn (1848-1907). Her birth was registered as Elizabeth Ann Colecott in the 2nd quarter of 1878 in the Shoreditch Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London) and she was baptised as such on 28 April 1878 in St Anne's Church, Hoxton, Middlesex (now Greater London), where in the baptismal register her family were shown as living at 156 Kingsland Road and that her father was a waiter.
In the census that was taken on 3 April 1881 she is shown as Elizabeth Colecott, aged 3 years and living as one of three families in 7 York Row, Haggerston, Middlesex (now Greater London), with her parents and two brothers: Richard James Colecott (1874-1945) and George Colecott (b.1880). Her father continued to be described as a waiter.
The census that was compiled on 31 March 1901 lists her as Elizabeth Colecott, aged 24 years and a charwoman, who had been born in Shoreditch. She was living in three rooms at 202 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, London, with her mother - a laundress and three siblings: George Colecott - a baker; Thomas Colecott (1885-1976) - a polisher and Annie Colecott (b.1893), together with a male boarder.
Her brother, George Colecott, completed his census return form on 2 April 1911 and described her as aged 32 years but gave no occupation. She, her brother, who showed himself as a baker and her sister, Annie Colecott, whom he described as a fancy trimming worker, were all living in one room at 101 Columbia Square Buildings, Bethnal Green, London.
Electoral registers in 1920 list her and her brother, George Colecott at 140 Columbia Square, Bethnal Green.
When she completed her census return form on 19 June 1921 she described herself as aged 42 years, 2 months, single, a school cleaner employed by the London County Council working at Columbia Road School. She was living in two rooms at 3 Columbia Square Buildings, Bethnal Green.
When the England and Wales Register was compiled on 29 September 1939 she was shown as residing at 16 Columbia Square, Bethnal Green and her occupation was listed as a formally school cleaner. Confusingly, it gives her date of birth as 9 May 1878, but this cannot be correct as she was baptised on 28 April 1878.
She was injured when a bomb was dropped on the Columbia Market air raid shelter on the night of 7th/8th September 1940 and died later on 8 September 1940 at St Peter's Hospital, Fulbourne Road, Whitechapel, London, E1. Her death was registered as aged 63 years in the 3rd quarter of 1940 in the Stepney Registration District, London.
Her body was on 16 September 1940 in Newham, Middlesex (now Greater London).
She is shown as 'COLECOTT Elizabeth 63' on the Columbia Market air raid shelter memorial in the Rose Garden, Old Market Square, Ravenscroft Park, London, E2.
She is also commemorated on the that shows her address to have been 63 Guinness Trust Buildings, Columbia Road, Bethnal Green, on the which shows the date of her death incorrectly as 7 September 1940 and in that is kept just outside the entrance to St George's Chapel at the west end of Westminster Abbey.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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