by Jill Burton.
Eliza was born in 1867 at Little Sontley on the Erddig estate.
Her father Edward Trevor b1830 was a General Labourer at Erddig.
Her mother Hannah nee Cartwright was born in 1837, the daughter of Richard and Mary Cartwright who both worked at Erddig.
Before marriage Hannah had also worked at Erddig (possibly like her mother and daughter Deborah, as a laundry maid?) until her marriage to Edward in October 1856.
By 1871 Edward and Hannah with children were living at Bryn Goleu Cottage on the Erddig drive, which in 1861 had been the home of Hannah’s mother.
Edward & Hannah’s children were
Deborah (b 1858)
John (b 1861 – 1931) General Labourer,
James (b 1862 – 1891) General Labourer,
Eliza(beth) (b 1867)
Sarah (b 1869)
Charlotte (b 1871)
David (b 1874)
Mary (b 1877 – 1885)
so Eliza was the 4th eldest of at least 8.
Eliza was working at Erddig from about 1884 as kitchen maid, possibly before that as scullery maid. She would have worked for Cook/Housekeeper Harriet Rogers, who would have known Eliza all her life as the Trevors and the Rogers were neighbours of the Erddig estate. Eliza’s older sister Deborah was already working at Erddig as Laundry maid.
In 1884 she was being paid £8 a year, meals and accommodation provided.
In 1887 she was photographed with her sister and the other servants in the Erddig garden.
In Philip Yorke II’s poem written in 1912 about the 1887 photo it says
“Two sisters of the name of Trevor. United here in one endeavour.
Each working for the general good. In Laundry and preparing food. Born and brought up within our grounds. The parents here, their work had found”
Eliza left Erddig to get married in Oct-Dec 1889.
She married Charles Stuart Phillips (b 1854 in Aberdeen).
In 1891 they were living at Vron Colliery House, Bersham and Charles was a watchman at Vron Colliery.
In 1901 they were living at 25 Ruthin Road, Wrexham and Charles was a pit sawyer (presumably at Bersham Pit)
By 1911 they had moved to 13 Princess Street, Wrexham, which was her sister Deborah’s previous house before she and family had moved to Hampden Road. Charles was now a Corporation workman.
Charles and Eliza had 6 children
Charles b 1892
Alexander Trevor b 1893
Mary b 1895
Isabella b 1900
Donald b 1902
Kenneth b 1904
Their son Alexander is probably the ‘A. Phillips’ who is listed as Erddig Hall boy in 1905, being paid 7 shillings and 6 pence a month.
On the 1911 census Alexander was a private in the army based at Hydrabad Barracks in Colchester, Essex. He was a regular in the 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders (his father was from Aberdeen) and was promoted to Corporal.
On 12th March 1915 he was killed in action, aged 21, near Ypres and is buried in grave I.H.13 at Estaires Communal Cemetery, France.
His next of kin were his parents Eliza and Charles, still living at 13 Princess Street, Wrexham.
Eliza died at home in 1933 age 65 and was buried on 9th February 1933 in Wrexham Cemetery in grave A-00040, with her husband Charles who had died in 1929.
Researched by Jill Burton. January 2019. Gravestone photograph by Graham Lloyd.
Wrexham Cemetery 20/02/2018
ERDDIG SERVANTS RECORD SHEET
Servants Details
Christian Name(s): Elizabeth (Eliza)
Surname: Phillips
Maiden Name: Trevor
Date of Birth: 1867 at Little Sontley
Job(s) at Erddig: Kitchen Maid.
Start Date: about 1884 or before
Finish Date: 1889
Reason for leaving: To get married.
Grave ref: Wrexham Cemetery A-00040
