CHURCHYARD, Bessie
Elizabeth Churchyard, known as Bessie, was born at Melton, near Woodbridge, Suffolk in 1834 and baptised at St Mary’s Church, Woodbridge on 6 April 1835, one of the several artist children of Thomas Churchyard and his wife Harriet Hailes (1797-1865), daughter of Lieut George Hailes R.N., of Henley, near Ipswich. Although Bessie was considered simple, she was the first of the daughters to find herself work and managed to save some money from her work. Pictures by Bessie exist but are relatively unskilled. In 1891, the four sisters were living at Seckford Library, Woodbridge where Laura was the librarian. Elizabeth Churchyard died at Woodbridge on 5 April 1913, like her sisters she was unmarried.