Meet Eliza Tanner Levett, an imposing Leigh lady.

 

Eliza was born in London, but of a Leigh family, and  baptised in Leigh in 1836.

 

She married Samuel Benjamin (or Benjamin Samuel) Brewer  from Southminster at St Barnabus' Church, South Kensington in 1854. 

 

Eliza was the school teacher at Leigh, whilst Samuel was the local butcher.  They lived in the High Street and later  had  a shop on Leigh Hill and their children opened grocery stores elsewhere in the town.

 

Just a few months after her marriage, at the age of 22, and no doubt reflecting her professional status in the town, Eliza was called on to perform the civic duty of giving the welcoming address to the Chairman of the railway company on the occasion of the arrival of the first train at Leigh.

 

As a memento Eliza was presented with a gold watch and chain.

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The Brewer family shop on Leigh Hill

Photographs reproduced by kind permission of Mr S Brewer