Charles Allen Du Val

Elizabeth Renney

Elizabeth Du Val

Elizabeth Renney was born Elizabeth Gregory on 6 February 1806 in Manchester, the daughter of James Gregory 1783-1859 and his wife nee Sarah Pilling 1784-1835.

On 24 April 1825 she was married at St Mary's church in Manchester to William Renney, who was a musician at the time of his marriage. He died in about 1831.

Their children were:

Jemima Hampton Renney. She was born in Liverpool in 1829 and died in Bridgwater, Somerset in 1894.
George Constantine Evan Renney. He was born in 1831 and died in 1908 in Spain.
William Renney. He was born in Manchester in 1833, and was baptised on 24 December 1833. He died on 13 October 1874 at 126 Bury New Road, Higher Broughton in Manchester.

Mrs Elizabeth Renney was married to Charles Allen Du Val in St Nicholas church in Liverpool in 1833 and again in Manchester Collegiate Church in the following year (1).

They settled in Manchester, where the prospects of a successful career for her huband as an artist were more promising. They took up residence at 28 Copeland Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, then a village suburb.

In 1842 they moved to 24 Carlton Grove (or Terrace) in Green Heys, also in the suburb of Chorlton-on-Medlock. By 1861 the family were at Green Hey Lane, which may have been the same address, and there Charles Allen Du Val and his wife lived for the rest of their lives (2).

Her husband was greatly interested in the United States, and had admirers there. The famous American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne visited him at Carlton Grove in 1857, and was much impressed by the fact that Du Val and his wife were bringing up twelve children on an artist’s income. “It speaks well of the profession that he should [be] able to live in such handsome comfort, and nourish so large a brood”, he said. (3)

The number totalled twelve, as she had nine children by Charles Allen Du Val in addition to the three by her first marriage.

Her nine Du Val children (4), all baptised in Manchester Collegiate Church (Manchester Cathedral from 1847), were:

Charles Du Val (5). He was born on 17 March 17 1835 and baptised on 7 March 1836.
Julia Du Val. She was born on 11 April 1837 and baptised on 31 July 1837. She was married to James Stanley Kipping of Manchester.
Edward James Du Val. He was born on 14 August 1838 and baptised on 31 October 1838. He married Emma Gaskill on 14 January 1864 in Manchester Cathedral.
Gerald Du Val. He was born on 27 October 1840 and baptised on 19 January 1841. He married Catherine Shimwell on 12 January 1895 in Liverpool.
Florence Du Val. She was born on 20 July 1842 and baptised on 2 September 1842. She was married to William Thomas Holland of Bridgwater, Somerset. She died on 13 June 1924.
Elizabeth Ellen Du Val. She was born on 10 November 1844 and baptised on 12 March 1845. She was married to Thomas George Whaite on 16 June 1864 in Manchester Cathedral.
Frances Du Val. She was born on 11 September 1846 and baptised on 29 January 1847. She was married to Frederick Wilkinson on 9 February 1865 in Manchester Cathedral.
Catherine Sarah Du Val. She was born on 13 August 1849 and baptised on 23 February 1850(?). She was married to James Francis Wilkinson on 1 July 1868 in Manchester Cathedral.
Norris Cartali Du Val. He was born on 27 January 1851 and baptised on 17 June 1851. He married Emily Ann Smith on 30 July 1874 in Manchester Cathedral.

She died at Southport in Lancashire in 1879, probably at the home of her son Edward James Du Val.

(1) Charles Allen Du Val married Elizabeth Renney nee Elizabeth Gregory twice, once at St Nicholas church, Hawke Street in Liverpool in 1833 and again in Manchester Cathedral in 1834. Such double marriages were not infrequent where one of the parties was Anglican and the other Roman Catholic. Elizabeth Gregory was baptised at St Ann's (Anglican) church in Manchester, but her marriage in 1825 to William Renney was at St Mary's Church in Manchester, which was said to be the first purpose-built Roman Catholic church in England since the Reformation. St Nicholas Church, Hawke Street in Liverpool was also a Roman Catholic church. So Elizabeth seems to have been born Anglican and become Roman Catholic when she married William Renney. Presumably she and Charles Allen Du Val wished to have the blessings of both denominations when they married. She may have reverted to Anglican thereafter, as all her Du Val children were baptised in Manchester Collegiate Church (Manchester Cathedral from 1847).
(2) The 1871 Census Return records them as being still there. Charles Allen Du Val died in the following year.
(3) Hawthorne’s Works : Passages from the English Note-Books (1876) pages 331-333.
(4) The birth dates are from a family document in the handwriting of their father Charles Allen Du Val himself.
(5) His father recorded his names as being Charles Allen Duval.