Elizabeth was the daughter of John Lead and Elizabeth (Greenaway), both Staffordshire people. They married in Aldridge, Staffs., in 1833, with consent of parents'. Elizabeth was the fifth of their six children, and was born in Dudley, Staffordshire. In 1841, John, an Agricultural Labourer, Elizabeth, and their first 3 children, were living in Walsall.
By1851 the family was in Lambeth, John now a Labourer, daughter Sarah a Dressmaker, son John a Pastry Cook, and son William a Carpenter. It wasn't uncommon, in those times, for people to move from the countryside into towns, for work. (Mother Elizabeth died, in Lambeth, aged 43, in 1848. Father John died in 1884, living in Lambeth.)
Elizabeth married Henry Mantle on 4th June 1868 at St Mary, Lambeth. They both gave their address as Camelia Street, Lambeth. His father Edward was a Coachman, and her father was a fireman at the Gas Works.
In 1871, Henry and Elizabeth were living in a Lodge in Hornchurch, Essex, with their first child, Edward, then 3 months old. Henry was described as a Domestic Gardener. By 1881, the family were in a lodge at Hatcham House, in Queens Road, Deptford, with children Edward, Emma and Mary.
BY 1891 they were living in Royal Road, Newington, son Edward also a Gardener, Emma, at 17, a Dressmaker, and Mary, now 24, a Machinist.
Living in Camberwell by 1901, were Henry and Elizabeth with single daughters Emma, still a Dressmaker and Mary, now a Baby Linen Machinist.
1911 found them in Wingfield Street, East Dulwich, Henry now a Jobbing Gardener. Mary Elizabeth was still a Babylinen Machinist. They had a Boarder - a Petty Officer in the Royal Navy, George Steward (Mary's future husband), and a single lady Lodger, a Londoner aged 76, a Plain Needlewoman at Home.
Elizabeth died in November 1920, and Henry died on 3rd December 1920 of senile decay aged 85. His son-in-law W A Taylor was by his side. They were living at the time at 37 Arundel Road, Littlehampton, the home of their daughter Mary and her husband George Steward.
Henry and his wife were buried at Heene because Mary was laid to rest there after an operation for cancer in 1918. She died in a nursing home in Queen's Road, Worthing.