Eliza Hubbard Woolmer, wife of James Leakey

Elizabeth Hubbard Woolmer was born on 20 December 1793. She was the daughter of Joseph and Sarah Woolmer and was christened at Lady Glenorchy’s Connexion Independent/Congregational Chapel, Withycombe Raleigh on 11 February 1794.

On 28 August 1815 she married the artist James Leakey (1775-1865) at St. Sidwell’s Church, Exeter (2). They had eleven children. Three of the sons became church ministers and one of the daughters, Caroline Woolmer Leakey (1827-1881) became a religious writer (3). Their son Peter Nettleton Leakey (1830-1906) married Mary Bazett, through which line the Bazett bequest is connected (4). Two other children, Henry and Emily, were given the middle name Palmer after the artist’s grandparents, Samuel and Mary Palmer.