She lived in Madeira from the time of her marriage 17 August 1819 until the couple retired to England in 1862. She learnt to speak Portuguese and took an active part in the life of the local community as well as that of the many British people who lived on or visited the Island. She established a Lancaster School for girls, aiming to provide an education in reading, writing, arithmetic, sewing and housework. Elizabeth and her husband lived for the last 14 years of their lives at the home they bought in Clapham, which they named Carmo, and she died there, aged 80, 11 days after he did.

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