Hi

I'm hoping someone can advise me on tracking down the birth/parent records of a relative. Her name was Amy Elizabeth Washington. I have her in the 1881/1891 census records after she married a John Edwards in 1873. From a child's birth certificate I got her maiden name of Washington and in the census records she is listed as being born in Brentwood, Essex. From the ages given this would mean a birth of around 1853/4 but I simply cannot locate her birth record or any census records prior to 1881.

I've tried searching on various wildcards because despite her full name she is given on the 1891 census record as Eliza. Still no joy.

Can anyone out there tell me where I'm going wrong, provide any help or suggest other places I could look?

Thanks in advance.