Hello there,

I have hit a brick wall tracing my ancestor Elizabeth Radford in Devon before arriving in New Zealand.

Elizabeth came to NZ as a single female on board the ship Blenheim in 1842, aged 20. She travelled under the assumed name Elizabeth Payne. Also onboard was Elizabeth's thought (no concrete evidence) sister Agnes Dust (nee Radford) and her husband James Dust and their two children.
There also was a Thomas Radford travelling onboard the Blenheim who was 24 years old. I have found no connection between Thomas and Elizabeth. I'm not sure if he is possibly her brother, or it's just a coincidence he has the same last name.

In the 1841 census in Exeter in the parish of St.Sidwell, there is an Elizabeth Radford aged 20 and a Catherine Radford aged 35 that are both living in the same household as Elizabeth Roberts and her family.
Then in 1842, Catherine Radford, along with Catherine Roberts and her family, immigrated to New Zealand onboard the ship Essex. This is the same year Elizabeth Radford immigrated with Agnes Dust on board the ship Blenheim. They all settled in Taranaki as Early Settlers.
Unfortunately, I have no idea if this is my Elizabeth Radford living with Catherine Radford and Elizabeth Roberts. I believe I have all records from here in NZ, including marriage and death certificates, with no mention of birthplace, parents names, or witnesses.

There are two also ladies, Elizabeth Radford the elder and Elizabeth Radford the younger, who were both sentenced in the Devon quarter session 1835 for stealing. Elizabeth, the elder, was sentenced to 14 years in Aussie; Elizabeth the younger was imprisoned for three calendar months. Elizabeth Radford, the elder, was one of 118 convicts transported on the Henry Wellesley to Australia on the 23rd of September 1835, convicted at Devon Quarter Session for a term of 11 years on 7th of April 1835.
Another thought is that Elizabeth the younger could be my Elizabeth Radford, which may explain the surname name change when she immigrated to New Zealand.

And finally, a newspaper article in the Exeter Flying Post in 1838 has a Mrs Elizabeth Radford and Mrs Jane Pain in occupation of a dwelling-house in the parish of St.Sidwell. I believe this is a shop premise being sold alongside "The Red Lion Inn" on St. Sidwell's street in Exeter.
This Elizabeth Radford is also interesting because of her connection with Jane Pain and my Elizabeth Radford travelling to New Zealand under the name Elizabeth Payne which was also written as Elizabeth Pain. Again I can't seem to find any further information to connect the dots.

I am wondering where to go from here?
Is there anyone else researching any of these Elizabeth Radford's also?

Cheers,
Candice