▁Elizabeth ▁was ▁the ▁couple ' s ▁el dest ▁daughter   – ▁there ▁was ▁an ▁older ▁brother ▁but ▁he ▁died ▁in ▁early ▁child hood – ▁several ▁of ▁whom ▁inherited ▁their ▁parents ▁musical ▁ab ilities . ▁It ▁is ▁likely ▁she ▁began ▁singing ▁at ▁concert s ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁only ▁nine ▁years ▁old ▁and ▁made ▁her ▁formal ▁stage ▁début ▁alongside ▁her ▁brother , ▁also ▁named ▁Thomas , ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 7 ▁at ▁Cov ent ▁Garden , ▁London . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 7 7 0 , ▁she ▁was ▁bet ro th ed ▁to ▁an ▁elder ly ▁but ▁wealth y ▁su itor , ▁Walter ▁Long , ▁but ▁the ▁eng agement ▁was ▁broken ▁off ▁shortly ▁before ▁the ▁wed ding ▁took ▁place . ▁Long ▁paid ▁her ▁compens ation ▁of ▁£ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 1 ▁and ▁she ▁also ▁received ▁£ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁worth ▁of ▁cl othing ▁and ▁j ew ell ery . ▁She ▁moved ▁to ▁France ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 2 ▁accompanied ▁by ▁Richard ▁Br ins ley ▁Sher idan ▁and ▁an ▁invalid ▁marriage ▁may ▁have ▁taken ▁place ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 7 7 2 ▁but ▁there ▁are ▁no ▁official ▁records ▁to ▁verify ▁it . ▁The ▁couple ▁were ▁officially ▁married ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁April ▁ 1 7 7 3 ▁after ▁their ▁return ▁to ▁Britain , ▁the ▁period ▁when ▁Elizabeth ▁was ▁described ▁by ▁Frances ▁Bur ney ▁as ▁" inf initely ▁superior ▁to ▁all ▁other ▁English ▁sing ers ." ▁According ▁to ▁later ▁newspaper ▁reports ▁their ▁court