Hobbs Family of Quarrymen DRAFT Courtesy Jan Mossman Date
The 1841 census showing the Hobbs family bottom left (courtesy FindMyPast)
Jan Mossman contacted us when she came from Auckland, New Zealand, searching for information about the Hobbs family, her maternal ancestors, who lived and worked in Box in the early Victorian period. It seemed rather hopeless, no known address, just a brief reference that James Hobbs was a quarryman at Box Quarries in the 1841. In searching the area, we were able to make some reasonable assumptions to tell the story of the family.
Where they Lived in Box
We had virtually no information about where the family might have lived in the village in 1841, except for the wording Box Quarries and that several of the men worked as masons. But we can see that their dwelling was in the vicinity of Tunnel Inn and a Box Tunnel airshaft and this in itself made them a different branch to the Hobbs family who lived at Ditteridge and Middlehill. This branch of the family appears to relate to a person called Hobbs mentioned in a later legal case. Hobbs had claimed wasteland owned by the Northey family at the top of Quarry Hill: land recovered from the waste by a man named Hobbs, who had tried to get title for the land by paying a small rent for it.[1]
We had virtually no information about where the family might have lived in the village in 1841, except for the wording Box Quarries and that several of the men worked as masons. But we can see that their dwelling was in the vicinity of Tunnel Inn and a Box Tunnel airshaft and this in itself made them a different branch to the Hobbs family who lived at Ditteridge and Middlehill. This branch of the family appears to relate to a person called Hobbs mentioned in a later legal case. Hobbs had claimed wasteland owned by the Northey family at the top of Quarry Hill: land recovered from the waste by a man named Hobbs, who had tried to get title for the land by paying a small rent for it.[1]
The 1840 Tithe Apportionment map showing Hazelbury Quarries (at Quarry Woods) and the houses built along Quarry Hill (courtesy Wilts History Centre)
The next port of call was the 1840 Tithe Apportionment record and map shown above. But this isn’t very useful because, although individual properties are marked, the whole area is recorded as In Hand in the ownership of the lords of the manor, Edward Richard and William Brook Northey. Clearly the Northey family were trying to retain control of the area, which accords with the details in the later legal case. We know that their house probably wasn’t at the very top of Quarry Hill because, by anecdote, The Firs is reputed to have been a storage barn for candles used in the digging of the Box Tunnel.[2] We wondered if their cottage might be the house now called Calaria. At this point Jan had to leave on her travels and ultimately back to New Zealand.
Calaria on the top of Quarry Hill (courtesy Carol Payne)
Hobbs at Quarry Hill
However, since Jan’s departure, more suggestions have now come to light, indicating that the Hobbs family occupied other properties in the area of Quarry Hill.[3] Francis Hobbs (31 March 1817-possibly 1869) and Amelia Matthews (1820-1879) were living at Box Hill in the 1851 and 1861 censuses. By 1871 Amelia, a widow, was shown living with her younger son Francis at Quarry Hill. The family had repeatedly taken their nephews Daniel and George into the household in the censuses, which might imply that they had a house large enough to accommodate others. It is believed that this branch of the Hobbs family (and Francis Hobbs in particular) was the reference to in the Northey legal dispute.[4]
The connection between Jan’s ancestor James Hobbs and Francis Hobbs begins to emerge in the 1861 census when James Hobbs (1804-1886) lived next door to Francis Hobbs (1817-1869) in dwellings said to be on Box Hill. The men were brothers, children of Francis Hobbs and Betty Clark. We don’t know they names of their dwellings, if they were sharing a property or living next door to each other. However, the location appears to be Quarry Hill rather than the road now called Box Hill. We can attempt to track down Francis Hobbs’ dwelling if his children and grandchildren stayed in the same area and inherited occupation of their domestic home. Francis and Amelia had at least four children, one of who was Ellen (1853-) who in 1875 married Frederick E Nowell (1853-), a stonemason. In the 1881 census the Nowells can be identified as living on Quarry Hill. In 1891 their dwelling is referred to as Rose Cottage, Quarry Hill.
The Nowell family stayed in Rose Cottage for many years. Francis William Nowell (28 July 1883-24 July 1960) married Ellen Amelia Smith (8 October 1882-1953) on 31 October 1907. In 1939 they can be identified as living at West View and Francis died there in 1960. They had a son Rowland Francis Herbert Nowell (usually called Rolly).
Years of Boom and Bust
Going back to the story of the Hobbs family, Edwin is presumed to have learned his trade in his father's workshop and in 1861 was working as journeyman stone carver on a job in Ipswich. Three years later, he went into partnership with the Lambeth based architectural sculptor, Thomas Earp (1828-93). Edwin managed the Manchester branch of the firm which was based in Lower Mosley Street. It is a very fashionable area, full of listed historic buildings and including the Manchester Art Gallery. Most of the grand buildings were developed earlier in the nineteenth century so it might be inferred that much of the firm’s work was in repair and maintenance. Edwin became very successful and it was reported that on his death in 1904, he owned wealth of £5,987 1s. 1d (today three-quarters of a million pounds).
But the stone quarry trade was in decline before the First World War. It may be that Frederick left for Wellington, New Zealand, on the Turakina on 19 January 1912 and various other family members followed him on 27 September the same year on the ship Rotorua, travelling 2 Class. The party included the matriarch Hannah, the youngest son Bill, daughter Phoebe and an unknown person Miss M Hobbs, aged about 40 who was presumably a relative. Another son, James, was possibly the person listed as J Hobbs, stone carver, who moved to Wellington in February 1911 and found his way to Gisborne, NZ before his death in 1918 during the Great War.
However, since Jan’s departure, more suggestions have now come to light, indicating that the Hobbs family occupied other properties in the area of Quarry Hill.[3] Francis Hobbs (31 March 1817-possibly 1869) and Amelia Matthews (1820-1879) were living at Box Hill in the 1851 and 1861 censuses. By 1871 Amelia, a widow, was shown living with her younger son Francis at Quarry Hill. The family had repeatedly taken their nephews Daniel and George into the household in the censuses, which might imply that they had a house large enough to accommodate others. It is believed that this branch of the Hobbs family (and Francis Hobbs in particular) was the reference to in the Northey legal dispute.[4]
The connection between Jan’s ancestor James Hobbs and Francis Hobbs begins to emerge in the 1861 census when James Hobbs (1804-1886) lived next door to Francis Hobbs (1817-1869) in dwellings said to be on Box Hill. The men were brothers, children of Francis Hobbs and Betty Clark. We don’t know they names of their dwellings, if they were sharing a property or living next door to each other. However, the location appears to be Quarry Hill rather than the road now called Box Hill. We can attempt to track down Francis Hobbs’ dwelling if his children and grandchildren stayed in the same area and inherited occupation of their domestic home. Francis and Amelia had at least four children, one of who was Ellen (1853-) who in 1875 married Frederick E Nowell (1853-), a stonemason. In the 1881 census the Nowells can be identified as living on Quarry Hill. In 1891 their dwelling is referred to as Rose Cottage, Quarry Hill.
The Nowell family stayed in Rose Cottage for many years. Francis William Nowell (28 July 1883-24 July 1960) married Ellen Amelia Smith (8 October 1882-1953) on 31 October 1907. In 1939 they can be identified as living at West View and Francis died there in 1960. They had a son Rowland Francis Herbert Nowell (usually called Rolly).
Years of Boom and Bust
Going back to the story of the Hobbs family, Edwin is presumed to have learned his trade in his father's workshop and in 1861 was working as journeyman stone carver on a job in Ipswich. Three years later, he went into partnership with the Lambeth based architectural sculptor, Thomas Earp (1828-93). Edwin managed the Manchester branch of the firm which was based in Lower Mosley Street. It is a very fashionable area, full of listed historic buildings and including the Manchester Art Gallery. Most of the grand buildings were developed earlier in the nineteenth century so it might be inferred that much of the firm’s work was in repair and maintenance. Edwin became very successful and it was reported that on his death in 1904, he owned wealth of £5,987 1s. 1d (today three-quarters of a million pounds).
But the stone quarry trade was in decline before the First World War. It may be that Frederick left for Wellington, New Zealand, on the Turakina on 19 January 1912 and various other family members followed him on 27 September the same year on the ship Rotorua, travelling 2 Class. The party included the matriarch Hannah, the youngest son Bill, daughter Phoebe and an unknown person Miss M Hobbs, aged about 40 who was presumably a relative. Another son, James, was possibly the person listed as J Hobbs, stone carver, who moved to Wellington in February 1911 and found his way to Gisborne, NZ before his death in 1918 during the Great War.
Life in New Zealand
Jan, CAN YOU HELP WITH WRITING A FEW WORDS ABOUT THEIR STORY IN NZ PLEASE
Jan, CAN YOU HELP WITH WRITING A FEW WORDS ABOUT THEIR STORY IN NZ PLEASE
Conclusion
Of course, there is a lot of speculation in trying to decide precisely which house the Hobbs families lived in. The difficulty of changes of road names and lack of house names makes researching the 1841 census problematic. Nonetheless, the coincidence of both Christian and surnames in such a small area is indicative and makes the locations we have suggested as highly likely. If anyone has their house deeds, we might be able to go further in the search for Jan’s ancestors.
Of course, there is a lot of speculation in trying to decide precisely which house the Hobbs families lived in. The difficulty of changes of road names and lack of house names makes researching the 1841 census problematic. Nonetheless, the coincidence of both Christian and surnames in such a small area is indicative and makes the locations we have suggested as highly likely. If anyone has their house deeds, we might be able to go further in the search for Jan’s ancestors.
Family Tree
Francis (1774-) married Elizabeth (Betty) Clark. Children included
James Hobbs (1804 in Box-1886), stonemason married twice.
First to Phoebe Smart [1811 – 1843]. Children:
Charles (1841 in Corsham-), stonemason;
Edwin Hobbs senior (1840-26 November 1904)
Secondly to Susan (1810-). Children:
James (1846-);
William (1851-);
George (1854-).
Edwin Hobbs senior (1840-26 November 1904), architectural sculptor, stone carver
Jan’s great-grandfather, married Hannah Maria Worsley (1850–1928). Children:
Francis Hobbs (31 March 1817-probably 1869) in 1846 married Amelia Matthews (1820-1869). Children:
Francis (1774-) married Elizabeth (Betty) Clark. Children included
- James Hobbs (1804 in Box-1886)
- Francis (1817-probably 1869).
James Hobbs (1804 in Box-1886), stonemason married twice.
First to Phoebe Smart [1811 – 1843]. Children:
Charles (1841 in Corsham-), stonemason;
Edwin Hobbs senior (1840-26 November 1904)
Secondly to Susan (1810-). Children:
James (1846-);
William (1851-);
George (1854-).
Edwin Hobbs senior (1840-26 November 1904), architectural sculptor, stone carver
Jan’s great-grandfather, married Hannah Maria Worsley (1850–1928). Children:
- Mary Eliza (1870–1965) never married;
- Francis Edward (1874–1898);
- Hannah Maria (1875–1957) married Joseph Deacon. Children: Norman J [1902–1961] and lived at West Didsbury Lancashire, and Robert Edwin Deacon.
- Phoebe Emily (1878–1973) married Jack Newsham. No children. They farmed at Te Kopuru, New Zealand (NZ) and retired to Rodney, North Auckland NZ
- Edwin junior (1883–1950) stayed in England, was working as a stone carver in 1901 married XX
- James (1885–1918 Killed WWI. Lived at Manutuke, Gisborne NZ
- Frederick Hobbs (1886–1947) Jan’s grandfather who came to NZ
- William (Bill) (1888–1959), sculptor, no children and lived in Gisborne, NZ
Francis Hobbs (31 March 1817-probably 1869) in 1846 married Amelia Matthews (1820-1869). Children:
- Elizabeth Hobbs (1849-);
- Ellen Hobbs (1853-) who married Frederick Edward Nowell (1853-) and had children:
- Annette B (1875-);
- Frederick E (1877-);
- Archibald H (1879-);
- Mary (1881-);
- Francis William (1883-);
- Percival Reginald (1888-).
- Emma Amelia Hobbs (1855-1952) married Charles Richards in 1875;
- Francis Hobbs (1858-).
References
[1] See Rokeby Villa and The Bath Chronicle, 13 July 1893
[2] Courtesy Roy and Chris Francis
[3] Courtesy Margaret Lambert Wakefield
[4] Courtesy Margaret Wakefield
[1] See Rokeby Villa and The Bath Chronicle, 13 July 1893
[2] Courtesy Roy and Chris Francis
[3] Courtesy Margaret Lambert Wakefield
[4] Courtesy Margaret Wakefield