Working-class Family

A biography written about Ann Owen Hobbs by her great-granddaughter DeEsta Hobbs Naylor outlined the difficulties she faced as a young widow in Cheltenham.

            "William Hobbs and Ann Owen had seven children born to them...When thirty-six years old, William fell victim to pneumonia and died...With two young twin girls only a few months old and five young boys, the oldest fourteen years old, Ann Owen was...left to face the burdens of life with no one to turn to for comfort and support ...Ann Owen...took up the process of providing for her children's needs-both as a mother and as a provider.  With her skill as a seamstress, she was able to provide a few of the necessities of life.  How meager must have been their fare.  When the boys became old enough, they began to work and were able to help and relieve somewhat the burden of their mother...She developed a felon on the finger where she wore her thimble.  It was impossible for her to use that hand in an effort to support her family for three months.  It got worse and finally the first bone fell completely out."[1] 

            A few Cheltenham records have provided additional information about the efforts the family made to support themselves. The first one found cast a sobering light on the desperate family situation.

            A search at the Gloucestershire Archives revealed a gaol (jail) register record for Charles Hobbs. During the proceedings of the Epiphany term Quarter Session in January 1850 Charles, 16, and his friend Charles Proard, 14, both errand lads, were found guilty of "feloniously stealing twelve silk handkerchiefs." The younger Charles must have been the leader in the exploit because he was sentenced to twelve months hard labor and two whips. Ann's son, the sixteen-year old Charles, was sentenced to six months hard labor and one whip.[2] The comments in the column under the heading "Previously known character, habits, and connexions" revealed a sad description for both of them.

 

            The young Charles Proard was described as a "Native of Cheltenham, father and mother dead, [he] is an errand boy for Mr, Walwin the draper." Charles Hobbs's description was equally despairing. "Native of Cheltenham, father dead, mother takes in washing, he is an errand boy for Mrs. Kitsell." Charles Hobbs served his six month sentence and was released 1 July 1850. His young friend wasn't as fortunate. He died in the prison 10 August 1850, just a month after Charles Hobbs left.

            The 1851 Census recorded Ann Hobbs as a shop keeper and her three oldest sons ages 13-18 as job holders as well. Charles was enumerated as a laborer, Henry and William were both errand boys.[3]

 

            At the time of the 1861 Census, Ann was recorded as a laundress. The three oldest sons were no longer living in her household but the youngest, James, 20, was working as a porter. The 14 year old twin girls were employed, as well, to help support the family. Mary Ann was listed as a nurse in Ann's household and apparently was caring for the one year old female boarder listed in the household.[4] 

Mary Ann's twin sister, Caroline, was enumerated as an under nurse in the wealthy household of William N. Skillicorne who was a magistrate and deputy lieutenant in Cheltenham.[5] He was the great-grandson of the man credited for developing the first Cheltenham spa, Captain Henry Skillicorne.[6]

             Earlier blogposts have demonstrated the Hobbs lived in working-class neighborhoods. Indeed, they did work. And these records reveal that their labors were a family effort. Each document has contributed small bits of information that considered together show the determination of the Hobbs family to care for themselves. The loss of William Hobbs certainly had a detrimental impact on Ann and her children but they all showed their tenacity through the years to provide for their needs—even Charles, who suffered difficult consequences for his youthful breach of propriety, contributed until the time of his marriage.[7]          

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[1] DeEsta Hobbs Naylor, "Ann Owen," FamilySearch, (www.familysearch.org accessed 3 October 2015), citing Family Tree, memorial story, Ann Owen, KWJ7-Y9Y.

[2] England, Gloucestershire, "Register of Prisoners 1849-1854," Gloucestershire Archives, Q/Gc6/2, hard copy in possession of author.

[3] 1851 England Census, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Civil Parish Cheltenham, ED 1w, p. 36, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com accessed: 18 October 2013), Ann Hobbs household.

[4] 1861 England Census, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire; Civil Parish Cheltenham, Ecclesiastical parish St. Peter, ED 16, p. 17, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com: accessed 18 October 2013), Ann Hobbs household.

[5] 1861 England Census, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, ecclesiastical parish St Mary, ED 26, p. 5, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com: accessed 18 October 2013), William N. Skillicorne household.

[6] John Goding, Norman's History of Cheltenham, (London: Longman, 1863), digitized by Harvard University, 13 June 2008, Google Books (www.books.google.com accessed 28 September 2015), 129-30.

[7] Public Member Photos & Scanned Documents, digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com accessed: 14 November 2013), entry of marriage for Charles William Hobbs and Mary Ann Emms, 28 Aug 1854, Cheltenham registration district, General Registry Office, Somerset.