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]
[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.
