Hi Sharon (and everyone else on this thread!)
I raised this query - about Charles Hobley - on the Ancestry Message Board back in 2006, but with no response.
Anyway, I entirely agree with Orpheus re. the "Sussex link". In the mid 1700's people just didn't travel those sort of distances, I have no proof yet, but I reckon that the Charles Hobley from Brailes is much more likely to be our man. Assuming this is so, and it still needs to be proved, Charles' parents were Thomas (b.1690) and Martha George who were married on 07/02/1712 at Chipping Campden, Glos. This Charles had 10 siblings, viz. Mary (b.1714), Francis (1716), Thomas (1718) Elizabeth (1721), Martha (1722), Jane (1725), Margaret (1727), Ann (1729), Edward (1732) and George (1737).
Thomas Hobley (b.1690) was the son of John Hobley and Mary ?. I believe that both of them were born in Barford Warwickshire, John in abt 1665 and Mary abt 1674. Thomas had at least one younger brother - Edward (b. 1696). Edward married a Sarah Green (Greenaway?) who was born in Banbury, Oxfordshire in 1703. Edward and Sarah had a least 9 children (that I know of) and it is from these that the prolific "Banbury/Neithrop" branch of the Hobley clan stems!
Going back to our Charles, the Eynsham Parish register shows that he married Sarah James on 19/05/1767. The witnesses were John Constable (b. 21/08/1732) and Mary Battin. John Constable seems to have been a great mate of Charles over many years and, in fact, was married to Sarah's sister Hester (b. 1737) John and Hester had been married in Eynsham on 28/12/1758.
Now for a couple of newspaper reports!
1. The Oxford Journal dated 18/07/1778 has an item showing that Charles Hobley and John Constable are the executors of the estate of George James, cabinet maker of St Clements, Oxford and request that all debtors and creditors of the deceased send their details to them.
2. The same Journal dated 05/07/1794 has a bankruptcy item regarding the claim for discharge from bankruptcy of 10 people, including Charles! The entry for Charles states: "Charles Hobley, late of Ensham in the County of Oxford, Butcher, now confined in his majesty's prison....not being charged in Custody on the 12th day of February 1794..........". I'm not sure if or when this meant that Charles got out of clink!
You say that Sidney Hobley was your grandfather (mine was Louis George Hobley who got gassed in WW1). I have Sidney (b.1904) in my tree but apart from his father, Frank, have no other info. Who was Sidney's mother, who did he marry did he have any siblings and what kids/grandkids did he have?
If I can be of any further help just shout and If anyone gets the proof about Charles and the "Brailes" link, I'd be very interested to hear about it.
Best regards............................Bob