Pre-1881 Census - HOBBIS

[rhobbis]

Hi

I'm trying to find the name of the husband of Mary HOBBIS (married name), born abt. 1843 and had children Harry Hobbis (1866), Walter (1867), George Walter (1870), Florence Maud (1872), and Emma (1875), all from the St Barnabas /  Ladywood area of Birmingham.

I found the family in the 1881 UK Census but no father listed, so presumably he had died or moved on by then.
http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=uki1881&indiv=try&h=22271437

Can anyone help me find this family in the 1871 Census, or earlier, that shows who the father was?

Thanks in advance!
Richard Hobbis

[Tati]

Hi Richard,

Welcome to Rootschat   

This is a puzzle right away!

I can see an extracted christening on the IGI for a Florence Maud Hobbis (birth 1872, christening 1883), but her parents are Harry and Sarah Rebecca. 

As I'm stuck as far as 1871 is concerned, I tried to trace the family forward to 1891 and look what I see:

RG12/2352 95 35
Kings Norton Balsall Heath, Worcestershire
Harry Hobbis, head, 48, wid, Gardener
Walter, son, 24, Coal Labourer
George, son, 21, Brass Burnisher?
Florence, dau, 18, Domestic servant
Emma, dau, 16, Iron Plate Worker

All born Birmingham.

Could the 1881 be wrong and should it have been Harry instead of Mary, I wonder? Or is this a coincidence and the family you are searching for are elsewhere   

(There is a Sarah Rebecca Hobbis dying at Birmingham in 1879 age 34)

 

[Tati]

I can't see Harry on earlier census returns 

There is however a marriage Harry or Henry Hobbis to possibly Sarah Rebecca Gozzard, Birmingham 6d 76 Sep 1864

(and a birth 1842 Birmingham for Henry Hobbis)

I think you'd have to get hold of a birth cert for one of the children...
 

[ShaunJ]

GRO - Henry Hobbis birth Birmingham 3Q 1842 16 216. Can't see him on the censuses though.

[Tati]

Possible match:
1851
HO107/2051 538 16
Birmingham, Warwickshire
Camden Street
Emma Hobbiss, head, wid, 38, Laundress
Emma, dau, 18, **plate Burnisher?
Eliza, dau, 16, Warehouse woman
Clara, dau, 14, Steel pen worker
Frederick, son, 12, Jeweller
Henry, son, 8, Errand Boy
Caroline, dau, 6, school
Hannah, dau, 4

All born Birmingham

(according to 1841, father was called Frederick, age 34 in 1841)

[rhobbis]

Wow, you guys are great! Thank you

It sure is a puzzle that's unfolding here - I'll have to see if I can get a birth certificate for George Walter (b.abt.1870) since he is my direct great grandfather.

Harry Hobbis 1842 is a good bet since that is the first son's name, and Sarah is also used as a middle name by one of George Walter's children (Alice Sarah, who was commonly known as Sarah), so that's as good a bet for their mother's name - 'Mary' could easily have been mistaken for 'Harry'.

Thanks for your help so far

Richard

[Tati]

Are you sure he was called George Walter ? The only birth I can see is

George Hobbis, Birmingham 6d 21, Sep 1869 

Is he the one who is married to a Lucy, living at Birmingham, in 1901?

If so, then this could be their marriage:
George Hobbis (not George Walter)  to possibly Lucy Paddock Dec 1891 Birmingham 6d 47

[rhobbis]

Emma Hobbiss, head, wid, 38, Laundress
(according to 1841, father was called Frederick, age 34 in 1841)

The info keeps coming!  

Is the double 'ss' the original spelling or a typo on your part?
Is the father Frederick Hobbiss (double s) ?

OK, it looks like Harry may be a misspelling of Henry, going by those dates and facts. The birth cert should prove that.

George Walter 1893 I'm certain of from family records.
George Hobbis 1870 ... hmmm now you've got me wondering where I got the 'Walter' from 

(I've only recently started on genealogy research and am learning fast to take lots of notes!)

Thanks again!

[Tati]

It's Hobbiss in 1851, Hobbis in 1841 (and the girls that I could see in 1861 were Hobbiss). You'll soon be familiar with spellings varying from source to source 

Is Lucy Paddock the correct wife?

I see the son is indeed George Walter Hobbis - Sep 1892 Birmingham 6d 35