I would like to send a special thank you to Albert and Agnes’ great-granddaughter for preserving family photos and documents. This is a wonderful way to keep their memories alive!
Albert William Fox Oxborough
Born: 28 MAR 1865 in Diss, Norfolk County, England
Father: Charles Oxborough (1819 to 1901)
Mother: Eliza Fox (1835 to 1900)
First Spouse: Emma Webb Baldwin (1864 to 1928)
Married: 13 AUG 1887 in Clerkenwell, London, England
Child: Violet Dorothy Evelyn Fox Oxborough (21 JUL 1890 to 1987)
Second Spouse: Agnes Ellen Webb (1862 to 1946)
Married: 1929 in Brentford, Middlesex County, England
Children: None
Died: 30 JUL 1948 in Golders Green, Middlesex County, England
Cremated at Golders Green Crematorium
Timeline:
1871 Diss, Norfolk County, England
1881 Diss, Norfolk County, England
1887 Marriage to Emma
1890 Birth of daughter, Violet
1891 Clerkenwell, London, England
1895 Death of sister, Georgiana
1900 Death of mother, Eliza
1901 Islington, London, England
1901 Death of father, Charles
1911 St Pancras, London, England
1914 Death of sister, Rosanna
1925 Death of sister, Millicent
1928 Death of wife, Emma
1929 Marriage to Agnes
1939 Heston, Middlesex County, England
1946 Death of wife, Agnes
1948 Death and Burial
Occupation: printer’s apprentice (1881), printer’s compositor (1891, 1901, 1911)
Records:
1871 to 1911 England Census Records
1939 England and Wales Register
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
Norfolk, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1915
England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index: 1837-1915
England & Wales, Marriage Index: 1916-2005
England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2005
Variations of Surname: None
In 1878, Albert signed an indenture of apprenticeship to learn the printing trade. The contract was for six years. He served under the guidance of John Lusher and his son, Frederick, of Diss, Norfolk County, England.
In 1887, Albert and Emma moved to London where they were married. The decision to relocate was based on the fact that compositors were in high demand in the larger cities of England. Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, and fliers were printed on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Albert worked as a printer’s compositor. This was a very highly skilled profession. As many newspapers published daily editions, the typeset had to be set at a rapid pace. To make it even more difficult the “sorts” were set backward to print correctly. This meant that the compositor had to be able to read the print backward, too.
First Spouse:
Emma Webb Baldwin:
Emma was born on 12 MAR 1864 in Scole, Norfolk County, England. She died on 1 OCT 1928 in Hampstead, London, England.
Emma’s mother was Rebecca Baldwin. She was born in 1844 in Diss, Norfolk County, England. I do not know if Rebecca remarried or when she died. She last appeared on the 1881 England census.
Emma’s father was Stephen Webb Foreman. He was born in 1842 in Scole, Norfolk County, England. He died in 1880 in Scole, Norfolk County, England. Stephen was 38 years old when he died.
Emma’s Parentage:
Emma was born out of wedlock to Rebecca Baldwin. She was baptized twice:
On 13 APR 1864, Emma was baptized by her mother in Diss, Norfolk County, England. The record notes that Emma was the “base-born” daughter of Rebecca Baldwin. The entry also included her father’s surname of Webb.
Emma’s parents married on 28 APR 1864 in Diss, Norfolk County, England. One known child was born to this marriage:
William Webb (1869)
On 17 JUL 1864, Emma was baptized in Palgrave, Suffolk County, England. This parish is one and a half miles south of Diss. The baptism record listed both Emma’s parents.
Emma’s Father:
Stephen Webb Foreman:
Like his daughter, Stephen was born out of wedlock.
Stephen’s mother was Melissa Foreman. She was born in 1823 in Thrandeston, Suffolk County, England. She died on 20 FEB 1907 in Scole, Norfolk County, England.
Melissa Foreman married William Webb on 29 JUN 1851 in Scole, Norfolk County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.
William may have adopted Melissa’s son. Here is how Stephen’s name appears on various documents:
1842 Stephen Foreman (birth)
1851 Stephen Foreman (census)
1857 Stephen Webb (baptism)
1861 Stephen Webb Foreman (census)
1864 Stephen Webb Foreman (marriage)
1871 Stephen Webb (census)
1880 Stephen Webb (death)
1880 Stephen Webb (burial)
Stephen’s Adoptive Father:
William Webb was born in 1822 in Stuston, Suffolk County, England. He died on 31 MAR 1869 in Scole, Norfolk County, England.
William had previously married Caroline Spurdens on 2 AUG 1847 in Diss, Norfolk County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.
Caroline Spurdens was born in 1824 in Shelfanger, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1850 in Diss, Norfolk County, England. Caroline was 26 years old when she died.
Caroline had one child out of wedlock:
Harriet Spurdens (1845)
After William died, Melissa married Sidney Ling on 25 DEC 1871 at Saint Luke’s Church in Westminster, London, England. No known children were born to this marriage.
Sidney Ling was born in 1836 in Scole, Norfolk County, England. He died in 1914 in Scole, Norfolk County, England.
The White Hart Inn:
The Norfolk Pubs website shows that William Webb purchased this pub in 1864. White´s History, Gazetteer, and Directory for 1864 recorded the name of the pub as the Scole Inn.
The Norfolk Pubs shows that the White Hart Inn remained in the Webb family for several years:
William Webb (1864 to 1869)
Melissa Webb (1869 to 1871)
Sidney Ling (1875 to 1912)
William Webb, Melissa’s son (1916 to 1922)
Second Spouse:
Agnes Ellen Webb:
Agnes was born on 25 APR 1862 in Seend, Wiltshire County, England. She died on 23 APR 1946 in Esher, Surrey County, England.
Agnes’ father was Jacob Webb. He was born in 1838 in Bromham, Wiltshire County, England. He died in 1918 in Paddington, London, England.
Agnes’ mother was Martha Elizabeth Harris. She was born in 1833 in Melksham, Wiltshire County, England. She died in 1907 in Fulham, Middlesex County, England.
Agnes had three brothers and sisters. They were all born in Seend:
Clara Ann Webb (1866)
Herbert William Webb (1867)
Maude M Webb (1872)
Agnes’ Other Marriages:
Agnes had first married Richard Miller on 9 AUG 1881 in Bishops Cannings, Wiltshire County, England. Five known children were born to this marriage:
Janetta Miller (1885 Woolwich, Kent County, England)
Christopher Miller (1886 St Helier, Jersey County, Channel Islands)
Rose Miller (1889 Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland)
Walter Douglas Miller (1890 Battersea, London, England)
Arthur Ernest Miller (1893 Battersea, London, England)
Richard Miller was born in 1850 in Rathkeale, County Limerick, Ireland. He died in 1893 in Battersea, London, England.
After Richard died, Agnes married Peter Black Gibson on 14 JAN 1899 at the parish church of St Mary in Lambeth, London, England. No known children were born to this marriage.
Peter Black Gibson was born in 1846 in New Cumnock, Ayrshire County, Scotland. He died in 1914 in Lambeth, London, England.
Peter had previously married Margaret Barbara Sutherland on 10 JAN 1872 in Tradeston, Glasgow, Lanarkshire County, Scotland. Six known children were born to this marriage. The oldest child was born in Tradeston. The other children were born in Westminster, Middlesex County, England.
William Kennedy Gibson (1872)
Margaret Barbara Gibson (1876)
Jessie Gibson (1881)
Andrew Gibson (1883)
Isabella M Gibson (1886)
Peter Wood Black Gibson (1888)
Margaret Barbara Sutherland was born in 1850 in Caithness County, Scotland. She died in 1894 in Wandsworth, London, England.
After Peter died, Agnes married Arthur George Atkinson in 1915 in Lambeth, London, England. No known children were born to this marriage.
Arthur George Atkinson was born in 1844 in Hammersmith, Middlesex County, England. He died on 15 FEB 1929 in Heston, Middlesex County, England.
Arthur had previously married Amelia Timothy on 15 MAY 1866 at St Peter’s Church in Hammersmith, Middlesex County, England. Four known children were born to this marriage:
Alice Atkinson (1868 Knightsbridge, Middlesex)
Arthur W Atkinson (1870 Westminster, Middlesex)
George Atkinson (1873 Gravesend, Kent)
Henry Atkinson (1875 Holborn, Middlesex)
Amelia Timothy was born in 1847 in Marylebone, Middlesex County, England. She died in 1898 in Shoreditch, London, England.
After Amelia died, Arthur married a widow, Harriet Jane Perry Osmond, on 30 JUL 1901 at St Philip’s Church in Lambeth, London, England. No known children were born from this marriage.
Harriet Jane Perry was born in 1856 in Lambeth, Surrey County, England. She died on 29 DEC 1901 in Lambeth, London, England.
Who were Harriet’s Parents?
Arthur and Harriet’s marriage record indicated that her father was Joseph Perry, a musician, who was deceased.
With this information, I discovered two men by the name of Joseph Perry whose occupations were musicians. One was Joseph Frank Perry. The other was his father, Joseph Perry.
Joseph Perry, the father, was born in 1810 in Oxford, Oxfordshire County, England. He died in 1853 in Bloomsbury, Middlesex County, England.
As Harriet was not born until 1856, I ruled out the father.
Joseph Frank Perry, the son, was born in 1827 in Bloomsbury, Middlesex County, England. He died on 30 JUN 1886 in Lambeth, Surrey County, England.
The 1851 England census listed Joseph’s wife as Frances.
Frances was born in 1823 in Deptford, Kent County, England. I do not know her maiden name. Frances died sometime before 1860 when Joseph married his second wife, a widow named Maria Matilda Cain Abbott.
As this marriage took place after Harriet was born, I have to assume that Frances might be her mother. It could be that Frances died during childbirth, although I have yet to find a death record.
Harriet did not appear on the 1861 England census with her father and his new wife. She would have been 5 years old at the time. It could be that her father sent her to be cared for by other relatives.
Harriet did not appear on the 1871 England census with her father and his new wife. She would have been 15 years old. She may have been working outside the home as a house servant.
It was not unheard of for a widow or widower who remarried to send their children to be cared for by other relatives. As I do not know Frances’ maiden name, I do not know if she had brothers and sisters who might have cared for Harriet.
Next time I visit Harriet’s profile on my family tree, I hope to confirm that Joseph Frank Perry and Frances were her parents.
Daughter:
Violet Dorothy Evelyn Fox Oxborough:
Violet was born on 21 JUL 1890 in Islington, London, England. She died on 26 MAR 1987 at St Stephen’s Hospital in Barnet, Greater London, England.
At the time of her death, Violet lived at 14 The Crescent, Rustington, West Sussex County, England. Here is a portion of the death certificate showing this information:
Violet married Arthur Ernest Miller on 15 NOV 1915 in Hampstead, London, England. One known child was born to this marriage:
Constance Evelyn Miller (1918)
Arthur Ernest Miller was born on 31 JUL 1893 in Battersea, London, England. He died on 8 FEB 1977 in Hendon, Greater London, England.
Granddaughter:
Constance Evelyn Miller was born on 13 AUG 1918 in Hampstead, Middlesex County, England. She died on 17 MAR 2017 in Thames Ditton, Surrey County, England.
Constance had first married Sidney Herbert Bates in 1942 in Hendon, Middlesex County, England. One known child was born to this marriage:
Gerald Bates (1944)
Sidney Herbert Bates was born on 2 NOV 1919 in Hendon, Middlesex County, England. He died on 6 AUG 1982 in Dacorum, Hertfordshire County, England.
Constance and Sidney must have divorced.
Constance then married John McCammond in 1949 in Hendon, Middlesex County, England. Two known children were born to this marriage:
Patricia Joy McCammond (1947)
Valerie McCammond (1949)
John McCammond was born on 19 SEP 1923 in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. He died on 1 DEC 1993 in Angmering, Sussex County, England.
Special Thanks:
Another Ancestry.com member shared some wonderfully well-preserved photos of this family. Thank you for keeping their memories alive!
This person also left several comments on Arthur’s profile. One of them ended this way:
“In other words, my great-grandmother married my great-grandfather!”
With that kind of statement, I had to pull up her family tree chart.
As you can see, this person is the one marked “Living”. Her mother was Constance Millar.
As you follow the line back, you can see why she made this comment.
On the one side, her paternal grandfather was Arthur Millar. Her great-grandmother was Agnes Ellen Webb.
On the other side, her maternal grandmother was Violet Dorothy Evelyn Fox Oxborough. Her great-grandfather was Albert William Fox Oxborough.
That is how her great-grandmother married her great-grandfather.
Notes:
The surname, Oxborough, originated in Norfolk County, England. It appears in church registers as early as the mid-16th Century. As the world population grew, these Oxborough ancestors moved to other counties in England. By the late 19th Century, some had immigrated to Canada and Australia.
Creating Your Family Tree:
Interested in building a great family tree? Remember these important steps:
Look in your photo albums. You may have old pictures that your parents or grandparents gave you. Or, ask them for copies of photos that they have in their possession. Many people will write names and dates on the backs of photographs. Letters, diaries, and family bibles are also excellent sources for vital records.
Talk to your older relatives to find out about your ancestry. They may relate stories about an ancestor that you can add to your family tree. Family history is usually not found in newspapers. It is more of a verbal memory passed down from generation to generation.
Find the right family tree builder that suits your needs. You can choose one that has a paid subscription like Ancestry.com. There are also free sites like FamilySearch.org.
When you start building your family tree, add documentation to your ancestor’s profile. Records should include birth, marriage, death, census, military, city, and county directory listings. Any information that you can find will help create a life story about your ancestors.
If you have a unique surname, you may find databases on the internet that are useful in your search. I use SurnameDB.com for my English surnames. There are other websites on the internet for countries like Italy and Germany.
Genealogy is the study of a person’s “line of descent.” As you create your family tree, you would start with one individual and go “back into time.” You would add their parents, grandparents, and so on. There are also family trees that go “forward into time.” Many of these family trees start with a famous person, such as a president or royalty. They would then move forward into the present time. The purpose of this type of pedigree is to establish a person’s bloodline with that famous person.
There is no limit on how big your family tree can grow. The blank canvas is there for you to use. Cherish your family history, and it will be there for generations to come!
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