When a spouse dies, the need to remarry could be caused by loneliness or the need for companionship. Robert was married three times. His second wife was also married three times. His third wife was married four times.

Robert Oxborough

Born: 23 AUG 1850 in Bungay Holy Trinity, Suffolk County, England

Father: John Oxborough (1816 to 1892)
Mother: Phoebe Barth (1821 to 1890)

First Spouse: Mary Ann Woolsey (1848 to 1887)

Married: 27 OCT 1873 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England

Children:

William Edward Woolsey Oxborough (13 MAY 1874 to 28 MAR 1943)
Robert Albert Oxborough (15 FEB 1876 to 31 OCT 1962)
George Herbert Oxborough (30 NOV 1877 to 1962)
Elizabeth Rebecca Oxborough (1879 to 1882)
Frederick Oxborough (1881 to 1882)
Lily Lucy Oxborough (1883 to 8 DEC 1928)
Ethel Oxborough (1884 to 1885)
Bessie Amelia Oxborough (15 DEC 1885 to 5 FEB 1969)
Mary Ann Woolsey Oxborough (1887 to Unknown)

Second Spouse: Ann Watson Barnes (1845 to 1910)

Married: 13 DEC 1888 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England

Children: none

Third Spouse: Eliza Smith (1849 to 1932)

Married: 1911 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England

Children: none

Died: 1933 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England

Timeline:

1851 Bungay Holy Trinity, Suffolk County, England
1861 Gorleston-on-Sea, Suffolk County, England
1864 Death of sister, Harriet
1871 Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England
1873 Marriage to Mary Ann
1874 Birth of son, William
1876 Birth of son, Robert
1877 Birth of son, George
1879 Birth of daughter, Elizabeth
1880 Death of brother, Charles
1881 Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England
1881 Birth of son, Frederick
1882 Death of children, Elizabeth and Frederick
1883 Birth of daughter, Lily
1884 Birth of daughter, Ethel
1885 Death of daughter, Ethel
1886 Birth of daughter, Bessie
1887 Birth of daughter, Mary Ann
1887 Death of wife, Mary Ann
1888 Marriage to Ann
1890 Death of brother, George
1890 Death of mother, Phoebe
1891 Death of sister, Eliza
1891 Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England
1892 Death of father, John
1893 Death of sister, Harriet Phoebe
1901 Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England
1910 Death of wife, Ann
1911 Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England
1911 Marriage to Eliza
1914 Death of brother, John
1918 Death of sister, Mary Ann
1925 Death of brother, Henry
1927 Death of siblings, Elizabeth and James
1928 Death of daughter, Lily
1931 Death of brother, William
1932 Death of wife, Eliza
1933 Death and Burial

Occupation: blacksmith (1871), railway engine driver (1881 to 1911)

Records:

1851 to 1911 England Census Records
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index: 1837-1915
Norfolk, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1940
England, Select Norfolk Church of England Parish Registers, 1538-1900
England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973
England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2005

Variations of Surname: none

Daughters:

Elizabeth Rebecca Oxborough:

Elizabeth was born in 1879 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1882 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. Elizabeth was three years old when she died.

Lily Lucy Oxborough:

Lily was born in 1883 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. She died on 8 DEC 1928 in Lewisham, London, England.

Lily married Charles Bransby Faiers in 1905 in Fulham, London, England. Three known children were born to this marriage:

Vera Lilian Faiers (1906 Brentford, Middlesex)
Majorie Doris Faiers (1910 Fulham, London)
Kenneth Bransby Faiers (1914 Wandsworth, London)

Charles Bransby Faiers was born on 21 SEP 1877 in Gorleston-on-Sea, Suffolk County, England. He died on 23 FEB 1963 in Kensington, London, England.

Probate:

Ethel Oxborough:

Ethel was born in 1884 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1885 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. Ethel was only a few months old when she died.

Bessie Amelia Oxborough:

Bessie was born on 15 DEC 1885 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. She died on 5 FEB 1969 in Hove, Sussex County, England.

Probate:

Bessie married Charles Henry Thompson in 1942 in Lancing, Sussex County, England. Two known children were born to this marriage:

Gladys Victoria Thompson (1906 Surbiton, Surrey)
Victor Henry Thompson (1921 Tonbridge Wells, Kent)

Charles Henry Thompson was born on 14 FEB 1877 in Bow, London, England. He died on 10 FEB 1949 in Lancing, Sussex County, England.

Probate:

Charles had previously married Sarah Leonard on 7 FEB 1897 at St Luke Church, Victoria Docks, Canning Town, Essex County, England. Two known children were born to this marriage:

Lilian Gertrude Thompson (1899 Hyde Park, London)
Charles Henry Thompson (1901 Poplar, London)

Sarah Leonard was born on 29 MAR 1876 in Whitechapel, Middlesex County, England. I do not know if Sarah remarried or when she died.

Did You Notice?

Bessie did not marry Charles until 1942.

The 1911 England census indicated that they were married for 5 1/2 years or around 1906. I do not believe they were legally married until 1942.

Another 1911 England census shows Charles’ first wife, Sarah, living in Canning Town, Essex County, England. Her marital status was listed as married. The number of years married was left blank. This was probably because Sarah and Charles were separated.

Why did Bessie and Charles wait until 1942 to get married? Charles may have waited until after his first wife died before marrying Bessie.

Mary Ann W Oxborough:

Mary Ann was born in 1887 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. I do not know if she married or when she died.

Robert’s First Spouse:

Mary Ann Woolsey:

Mary Ann was born in 1848 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1887 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. Mary Ann was 39 years old when she died.

Mary Ann’s father was William Woolsey. He was born in 1825 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. He died in 1899 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England.

Mary Ann’s mother was Elizabeth Crome. She was born in 1828 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1896 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England.

Mary Ann had seven brothers and sisters:

Elizabeth Woolsey Crome (1846)
Rebecca Woolsey (1853)
Amelia Woolsey (1854)
Selina Woolsey (1857)
William Woolsey (1858)
George Woolsey (1860)
Martha Woolsey (1864)

After Mary Ann died, Robert married a widow, Ann Lee, on 13 DEC 1888 at St Nicholas Church in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

Robert’s Second Spouse:

Ann Watson Barnes:

Ann was born in 1845 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1910 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England.

Ann’s father was Jonah Barnes. He was born in 1805 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. He died in 1883 in Runham, Norfolk County, England.

Probate:

Ann’s mother was Sarah Watson. She was born in 1808 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1886 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England.

Ann had eleven known brothers and sisters:

Sarah Ann Watson Barnes (1827)
Robert Granham Barnes (1829)
Elizabeth Barnes (1832)
Ann Watson Barnes (1835 to 1842)
Daniel Barnes (1836)
William Watson Barnes (1837)
George Watson Barnes (1839)
Mark Watson Barnes (1840 to 1841)
Mark Watson Barnes (1842)
Rose Watson Barnes (1847)
Mary Ann Barnes (1849)

Ann’s First Marriage:

Ann married Samuel Woolner or Woolnough on 9 NOV 1862 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. One known child was born to this marriage:

Samuel William Barnes Woolner (1864 to 1864)

Samuel Woolner or Woolnough was born around 1840. I do not know where he was born. He died in 1864 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England.

Woolner or Woolnough?

The marriage record listed Samuel’s surname as Woolner. He worked as a blacksmith. His father’s name was William Woolner, a brewer. The document shows that Samuel was living in Row 83 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England.

The burial record listed Samuel’s surname as Woolnough. They were living in Row 92 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England.

Ann’s Second Marriage:

After Samuel died, Ann married a man named Henry Lee in 1867 in Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

I do not have any information on Henry Lee.

Robert’s Third Spouse:

After Ann died, Robert married a widow, Eliza Demoor, in 1911 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. Robert was 60 years old and Eliza was 62 years old.

Eliza Smith:

Eliza was born in 1849 in Thurlton, Norfolk County, England. She died on 21 NOV 1932 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England.

Probate:

Eliza’s father was John Smith. He was born in 1828 in Thurlton, Norfolk County, England. He died in 1902 at the Union Workhouse in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England.

Eliza’s mother was Eliza Barlow. She was born in 1828 in Mundham, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1897 in Acle, Norfolk County, England.

Eliza had six brothers and sisters:

Margaret Smith (1853 Thurlton)
George Smith (1856 Thurlton)
Isaac Smith (1860 Thurlton)
Harriet Smith (1864 Great Yarmouth)
Frederick Smith (1870 Acle)
Susanna Smith (1873 Runham)

Eliza’s First Marriage:

Eliza married George Alfred Stoneham on 12 APR 1869 at St Luke Church in Chelsea, London, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

George Alfred Stoneham was born in 1847 in Chatham, Kent County, England. He died on 22 FEB 1888 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA.

Eliza and George must have divorced. He then married Alice Maud Marshall on 7 JUN 1880 in Penge, Surrey County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

Alice Maud Marshall was born on 27 APR 1859 in Lambeth, Surrey County, England. She died on 3 SEP 1946 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA.

George and Alice immigrated to the United States. On 11 NOV 1881, they arrived in New York City, USA.

After George died, Alice married John Swanborg on 10 MAR 1889 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Two known children were born to this marriage. The children were born in Chicago.

Albert Swanborg (1893)
Maud Swanborg (1900)

John Swanborg was born on 20 MAY 1858 in Sweden. He died on 29 JAN 1925 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA.

Eliza’s Second Marriage:

Eliza then married Joseph Townrow in 1880 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

Joseph Townrow was born in 1845 in Mutford, Suffolk County, England. He died on 3 JUL 1897 in Southtown, Norfolk County, England.

Probate:

After Joseph died, Eliza married Edward Demoor on 2 JUN 1898 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. Eliza was 49 years old and Edward was 59 years old.

Edward Demoor was born in 1839 in Ostend, Belgium. He died on 18 DEC 1907 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England.

Probate:

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.

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