Monday, 30 June 2025

William Hobbs and Margaret Spavin

© Martin Addison (cc-by-sa/2.0) geograph.org.uk/p/2721035
Lambeth Palace and St. Mary-at-Lambeth

William Hobbs (bap. 5 May 1765 at St Mary At Lambeth, Lambeth, Surrey), Batchelor, son of Nathaniel Hobbs and Mary Colke, married Margaret Spavin (bap. 6 Dec 1761 in Appleton le Street, Yorkshire), of the same parish Spinster, daughter of Thomas Spavin and Rebecca Appleby, at St Mary At Lambeth on 10 May 1787. Witnesses to their marriage were John Gale and James Singleton. 

This couple, it appears, had nine children:
  1. Rebecca Hobbs, daughter of William & Margaret Hobbs, bap. 9 Oct 1789 at The Parish Church of St Mary the VirginHenley-on-Thames
  2. William Hobbs b. 8 Nov 1790, bap. 12 Dec 1790 at St Mary, Henley-on-Thames. (Not found record of death, but must have died in infancy.)
  3. Thomas Paul Hobbs b. 8 Apr 1792, bap. 10 Apr 1792 at St Mary's, Henley
  4. Hannah Hobbs b. 30 Sep 1793, bap. 25 Oct 1793 at St Mary's, Henley
  5. John Hobbs b. 16 Jun 1795, bap. 12 Jul 1795 at St Mary's Church, Henley-on-Thames (Also must have died as an infant to reuse the name in 1803.)
  6. Mary Spavin Hobbs b. 27 Nov 1796, bap. 4 Dec 1796 at St Mary's, Henley
  7. Henry Hobbs b. 30 Mar 1799, bap. 7 Apr 1799 at St Mary's, Henley
  8. William Hobbs b. 29 Jul 1801, bap. 28 Aug 1801 at St Mary's, Henley
  9. John Hobbs b. 13 Jun 1803, bap. 19 Jun 1803 at St Mary's, Henley
There is a possible death of William Hobbs in 1839 J Quarter in THE WYCOMBE UNION Volume 06 Page 292, his age given as 70. (Unconfirmed.)

In 1841, Margaret Hobbs (listed as 90 - she had gained 10 years somewhere) was living at Fawley Court Cottage, Henley on Thames (Fawley Court is described as "A quintessentially British stately home designed by Sir Christopher Wren and landscaped by Capability Brown"), with Mary Hobbs [Mary Spavin Hobbs] (40ish); Sarah Hobbs (10) and Margaret Day (20). All four were Laundresses. (Margaret Esther Day was daughter of William Day and Rebecca Hobbs; and Sarah Thatcher Hobbs was daughter of John Hobbs and his first wife, Mary Thatcher.)

Margaret Hobbs died, her age way over-estimated as 97 (but this fits with the over estimation in 1841) - she was 'only' 85 - in 1846 J Quarter in HENLEY IN THE COUNTIES OF OXFORD BERKS AND BUCKING Volume 16 Page 57.

In 1851, Mary [Spavin] Hobbs (56) Unmarried, Laundress from Henley on Thames was living at Swiss Cottage, Marlow Road, Henley, Oxfordshire with Margaret Day (30ish) Laundress from Northleach, Gloucestershire, Niece; and Emma King (15) Servant. (Living next door to them was Mary's brother, John Hobbs.)

In 1861, Mary [Spavin] Hobbs (65) Unmarried, Laundress from Henley on Thames, "Alms Woman" was living at Church Yard, 21, Hart Street, Henley with Margaret Day (43) Laundress, Niece. (Margaret Day died, at 47, in 1864 J Quarter in HENLEY, IN THE COUNTIES OF OXFORD, BERKS, AND BUCK Volume 03A Page 340 and was buried on 21 Apr 1864 at St Mary, Henley-on-Thames.)

In 1871, Mary S Hobbs (75) was an Inmate of Alms House, in Church Yard, Henley.

Mary [Spavin] Hobbs died aged 84 in 1880 M Quarter in HENLEY Volume 03A Page 423 and was buried in Henley-on-Thames Cemetery.