Herbert Coulby

Herbert was the second son of Thomas (Tom) and Hannah Coulby (née Groobey).

Tom Coulby was born in 1858 in Eaton, Nottinghamshire, and Hannah was born in Blyth, Nottinghamshire, also in 1858. They were married in 1883 (reg. East Retford) and had six children: Lillian b. 1883 bap. 16 September at Bramcote St Michael & All Angels and George b. 1885 who were born in Bramcote Nottingham, and Annie Elizabeth birth registered 1888 (JFM), Herbert b. 1889, Ada Hilda b. 1893 and William b. 1896 who were born in Nottingham.

Tom had joined the Midland Railway in 1881 at the age of 22 and was first employed at Langwith Station as a porter. By 1891 he was a signalman and living at 126 Salisbury Street, Nottingham, with his wife and their four children; Lilian, George, Annie and Herbert.

The family had moved to 128 Salisbury Street by 1901; all six children were in the home on the night of the census: Lilian a dressmaker, George a telegraph clerk who had probably joined the Midland Railway Co. in 1899, Annie a cigarette packer, Herbert and Ada who were school age, and four-year old William.

Hannah died aged 48 on 18 January 1907 and was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery. Her husband married Mary Darling (b. 1874) in 1909 (JFM Nottingham) and their son, Thomas Ernest, was born the following year.

Tom, Mary and their son were living at 93 Trafalgar Street, Nottingham, in 1911. Tom was still working as a railway signalman. Also in the home were three of Tom's children by his first marriage; George a telegraph operator, Ada a lace curtain mender, and William an errand boy.

The eldest daughter, Lillian, had married George William Pervin, a printers' compositor, in 1905 and in 1911 they and their two daughters were living at 141 Norton Street, Radford. Also in the the household was Lillian's unmarried sister, Annie Elizabeth, a dressmaker (own account).

Herbert had joined the Army and in 1911 was serving with the 10th Battalion King's Own Light Infantry in Hong Kong.

He married Elizabeth Hawthorn Needham (b. 1891) at Radford All Souls on 2 January 1915, a few weeks before he embarked for BEF France. Both were living at 9 Graham Street, Radford Boulevard, Nottingham, at the time of their marriage.

Herbert's widow married Elijah Twigg (b. 1894), a builders' labourer, at Lenton Parish Church on 7 February 1925. Elizabeth was living at 32 Hillside at the time of her marriage and the couple were living at 34 Hillside when the 1939 England & Wales Register was compiled. Elizabeth died in October 1972.

Tom Coulby, his wife and their son Thomas Ernest, were living at 115 Windmill Lane, Sneinton, in 1921. Thomas probably emigrated to Canada as there is a record of a Thomas Ernest Coulby (26, b. abt 1909) on the passenger list of SS Regina (White Star Line) departing England for Quebec in 1928.

Lilian and her husband and one daughter were living in Carlton in 1921; Lilian probably died in 1958 (reg. Coventry).

Annie Elizabeth was recorded on the 1921 census living with a family in Birmingham (boarder); she was working for the Co-operative Society (High Street premises) as a dressmaker. Annie has not been traced after this date.

Ada Hilda had married George Barwell in 1914; they had four children, Hilda (b. 1916), Annie (b. 1919), George (b. 1923) and Frances (b. 1926). In 1939 Ada and her husband, a railway signal linesman, were living at 11 Railway Avenue, Creswell, Derbyshire, with their son George, a probationer telegraph railway. The record of one other member of the household remains closed. Ada probably died in 1952 (reg. Chesterfield).

George, who had served in the war, married Muriel Mary Terise in 1937 (reg. Hendon Middx) and they were recorded living in Wembley in 1939; his occupation was given as railway clerk and telegraphist. He probably died in April 1951 (reg. Cornwall, Probate to his widow Muriel).

The youngest of Tom and Hannah's children, William (b. 1896), has not yet been traced after 1911.

Thomas died on 12 April 1938 and was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery.
His widow Mary was still living at 115 Windmill Lane in 1939; she died in 1954 (JFM).