Reuben Chambers

Reuben Chambers was the son of Reuben and Louisa Chambers (née Simpson ). Reuben snr. was born in 1844 at Derby. Louisa Simpson was born in about 1850 at Nottingham. They were married at Sneinton St Stephen, Nottingham, on 5 September 1875. Seven children were recorded on the census between 1881 and 1901 including Annie (Chambers) who was born in about 1873 (Normanton Yorkshire) before their marriage. The only census on which Annie was recorded living in the family home was the 1881 Census; she has not yet been traced after this date. The other six children were Clara b. Radford 1876, Alfred b. Sneinton b. 1878, John b. Derby 1883, Randall b. Derby birth registered 1887 (J/F/M), Reuben b. Allestree Derby birth registered 1890 (J/F/M) and Louisa b. Nottingham 1892. Both Reuben and Louisa were baptised at Nottingham St Peter on 19 December 1892 (residence 11 Albion Street). In 1881 Reuben, an engine fitter, and Louisa were living on St Helen's Street, Derby, with their three children, Annie, Clara and Alfred. The family had returned to Nottingham by 1891 when they were recorded at Albion Street in the parish of St Peter. The five younger children were in the home: Clara, a lace hand, Alfred, John, Randall and Reuben. Louisa was born two years later. Reuben and Louisa, a lace clipper (home working), were recorded at 8 Gladstone Terrace, Nottingham in 1901. Only four of their children were in the home on the night of the census; Alfred a cigar box maker, who was married, Randal a hosiery trimmer, Reuben and Louisa. John has not yet been traced on the Census but Clara had married Robert Papps, a railway porter (Midland Railway) in 1893 and they too were living in Nottingham. Alfred had married Alice Johnson in 1897 and they had two sons, Harry b. 1898 and John b. 1901. The couple had probably separated by 1901 when Alice and their sons were living on Fairfax Street, Nottingham, with her widowed mother, Mary Johnson, a smallware dealer. Reuben snr. died in 1903 and his son Randall died the following year, aged about 16. Louisa snr., who was still working from home as a lace clipper, had moved to 5 Gladstone Street by 1911 where she was living with her son Reuben, a hosiery worker, and her grandsons Harry and John. The boys' maternal grandmother had probably died in 1910 and their father Alfred was living on Palm Street, Nottingham, with his wife Ethel Lake Chambers and their daughter Jenny Lake (b. 1908 reg. Jenny Chambers). Alfred noted the census that he and his wife had been married for nine years but no record of their marriage has yet been traced. John, a circular sawyer (cigar box trade), had married Ellen Staniforth in 1903 and they and their three children were living in Nottingham. The youngest child, Louisa, has not yet been traced on the 1911 Census but she married Joseph Harrison in 1913. Reuben married Flora Rose Winterton on 12 May 1913 at Holy Trinity Church, Nottingham. They lived initially at 100, Bradgate Road, Nottingham, but Flora was living at 58 Rowland Terrace, Heskey Street, Nottingham, by 1918. Rose did not remarry and in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled she was living in Woodthorpe, Nottingham, with Elizabeth Winterton (b. 1872) who was probably her unmarried sister. Flora died in January 1979; the probate record gave her address as Bobbers Mill Road, Nottingham. Reuben's brother, John, apparently also served and was in Italy in 1918. Their brother-in-law, Joseph Harrison, the husband of their sister Louise, also served as did their nephew, Harry Chambers, Alfred's son.