Francis Charles Cobb

Francis Charles (Charlie) Cobb was born on 19th November 1893 at Perlethorpe and was the youngest son of Robert and Emma Cobb née Gascoigne. His father Robert was born in 1849 at North Collingham, near Newark (J/A/S Newark), the son of George Cobb. His mother Emma was born in Upton, near Southwell, in 1856 (A/M/J Southwell-Gascoine), the daughter of William and Catherine (nee Gilbert). Robert and Emma were married at St Nicholas' parish church, Hockerton, on 3 June 1879 (Gaskin) marriage registered A/M/J Southwell (Emma Gascoigne/Gaskin). Emma had one child, Alice Gascoyne (sic) b. Hockerton 1875 (J/A/S Southwell), before her marriage to Robert. She and Robert had ten children; the six youngest were baptised at St John the Evangelist, Perlethorpe: William Willis b. Fiskerton 1880 (J/A/S Southwell), George Edward b. Fiskerton 1881 (O/N/D Southwell), Frederick John b. Fiskerton birth registered 1883 (J/F/M Southwell), Rebecca Ann (Annie} b. Fiskerton 1885 (J/A/S Southwell), Catherine b. Fiskerton 1886 (O/N/D Southwell) bap. 2 November 1890, Dorothy b. Fiskerton 1888 (J/A/S Southwell) bap. 2 November 1890, Alfred b. Perlethorpe 1890 bap. 2 November 1890, Gilbert Gascoyne b. Perlethorpe 1892 (J/A/S Southwell) bap. 6 November 1892, Francis Charles b. Perlethorpe 1893 (O/N/D Southwell) bap. 3 June 1894 and Edith Mary b. Perlethorpe 1895 (A/M/J Southwell) bap. 2 June 1895. In 1881 Robert (31) a miller journeyman (corn) and Emma (25) were living in Fiiskerton with their son William (u/1 year) and Robert's stepdaughter Alice Gascoyne (5). By 1891 the family had moved to Main Road, Perlethorpe, on Earl Manvers' Thoresby estate. Robert's occupation was given as miller and parish clerk. He and Emma now had seven children; William (10), George (9), Frederick (8), Annie (5), Catherine (4), Dorothy (2) and Alfred (u/1yr). Emma's daughter Alice (15) was living in Hardwick Square, Buxton, where she was a domestic servant in the household of a widowed school mistress Betsey Coulsell. The family moved in about 1897/98 to 9 Station Road, Sutton-on-Trent, Robert's former home, on the death of his father and Robert began work at Caudwell's Mill, Southwell. Robert died aged 51 in December 1900 following an accident at Caudwell's Mill, when he fell from a wagon and suffered fatal head injuries. A report of the inqust was published in the 'Newark Advertiser' on 19 December. He was buried in the churchyard at All Saints, Sutton-on-Trent, on 16 December. Charles (7) and his widowed mother, described as living on her own means, were still living at Station Road, Sutton-on-Trent, in 1901. Four of his siblings were in the home on the night of the Census: Dorothy (12), Alfred (10), Gilbert (8) and Edith (6). George (19) a miller and baker's assistant and his sister Catherine (14) a domestic servant, were both living at Grassthorpe, Southwell, in the service of David Carbutt who was a miller, baker and farmer, while Rebecca (Annie) was a domestic servant at the Manor House, Morton, near Fiskerton, in the employ of George Norwood, a farmer. By 1911 Emma (53) was living alone at Station Road; her occupation was given as laundry/wash. Charles (17) was employed as a cowman and living at Weston, near Newark, in the household of the widowed Emma Webster (65), a farmer. Six of his siblings were also live-in servants: Frederick (28) was a wagoner at Whyburn Farm Hucknall Torkard in the employ of William Brackner; Rebecca Annie (25) was a domestic servant at 34 Wellington Road Newark in the household of William and Margaret Fisher; Catherine (24) was a cook in the household of Walter Hobson, a lace manufacturer of Victoria Crescent Nottingham; Alfred (20) was a miller and baker at Norwell near Newark in the household of a miller and baker, Robert Jackson; Gilbert (19) was a cowman at Bank Farm Woodborough in the employ of John Poole a farmer; Edith (16) was a domestic servant at North Road Sutton-on-Trent in the household of the widowed John Johnson and his family. William (30) was in Perlethorpe working as a miller on a farm and boarding with Frederick Ryner, a shepherd. George Edward may have married in 1902 (O/N/D Nottingham); he has not yet been traced on the 1911 Census but may have been living in Nottingham or its conurbation, nor has Dorothy yet been traced on the 1911 Census. Charles' mother, Emma, died in 1928 (J/A/S Southwell). His sister Edith Mary, whose daughter recorded memories of the family on the Newark Local History website, married Wilfred H Whissell in 1926 (J/A/S Southwell). In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, Edith (b. 21 March 1895) and Wilfred (b. 24 November 1901) who was employed as a roadman, were recorded at 9 Station Road, Southwell (sic). Also in the household were William Whissell (b. 23 April 1927) who was at school, and her unmarried brother William W Cobb (b. 5 August 1880), an agricultural labourer (incapacitated). Edith died in 1973 (J/F/M Newark).