- Born: 14th December 1862 in Sudbury
- Baptism: 1st February 1863 in Wembley
- Marriage: 24th April 1886 to Jemima ‘Minnie’ Morris in Ealing
- Death: 11th December 1913 in Hayes
Robert was born in Sudbury but sometime between 1862 and 1869 the family had moved to Greenford. By the age of 19 he had moved to London as a groom and was a coachman in Hayes by 1881.
In 1881 aged 22 Minnie is a domestic servant in Ealing. They married on 24th April 1886 in Ealing.
Robert worked as a coachman to Rev John Godding of Manor House Hayes and of Chateau Louis XIII Cannes for 25 years and often travelled abroad with him.
Ada Maud was born in 1887 and George in 1888
Frank is born in 1891, Eric in 1894, Nina in 1897, Hilda in 1899 and Alfred in 1900.
Robert was often away for weeks at a time – leaving his wife to manage all seven children by herself. During this time the lived at the Manor House Stables.
It looks like Ada had already moved out in 1901 as in the census she is shown as a visitor in The Rectory Manor House.
The Rev John Godding died in 1908, aged 78 and left an estate of £73,580. Rev Godding left £100 to Robert in his will for the benefit of his younger children (probably Nina, Hilda and Alfred).
The family then moved to Angel Lane in Hayes. Ada died a year later in 1909. The 1911 census shows Robert ‘at home’ rather than a ‘worker’ at the age of 48 so he is already in ill health.
Robert died in 1913, just 5 days after his 50th birthday, of Phthisis (Pulmonary Tuberculosis) and Tubercular Laryngitis.
On 5th October 1917 their son Eric (a Private in the 13th Battalion) dies fighting the war and is buried in Flanders.
In 1921, Nina, Hilda and Alfred are still at home.
Nina married Herbert Bilton in October 1928.
It looks like Alfred has married Nina Eliza New in 1929 and by 1939 they are living with Minnie or she is living with them.
There are another two records that are closed so there were 2 younger people living in the property at the time – so these are likely their children.
Minnie died in 1955 aged 96 from myocardial degeneration and senility.
The children seem to have inherited their mother’s longevity gene:
In 1970 Hilda dies aged 71
In 1978 Alfred dies aged 77
In 1981 George dies aged 93
In 1992 Frank dies aged 100
In 1996 Nina dies aged 99
Robert and Minnie had 7 children:
Ada Maud: 1887-1909
George Reginald: 1888-1901
Frank Cedric: 1891-1992
Eric Norman: 1894 – 1917
Nina Blanche: 1897 – 1996
Hilda Avonbury: 1899 – 1970
Alfred Robert: 1901 – 1978
Rayners Lane 