Family History - The Hibbert Family

The Hibbert family enter my family history in the 1880s. My grandmother, Annie Wozencroft was in the workhouse at Nether Edge, Sheffield in 1881, and we think that when she was eleven (in ~1882) she went to live with a family called Hibbert near Unstone (or Dronfield, Eckington or Chesterfield) (see Annie's page).

We knew very little about the family. We didn't really know how the name was spelled, nor exactly where they lived. But we did have some interesting clues (see starting points page) ...

• We have a photograph of Annie with Mrs Hibbert, and possibly her family and neighbours ...

Hibbert Family and Annie

• The Hibberts had a son, Bernard, who went to America of Canada, but later lived at New Whittington.

• The Hibberts also had a daughter who married into the Gabbitass family and had a son, Peter, who later lived in Old Whittington.

• We also know that Annie left the Hibberts and went into service in Barnsley when she was sixteen (~1887).

• There is also a family story that Annie was due to some money from Mrs. Hibbert's will. Bernard is said to have visited Annie many years later to ask if she received the money. She never received anything and never heard from Bernard again.

A search of the 1881 census gives us a Bernard Hibbert living in Unstone with his family ...

{RG11/3445 Folio 95, Page 6, Schedule 21) Township of Unstone, Enumeration District 12}

A list of Wills held at the Derbyshire Records Office, and transcribed at www.wirksworth.org.uk, shows wills for Abraham and Ann HibberD (not Hibbert) of Hundow, Dronfield 'proved' in 1885 and 1887.

Various sources give us more information about the family (as outlined below, or on the Peter Gabbitass page). This includes details that have been depositied on the IGI (International Geneological Index) at www.familysreach.org, details from other census years, and Abraham and Ann's wills. All of these confirm that this is indeed the correct family (though found with both spellings in different documents), and we can narrow down the location to the village of Hundall. [I also think that I have now identified the house shown in the photgraph above. It is indeed in the village of Hundall.]

Census returns for other years give the address as Hundow and Houndall. Maps also show either Hundow or (as today) Hundall. (See the Hundall page for more information about Hundall.)

When Abraham died in December 1884 he left his entire estate to his wife Ann {Will of 'Abraham Hibberd of Hundow, Derbyshire' - from Microfilm M803 at Derbyshire Records Office, Matlock - p471 of 1885}. When Ann died in February 1887 {Will of 'Ann Hibberd of Hundow, Derbyshire' - from Microfilm M805 at Derbyshire Records Office, Matlock - p258 of 1887} her estate was divided between her 'eight' children - though the will transcript only lists seven names ...

Jane Gabitas, Wife of John Gabitas,
Raymond Hibberd,
Bernard Hibberd,
Allen Hibberd,
Sarah Ann Ward, Wife of Frances [?Francis] Ward,
Harriet Vaughan, Wife of Richard Vaughan, and
Unice White, Wife of John White.

The 'eighth' is presumably 'Abram Hibbert' shown as a 12 year old in the 1881 census, but for some reason not listed in the will.

As with many documents of this time, the spelling of names varies - Gabitas and Gabitass occur in Ann's will, as do Allen Hibberd and Alan Hibberd. Other variations occur in the census where the family always seems to be called HibberT. Gabitas/Gabitass is also seen as Gabbitass in the Marriages Index and tghe 1881 census.

Because Annie Wozencroft only stayed with the family (we think) from 1882 to 1887 she never appears with them in a census. She is said to have gone into service in Barnsley when she was sixteen, i.e. in about 1887, which is when Ann Hibbert died.

It is also interesting that in the 1881 census the household includes another orphan, Alexander Hudson. It could be that the family regularly fostered orphans.

Ann's will disprove the family story that Annie was due some money from Ann's will. Her entire estate (of £21-16-5d) was divided between her children. Annie is not mentioned.

Earlier census returns (index searches only) show the various family members (THESE STILL NEED TO BE CHECKED E>G> TO CHECK WHETHER THEY ARE IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLDS) ...

1861 in Unstone
Abram (not Abraham) Hibbert born ~1829
Ann Hibbert born ~1829
Jane Hibbert born ~1851
Raymond Hibbert born ~1853
Bernard Hibbert born ~1859
Allen Hibbert born ~1860

1871 in Unstone
Abam (not Abraham) Hibbert born ~1829
Ann Hibbert born ~1829
Raymond Hibbert born ~1853
Bernard Hibbert born ~1859
Alan Hibbert born ~1860
Sarah Ann Hibbert born ~1863
Harriet Hibbert born ~1865
Unis Hibbert born ~1867
Abram Hibbert born ~1869

An IGI record shows Jane Hibbert's marriage to John Gabbitass on 28 March 1870 at Dronfield (as does a Civil Registration Search). A Civil Registration Search shown Peter Gabbitass' birth registered in the June quarter of 1870.

John and Jane are not seen in the 1871 census details available on the internet (but Enumeration District 12 (that part of Unstone including Hundall and Apperknowle) does seem to be missing). THE RETURNS NEEDS CHECKING AT CHESTERFIELD.

John and Jane are shown in the 1881 census at 'No 1, Gabbitass Cottages, Unstone' with their five children, Peter, Abraham S, Martha E, Ann and Bernard - all family names - Peter had been the name of John's father. 'Gabbitass Cottages' is probably in Hundall................................

Address	Name	Relationship	Condition	Male/ Female	Age (~Birth)	Rank, Profession	Where Born
No address details are given other than 'Unstone' in the page heading	Abraham Hibbert	Head	Married	Male	52 (~1829)	Coal Miner	Dronfield, Derbyshire
	Ann Hibbert	Wife	Married	Female	52 (~1829)		Dronfield, Derbyshire
	Bernard Hibbert	Son	Unmarried	Male	23 (~1858)	Coal Miner	Dronfield, Derbyshire
	Alan Hibbert	Son	Unmarried	Male	21 (~1860)	Coal Miner	Dronfield, Derbyshire
	Harriet Hibbert	Daughter	Unmarried	Male	14 (~1867)	Domestic Servant	Dronfield, Derbyshire
	Abram Hibbert	Son		Male	12 (~1869)	Scholar	Dronfield, Derbyshire
	Alexander Hudson	Orphan		Male	10 (~1871)	Scholar	Staveley, Derbyshire