HEBBORN FAMILY HISTORY & NEWS - October 2001

30TH OCTOBER 1825
    
On this day, William Hebborn [G002] the son of Thomas and Mary was baptised in the ancient parish church of St James, Cowley, Oxon. Just to make life more difficult for the family history researcher, the vicar registered the surname as ‘Hepburn’.

Thomas Hebborn [F004] and Mary Baker [F004w] had married in the same church on 13th June of that year. Perhaps an unlucky day for the couple, for it seems that by the time of the 1841 Census they were living in different addresses. At the next census in 1851 Mary ‘Ebborn’ was living in Church Street, Cowley with her son William and unmarried sister Catherine Baker. She describes herself as a widow, although Thomas was actually living about two miles away in Headington Quarry. He gives his marital status as ‘married’.

On the 22nd February 1852, William ‘Hepburn’ [G002] married Ann Gardner [G002w] at St. James, Cowley. On some later documents, Ann appears as ‘Sarah’ or ‘Sarah Ann’. Her father’s name is given on the marriage certificate as ‘Abraham Gardner’. It was with some difficulty that her baptism was finally tracked down to Shrivenham on the 26th October 1828. The entry indicates that she was the illegitimate daughter of Anne Gardiner, spinster of Watchfield. Efforts to trace ‘Abraham’ have so far failed.

William and Sarah Ann had ten children:
Alice Hepburn [H013] baptised 30th March 1852 at Cowley
Walter Abraham Ebborn [H014] born 27th February 1854 bapt. 7th May 1854 at Cowley
George Hebborn [H015] born 29 June 1856, Hockmore Street [Middle Cowley]
Mary Anne Hebborn [H016] baptised 30 Jan 1859.
Francis William Hebborn [H017] baptised 24 April 1861 died aged 15 years
Reuben Hebborn [H018] baptised 27 Mar 1864 died 1867
Sarah Jane Hebborn [H019] baptised 27 Mar 1864 died 1867
William Hebborn [H020] baptised 27 May 1866, Cowley
Frederick James Hebborn [H021] born 23 November 1868, Cowley.
Harry Hebborn [H022] born 4 August 1871, Cowley and baptised at Iffley.

William’s mother lived with the family until her death in 1867. She and the twins Reuben and
Sarah Jane were all buried at Cowley in December of that year.   What a sad Christmas that must have been for the family.

Sarah Ann died on the 15th November 1887 and William died 8th October 1888. They are buried in the Cowley churchyard. The stone to their memory still stands, although it is now somewhat difficult to read.

For a photograph of William and Sarah Ann please click on “Gallery”. How this came to light is a remarkable story. It was in the possession of Frederick James Hebborn [H021] born. 1868 and his wife Alice. She had written on the back “Mr and Mrs Hebborn - Fred’s mother and father”. After the death of Fred and Alice, the framed picture passed to Marion Phipps Hebborn [J009] the daughter of Walter [b. 1854]. When Marion died aged 102 years, the picture passed to Douglas C.M. Hebborn [K012] her nephew. But for Alice’s inscription on the back of the photo, the identity of the couple portrayed would probably never have been revealed. Well done Alice!

Hebborn Family Study is indebted to Douglas Hebborn for providing a copy of this wonderful photograph.

John Hebborn.   

See Family Tree Chart E002.  The numbers in square brackets after names can be used to identify persons on Family Tree Charts and Databases.