Biography:
Ruth Tarbox
28/10/1836 –1915
Ruth Tarbox
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Ruth Tarbox 1836 - 1915
Ruth Tarbox née Pratt was born on 28th of October 1836, to her parents Richard Pratt (1802-1881) and Elizabeth Pratt née Newell (1799-1841). She was baptised on the 26th February 1837 in Great Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.
According to the 1841 census, Ruth’s family were living in Frithsden. Ruth’s father was noted as head of the family, aged 35 and working as a labourer. There is no record of her mother. Ruth was living with 5 siblings:
Ann Pratt aged 10
Emma Pratt aged 10
Eliza Pratt aged 8
James Pratt aged 6
Ruth Pratt aged 4
Martha Pratt aged 1
Ruth’s mother Elizabeth gave birth to a son John on 28th April 1841, but she sadly passed shortly after the birth on the 6th May 1841. There is no mention of John on the Pratt family census but he was recorded at the age of 1 month, living with a widow named Lydia Pratt and her children Ann Pratt aged 15 and David Pratt aged 8, in Little Gaddesden. Lydia was Richard’s sister-in-law, she was married to his brother John who passed in 1840. Sadly baby John also passed on 29th August 1842.
1851 finds Richard Pratt aged 49, a widower and working as a farm labourer in Frithsden, Hertfordshire. Interestingly, the census of 1851 refers to his daughter Ann Pratt aged 22 as Maria, further research uncovers Maria as her middle name. Why the change of name was recorded on the census is unknown, but she was working as a straw plaiter as was her sister Emma aged 21.
There is mention of a son Benjamin aged 20 in the 1851 census, who worked as a farm labourer, and a daughter Lydia, who was a scholar aged 12, but neither of these children were recorded in 1841 as part of the Pratt household. Apparently, in 1841 Lydia (aged 3) was living with Elizabeth Hulet aged 66 at White Hill, Berkhamsted. There were family connections to the Tarbox, Lane and Newell families next door. Benjamin aged 10, had gone to live elsewhere in Little Gaddesden. The 1841 census records 16 boys grouped together in Little Gaddesden, ranging in ages between 10 and 15, but no mention of anyone over seeing them. It may have been an outdoor parish poor law house.
Perhaps then the loss of their mother Elizabeth had led to their father needing help and support with the care of his children at such a difficult time.
Richard’s son James aged 16, stayed living with the family, and worked as a farm labourer. Ruth aged 14 was a scholar as were her sisters, Lydia aged 12 and Martha aged 11.
Ruth left the family when she married Joseph Tarbox in 1857. By 1861 Ruth was working as a straw plaiter age 24, her husband Joseph aged 28 worked as a labourer. They had a daughter aged 2 named after her Grandmother Elizabeth.
According to the 1871 census, Ruth and her family moved to 212 Bridge Street, Berkhamsted. Joseph worked as a bricklayer’s labourer aged 37 and Ruth aged 34 continued to plait straw. Their daughter Elizabeth was a scholar at the age of 12, and an addition to the family with Emily aged 9 also a scholar.
Ruth continued to live in Bridge Street as recorded in the 1881 census, she was aged 44 and Joseph aged 47, worked as a labourer. Their daughter Emily was working as a dressmaker, aged 19 and Ellen the youngest in the family was noted as a scholar, aged 8.
In 1891 the Pratt family had moved further along Bridge Street to number 161. Very little had changed as Joseph aged 57 worked as a general labourer, and Emily 29 and Ellen 18 continued to work as dressmakers. Ruth was noted as age 54 but no mention of employment. They had a visitor from London, Annie Bull aged 8.
Joseph aged 67 and Ruth aged 64 moved once more in 1901 within Bridge Street to number 31. They shared the house with their daughter Ellen aged 28, her husband Joseph Chennells aged 31 and their 9 month old daughter Florence Chennells.
By 1911 Joseph aged 77 worked as a builder’s labourer. Ruth aged 74 must have been busy with the extended family living with them:
Joseph Chennells, son-in-law aged 41 and a carpenter
Ellen Chennells, daughter aged 38
Florence Chennells, granddaughter aged 10 and attending school
Boyce Chennells, grandson aged 9
Emily Chennells, granddaughter aged 7
James Chennells, grandson aged 4
Gertrude Chennells, granddaughter aged 10 months
Ruth Tarbox passed in 1915 and buried on the 3rd April aged 78, her husband Joseph passed shortly after her and was buried in Rectory Lane on the 30th December 1916 aged 83.
Research by Melanie Elliman - relative to the Tarbox family
View this burial in the cemetery
Ruth Tarbox 1836 – 1915
Ruth Tarbox née Pratt was born on 28th of October 1836, to her parents Richard Pratt (1802-1881) and Elizabeth Pratt née Newell (1799-1841). She was baptised on the 26th February 1837 in Great Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.
According to the 1841 census, Ruth’s family were living in Frithsden. Ruth’s father was noted as head of the family, aged 35 and working as a labourer. There is no record of her mother. Ruth was living with 5 siblings:
Ann Pratt aged 10
Emma Pratt aged 10
Eliza Pratt aged 8
James Pratt aged 6
Ruth Pratt aged 4
Martha Pratt aged 1
Ruth’s mother Elizabeth gave birth to a son John on 28th April 1841, but she sadly passed shortly after the birth on the 6th May 1841. There is no mention of John on the Pratt family census but he was recorded at the age of 1 month, living with a widow named Lydia Pratt and her children Ann Pratt aged 15 and David Pratt aged 8, in Little Gaddesden. Lydia was Richard’s sister-in-law, she was married to his brother John who passed in 1840. Sadly baby John also passed on 29th August 1842.
1851 finds Richard Pratt aged 49, a widower and working as a farm labourer in Frithsden, Hertfordshire. Interestingly, the census of 1851 refers to his daughter Ann Pratt aged 22 as Maria, further research uncovers Maria as her middle name. Why the change of name was recorded on the census is unknown, but she was working as a straw plaiter as was her sister Emma aged 21.
There is mention of a son Benjamin aged 20 in the 1851 census, who worked as a farm labourer, and a daughter Lydia, who was a scholar aged 12, but neither of these children were recorded in 1841 as part of the Pratt household. Apparently, in 1841 Lydia (aged 3) was living with Elizabeth Hulet aged 66 at White Hill, Berkhamsted. There were family connections to the Tarbox, Lane and Newell families next door. Benjamin aged 10, had gone to live elsewhere in Little Gaddesden. The 1841 census records 16 boys grouped together in Little Gaddesden, ranging in ages between 10 and 15, but no mention of anyone over seeing them. It may have been an outdoor parish poor law house.
Perhaps then the loss of their mother Elizabeth had led to their father needing help and support with the care of his children at such a difficult time.
Richard’s son James aged 16, stayed living with the family, and worked as a farm labourer. Ruth aged 14 was a scholar as were her sisters, Lydia aged 12 and Martha aged 11.
Ruth left the family when she married Joseph Tarbox in 1857. By 1861 Ruth was working as a straw plaiter age 24, her husband Joseph aged 28 worked as a labourer. They had a daughter aged 2 named after her Grandmother Elizabeth.
According to the 1871 census, Ruth and her family moved to 212 Bridge Street, Berkhamsted. Joseph worked as a bricklayer’s labourer aged 37 and Ruth aged 34 continued to plait straw. Their daughter Elizabeth was a scholar at the age of 12, and an addition to the family with Emily aged 9 also a scholar.
Ruth continued to live in Bridge Street as recorded in the 1881 census, she was aged 44 and Joseph aged 47, worked as a labourer. Their daughter Emily was working as a dressmaker, aged 19 and Ellen the youngest in the family was noted as a scholar, aged 8.
In 1891 the Pratt family had moved further along Bridge Street to number 161. Very little had changed as Joseph aged 57 worked as a general labourer, and Emily 29 and Ellen 18 continued to work as dressmakers. Ruth was noted as age 54 but no mention of employment. They had a visitor from London, Annie Bull aged 8.
Joseph aged 67 and Ruth aged 64 moved once more in 1901 within Bridge Street to number 31. They shared the house with their daughter Ellen aged 28, her husband Joseph Chennells aged 31 and their 9 month old daughter Florence Chennells.
By 1911 Joseph aged 77 worked as a builder’s labourer. Ruth aged 74 must have been busy with the extended family living with them:
Joseph Chennells, son-in-law aged 41 and a carpenter
Ellen Chennells, daughter aged 38
Florence Chennells, granddaughter aged 10 and attending school
Boyce Chennells, grandson aged 9
Emily Chennells, granddaughter aged 7
James Chennells, grandson aged 4
Gertrude Chennells, granddaughter aged 10 months
Ruth Tarbox passed in 1915 and buried on the 3rd April aged 78, her husband Joseph passed shortly after her and was buried in Rectory Lane on the 30th December 1916 aged 83.
Research by Melanie Elliman – relative to the Tarbox family
Relatives
No relatives have been linked to Ruth Tarbox
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