Three and one

Happy birthday to Samuel Rowland Robb, my g-g-uncle, who was born today in 1864 in St Ives, the seventh of fourteen children of George & Ann (nee Rowland). By the age of 16, young Sam had started to work in the family firm of ropemakers and, in 1892, he married Sophia Culpin, as reported in my entry of 24th June.

In 1928, the Hunts Post had the following article, under the headline "The New Mayor of St Ives, Head of a Century-old Business, Coun. Robb's Public Service":-

Coun. Samuel Robb, senior partner in the firm of S. Robb and Son, of East Street, St Ives, has been chosen as Mayor of St Ives for the ensuing twelve months, and the selection will meet with general approval. The rope and sack business to which he succeeded several years ago is one of the oldest businesses in St Ives. It was established by Mr Robb's grandfather a century and a quarter back, and has been handed down from father to son. The present head of the firm has his son in partnership with him. The business of harness makers and sports goods dealers is also carried on by Messr Robb and Sons in Crown Street.
The Mayor-elect first became a member of the Town council four years ago, filling the vacancy caused by the elevation of Coun. Joseph Radford to the Aldermanic bench. Twelve months afterwards he fought a contested election and was returned as head of the poll. As chairman of the Housing Committee of the Town Council he has done some useful work. Mr Robb is a manager of the council schools and is chairman of the Ratepayers Association. Seeing that about half the members of the Town Council are elected representatives of the Ratepayers Association, it is only fitting that one of their members should fill the high position of Mayor. A Nonconformist in religion, Mr Robb attends the Free Church. In politics he styles himself as an independent. Mrs Robb is also a native of St Ives.

Sam & Sophia had two children; Jessie, who sadly died in infancy, and George William, aka Bill, who followed his father into local politics and also held the position of Mayor of St Ives. Sophia died in 1934 and Sam in 1941; both achieved a decent write-up in the Hunts Post.

Moving on, a brief mention of a few wedding anniversaries:- Susannah Bullard (1st cousin, 5 times removed) married Richard Brown today in Godmanchester in 1825, and Sarah Culpin (3rd cousin, 5 times removed) married Robert Hill today in King's Cliffe, Northants, in 1831.

And, finally, Ann Langford married James Ellger today in 1836 in Stretham, and went on to have ten children with him, all born in the nearby village of Haddenham. I was surprised when I asked the pc to tell me how she was related to me as the answer came back in the plural. It's not unusual, in my database, for someone to be related to me twice - any amount of inter-marrying, so there must be a number of villages missing their idiot - but I thought I knew who they all were. So, here's Ann - my 2nd cousin, three times removed (the one I expected) and also my 7th cousin, 4 times removed. This one gives our mutual ancestor as Richard Langford, born circa 1556! That's a long way back - I really ought to check it.

More soon.