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[5] THOMAS TILBURY (1802-c1875)
Son of ?Thomas (1778-c1852) and ?Ann (nee Durden) (c1782-).
Father of:
George Hayward (c1831-),
Anne (c1833-),
Thomas (c1835-),
Sophia Emma (c1837-),
Pheobe (c1839-),
Emma (c1841-),
Edward (1842-),
James Thompson (1845-1931),
Florence Mary (c1849-),
Augustus William (1852-).
1802. Thomas was born in Pancras, Middlesex and christened 7-Oct [or Nov - CO35244:7003] at St. Mary-St., St. Marylebone.
c1830. Thomas married Sophia Rabnett at ?Hanwell/Pancras, Middlesex and over a period of 21 years they had 10 children. The first five children were christened in St. Mary-St., Middlesex. Emma was born in Hanwell, Edward in St. Pancras, James in Bayswater and Florence and Augustus in St. Pancras.
Thomas, Sophia and the family lived at Hanwell, a suburb of Middlesex on the river Brent, about 10 miles from London. Thomas was a pillar of the church and, like his father, was a brass founder.
c1831. George Hayward born.
c1833. Anne born.
c1835. Thomas born.
1837. Sophia Emma born.
1839. Pheobe born.
1841. Daughter Emma was born ca. June in Hanwell. George (9) and Sophia (3) were not registered in the census taken 6-Jun in the parish of Hanwell.
1842. Thomas, Sophia and the family moved to London and took up residence at 19 Sidmouth St., St. Pancras, Middlesex, where Edward was born 8-May. The birth was registered 18-Jun by Sophia, who gave Thomas’ profession as that of messenger.
1845. The family was living at 31 Caroline Place, Bayswater, Middlesex, where James Thompson was born 19-Oct. The birth was registered by Thomas, who gave his profession as that of gentleman.
1849. Florence Mary was born in St. Pancras.
c1850. The family had moved to 20 Manchester St., St. Pancras, Middlesex and Thomas’ occupation was that of a messenger in the Court of Bankruptcy.
1851. George (19) had become an organist. Ann (17) was an assistant dressmaker living/staying with her grandfather George Rabnett (Sophia’s father) and her aunt Ann Rabnett, a dressmaker. Thomas (15) was an apprentice organist, Pheobe (12), Emma (10), Edward (8) and James (5) were scholars. The servant of the household was Elizabeth Clements (13), born in Hanwell, Middlesex. Sophia (13/14) was not present at the census taken 30-Mar.
1852. Augustus William was born 23-Apr at the family residence at 20 Manchester St., St. Pancras.
1867. James Thompson (22) arrived in Australia.
1869. A Thomas Tilbury was living at 34 Crown St., Sydney. Although Thomas was believed to have been lost at sea, it is not known whether this was before, during or after journeying to Australia.
1871. The family was living at 152 Euston Rd., St. Pancras. On 2-Apr Thomas had retired from his position as messenger in the Court of Bankruptcy. Living with Thomas (67) and Sophia (64) were Augustus (18) and Florence (22). Also living/visiting were Edward (28), ?his wife Esther (23) and daughter of four months, Elia SM. The servant of the household was Mary Atkins (14), born in Walsale.
1873. James stated his father’s occupation as that of gentleman.
1875. Thomas, aged 72, died as a result of cerebral congestion on 29-Apr at 191 Euston Rd., St. Pancras, Middlesex. His son Augustus William was present at his death. Thomas’ will left Sophia the beneficiary of £300.
In later years Florence in 1883, and Walter in 1935, stated Thomas’ occupation as that of brass founder, even though he appears to have been a messenger for many years.
[5] SOPHIA TILBURY (nee RABNETT) (1804-1898)
Daughter of George (c1781-) & Pheobe (nee Thompson) (c1776-).
Mother of:
George Hayward (c1831-),
Anne (c1833-),
Thomas (c1835-),
Sophia Emma (c1837-),
Pheobe (c1839-),
Emma (c1841-),
Edward (1842-),
James Thompson (1845-1931),
Florence Mary (c1849-),
Augustus William (1852-).
1804. Sophia was born in St. Marylebone, Middlesex.
1807. Christened 1-Feb in St. Mary’s, Marylebone.
1881. Following the death of Thomas in 1875, Sophia (70) ran a boarding house at 26 Gordon Rd., St. Pancras and it was here that Florence (31) met Friedrich (26), her future husband. At the time of the 1881 census, taken 3-Apr, both Sophia (44, age stated as 32) and Florence (31, age stated as 26) were living with her. Friedrich Edward Espenhahn (26), from Anhalt, Germany, a clerk with Cape Firm, was boarding with them. There were seven other boarders in the house, all unmarried: sisters Susan M. Weir (39) and Elizabeth Weir (34), assistants from Ireland; bankers’ clerks Hugh A.L. Kelham (28) from Manchester, Lancashire and Arthur H. Wells (23) from Lynn [Lynwood?], Norfolk; Edward Lebèque (23) from St.Cloud, France; Alexander Gürden (24), a commission agents’ clerk from Berlin, and Gerard Bendale (24), a lithographer from Isfield, Sussex. At the time of the census there were two servants in the house: Sarah Brummy (19) from Lynwood, Norfolk and Maud Reeder (17) from Chelsea, Middlesex. The ages of the boarders, specifically that of Friedrich, may give some clue to the reason both Sophia and Florence understated their ages for the census.
?1882. Sophia (78) and some of the children sailed to Australia. Son James had arrived in Australia 15 years earlier (in 1867) and Emma arrived in 1885. Records have not been located to establish the date of arrival in Australia of Sophia or children Sophia, James, Florence or Augustus, though they certainly travelled to Australia at some time. Daughter Pheobe was married in England and remained there. Little is yet known of the other children George, Anne and Edward.
1883. Florence married Friedrich Espenhahn in Winton and Augustus married Georgina ? in Woollahra.
1885. Emma arrived in Australia and may have been living at Cameron St., Paddington in 1885 and 1886 with her brother Augustus and his wife Georgina.
Sophia spent her later years with her son James and daughter-in-law Esther in their house ‘Grantham’ , 22 Victoria Pde., Rockhampton. Shirley Hockings remembers Sophia living quietly upstairs in the house and helping with the mending and ironing.
1898. Sophia died 5-Mar in Rockhampton, Queensland at the age of 94 and was buried in the South Rockhampton Cemetery on 6-Mar. She was survived by children Sophia (62?), Pheobe (60), Emma (58), Edward (56), James (52), Florence (48) and Augustus (45).
The Rabnetts
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Sophia’s family may have been linked to Huguenot Rabinets who moved to England. Sophia’s parents George and Pheobe (nee Thompson) Rabnett owned tanneries throughout England [source Ettie]. They had six children, of which Sophia was the first: Sophia (1804-1898), Ann (c1805-), Maria (c1809-), Thomas (c1810-), George (c1813-) and James (c1817-). All the children were christened at St. Mary’s, Marylebone.
Sophia’s father George was born in Alresford[?], Hampshire.
1841. Census taken 6-Jun [Parish of Hanwell]. George (60), of independent means, and Pheobe (65, Print? to D?) were living at ?, Hanwell. With them were Hannah Oldaker[?] (15, Apprentice to Dressmaker, born Hanwell) and Morisons Harriet (30, independent means), Harriet Emma[?](7), Isabella (5) and Gabriel (7 months). Other members of the household were servants Elizabeth Johnson (40), born Scotland, Sarah Woolvin[?](25) and Ann Woodhouse (15), born Hanwell.
1851. Pheobe Rabnett had died and George (72), House Proprieter, was a widower living at Nashville Place[?], Hanwell. With him were his unmarried daughter Ann (46), a dressmaker, and granddaughter Ann Tilbury (17), an assistant dressmaker [daughter of Thomas/Sophia (ie.Anne)?]. At the time of the census taken 30-Mar another assistant dressmaker, Mary A. Denton (25), unmarried, born in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, was living with/visiting them.
1881. Ann (76) had not married. She was living at Clifton Lodge [location?] and earning her living by renting houses. There were two boarders in the house: René de Ronnebect[?] (12?), a pupil [of Sophia’s?] born in Birmingham, René’s son Gaston de Ronnebect[?] (4), born in Westminster, and an Irish servant, Mary McCarthy (17). With her at the time of the census 3-Apr were her niece Emily Tilbury (47, married, born Ludford, Lincolnshire) [Emily born c1834 - same age as Ann Tilbury. Not daughter of Thomas/Sophia. Link? Married to George/Thomas? Or did Sophia’s sister Maria also marry a Tilbury?!] and unmarried grand-nieces Emily Tilbury (25, born Hanwell) [Born
c1856, Mother Emily? Father Edward?] and Sophia Tilbury (22, professor of music, born Hanwell). [Born c1859, Mother Emily? Father? Not Thomas/Sophia’s daughter].
[6] GEORGE HAYWARD TILBURY (c1831- <1898)
Son of Thomas (c1802-1875) and Sophia (nee Rabnett) (1804-1898).
Father of
Born Marylebone, Middlesex.
1831. Christened 19-Oct in St. Mary-St., St. Marylebone.
Organist.
Died before 1898 (ie. younger than 67).
[6] ANNE TILBURY (c1833- <1898)
Daughter of Thomas (c1802-1875) and Sophia (nee Rabnett) (1804-1898).
Mother of
1833. Anne was christened 6-Dec in St. Mary-St., Marylebone Road, St. Marylebone.
Anne died before 1898 (ie. younger than 65).
[6] THOMAS TILBURY (c1835- <1898)
Son of Thomas (c1802-1875) and Sophia (nee Rabnett) (1804-1898).
Father of Frances Letitia (c1869-), Elizabeth (c1870-), William (c1873-), Thomas Frederick (c1874-).
Born Marylebone, Middlesex.
1835. Christened 15-Aug in St. Mary-St., St. Marylebone.
1851. Thomas (15) was an apprentice organist. Brother George (19) was an organist and may have been the inspiration for Thomas.
?Thomas married Letitia (nee ) and they had four children, all christened in All Souls, St. Marylebone:
- Frances Letitia, (c26-Feb-1869),
- Elizabeth (c15-Jul-1870),
- William (c14-Jan-1873), and
- Thomas Frederick (c12-Apr-1874).
Thomas died before 1898 (ie. younger than 63). It was thought by Ettie that he was lost at sea.
[6] SOPHIA EMMA TILBURY (1837-1935)
Daughter of Thomas (c1802-1875) and Sophia (nee Rabnett) (1804-1898).
1837. Sophia was born in Hanwell, Middlesex (London) and christened 30-Jul at St. Mary-St., St. Marylebone.
1881/2. Sophia arrived in Australia (NSW).
1935. Sophia, aged 94, died 5-Aug at 159 Morrison Rd., Ryde NSW. She had never married. She was buried the following day at the Church of England Cemetery, Waverley. Sophia’s nephew Walter Espenhahn, who was living at Yanco NSW at the time [attending Agricultural College?], was the informant of her death.
[6] PHEOBE MOLENAAR (nee TILBURY) (c1839- )
Daughter of Thomas (c1802-1875) and Sophia (nee Rabnett) (1804-1898).
Mother of
1839. Pheobe, also recorded as Phebia, was born in Marylebone, Middlesex and christened 20-Feb at St. Mary-St., St. Marylebone.
1867. Pheobe (28) married Johannes Molenaar Jnr. on 3-Apr at the St. Pancras Parish Church, Middlesex .
Pheobe was living with her parents at Euston Rd. at the time. The marriage was witnessed by William Tilbury [Augustus (15)?] and Florence Tilbury (18).
[6] JOHANNES MOLENAAR Jnr (c1835- )
Johannes, the son of a clergyman, was a silk merchant living at St. Mary, Islington at the time of his marriage to Pheobe.
[6] EMMA TILBURY (c1841- )
Daughter of Thomas (c1802-1875) and Sophia (nee Rabnett) (1804-1898).
Mother of
c1841. Born in Hanwell, Middlesex ca. June.
1885. Emma embarked on the S.S.Florida on 15-Oct, bound for Sydney on a 52-day journey. There were 508 passengers on board, 400 of which paid £15 for the journey, the remainder £14.10 {Assisted immigrants?]. Of the revenue collected the Colony received £231 and the Agent General in London received £1252.
?After arriving in Sydney 6-Dec Emma lived at Cameron St., Paddington in 1885 and 1886 with her brother Augustus and his wife Georgina.
[6] EDWARD TILBURY (1842- )
Son of Thomas (c1802-1875) and Sophia (nee Rabnett) (1804-1898).
Father of ?Eliza SM (c1870-).
1842. Edward was born 8-May at home at 19 Sidmouth St., St. Pancras, Middlesex.
?1869. Edward (27) married Esther ? (22) in ?Southampton, Hartfordshire.
?c1870. Daughter Eliza S.M.(?) born ca. December in Southhampton, Hartfordshire.
1871. Edward (28), Esther (23) and Eliza (4 months) were visiting Thomas and Sophia at the time of the census 2-Apr.
[6] ESTHER TILBURY (nee ?) (c1848- )
Daughter of ? and ? (nee ?).
Father of ?Eliza SM (c1870-).
c1848. Esther was born in Southhampton, Hartfordshire.
[7] Eliza S M TILBURY (c1870-)
c1870. Eliza was born in Southhampton, Hartfordshire.
[6] JAMES THOMPSON TILBURY
(detail Chapter 6)
[6] FLORENCE MARY ESPENHAHN (nee TILBURY) (1849-)
Daughter of Thomas (c1802-1875) and Sophia (nee Rabnett) (1804-1898).
Mother of Edward Victor (1887-), Walter Friedrich (1889-), Christiana Sophia (1891-)
1849. Florence was born in St. Pancras, Middlesex.
1881. Florence (31) was living at 26 Gordon Rd., St. Pancras with her mother, who was running a boarding house, and sister Sophia (44), who was unmarried. It was here that she met Friedrich Espenhahn, who was a boarder in the house.
c1882. Florence arrived in Australia [with Friedrich?]
1883. Florence (34) and Friedrich Espenhahn (29) were married on 17-Dec in Winton, Queensland. Her marriage certificate states her age as 29, five years younger than the age stated on her mother’s death certificate. Florence and Friedrich, both residents of Winton, were married at the home of James (her brother) and Esther Tilbury, who acted as witnesses to the marriage.
1887. The family was living in Woollahra when Edward was born.
1889. Walter born Ryde.
1891. Christiana born Woolwich.
[6] FRIEDRICH EDWARD ESPENHAHN (c1854-)
Son of Friedrich Edward () and Christiane (nee Naether) ()
Father of Edward Victor (1887-), Walter Friedrich (1889-), Christiana Sophia (1891-)
c.1854. Friedrich was born in Sanderslaken, Anhalt, Germany.
Known as Edward.
Bookkeeper.
1881. Friedrich (26) was a clerk with Cape Firm and was boarding with Florence’s mother Sophia in St. Pancras.
?1882. Travelled to Australia with Florence?
1915. Accountant. Director.
Father Friedrich Edward was a musician, married to Christiane (nee Naether).
[7] Edward Victor ESPENHAHN (1887-)
1887. Edward was born in Woollahra, Sydney NSW.
Engineering Chemist.
1915. Edward (27) married Alice M. Usher (25) on 18-Feb at the Congregational Church, Hunter’s Hill NSW. The wedding was witnessed by Richard J. Duncan, Harry Ingham, K. Espenhahn and M. Cutler.
Alice was born in Rockhampton, the daughter of William, a gentleman, and Elizabeth (nee Brain) Usher.
[7] Walter Friedrich ESPENHAHN (1889-)
1889. Walter was born in Ryde NSW.
?c.1915. Married Emmie ? (c1890-)
1935. Walter and Emmie were living at Yanco NSW when Walter’s aunt Sophia died in Ryde. Walter attended to the affairs of Sophia.
Clive Edwin (1918) and family used to visit the Espenhahn family at Hunter’s Hill.
[source Ban] Lived at 21 Prince George Parade, Woolwich, Sydney. Walter was a first cousin of Aunt Ettie’s and Ban’s. Ban hadn’t seen him since he left school. Clive and Heather stayed with him and his wife on trips to Sydney.
[source Ettie] Walter had Tilbury records from Aunt Emma Tilbury. Walter told Esther that one of her ancestors designed and built Tilbury Docks, which was called after him.
[7] Christiana Sophia DONOVAN (nee ESPENHAHN) (1891-)
1891. Christiana was born in Woolwich (Ryde), Sydney NSW.
1915. At the age of 23 Christiana married Richard John Donovan, aged 31, on 2-Sep at the Church of England All Saints Church in Hunter’s Hill NSW. The wedding was witnessed by Piers Thomas and Myrtha[?] Cutler.
Richard, a secretary and accountant, was born in Melbourne. He was the son of Richard, of independent means, and Mary Susan (nee Capon) Donovan.
[6] AUGUSTUS WILLIAM TILBURY (1852- )
Son of Thomas (c1802-1875) and Sophia (nee Rabnett) (1804-1898).
Father of Florence M (-1884) and Annie T (1885-).
1852. Augustus was born 23-Apr at 20 Manchester St., St. Pancras, the family residence. He was christened 13-Jun at the St. Pancras Parish Church.
?Known as William [ref marriage cert. Pheobe Molenaar].
1875. Augustus was living at 43 Charlotte St., St. Marylebone at the time of the death of his father.
?c1883. Augustus (31) married Georgina ?
1884. Florence M [?was born and] died an infant at Woollahra.
1885. Annie T was born. The family lived at Cameron St., Paddington until 1888. Augustus’ sister Emma may have been living with them in 1885 and 1886 after her arrival in Sydney 6-Dec.
1888-1892. ?
1893. The family returned to Sydney, living at 129 St. John’s Rd., Forest Lodge until 1896.
1896. ?
[6] GEORGINA TILBURY (nee ) (c1857-)
Daughter of ?
Mother of Florence M (-1884) and Annie T (1885-).
c1857. Born ?
[7] Florence M TILBURY (c1884-1884)
1884. Born?. Died 1884 in Woollahra.
[7] Annie T TILBURY (1885-)
1885. Born in Woollahra.
[The following is added on the assumption that there is a family link, though this has not yet been established.
May have been the son of Edward (c1843-)?]
[7] Augustus C TILBURY (c1869-)
Son of () and ().
Father of John (1900-1900), Dorothy M (1904-), Muriel E (1907-1907).
Born c1869 in ?
1899. Augustus married Luanna J. ?, also recorded as Susannah, in Quirindi NSW. [Marriage certificate not found]
1900. John was born and died an infant in Quirindi.
1904. Dorothy M. was born in Quirindi.
1907. Muriel M. was born and died an infant in St. Leonards.
