Tibbett Family History
The link between James Tibbett, of Waterloo Pensioner fame, and George Tibbett who appears with his family in several old photographs
There have probably been Tibbetts in Edlesborough since at least the late 1600s. The spelling of the name has varied over the years but I have generally used the spelling that was used on James Tibbett’s headstone.
James Tibbett’s father, John, was born in Totternhoe and his parents were William and Susanna Tibit (The Totternhoe Vicar spelled the name thus). However I have been unable to find any William Tibit (or variations) in the records, so have assumed that William was the son of John Tibott of Edlesborough (see Family Tree below). He could have been the son of any of the siblings, or a descendant of a cousin possibly several times removed. However it seems unlikely that they are not related in some way.
My main objective was to establish the link between James Tibbett, “Waterloo Pensioner”, and the various Tibbetts in the photos taken in the early 20th century. It can be seen that they were the descendants of James’ sister Ruth.
James Tibbett married Charlotte Woodcroft from Whipsnade 1st April 1839, at Edlesborough Parish Church. He was 45 years old and she was about 13 years younger than him.
In the 1841 census he was described as an Agricultural Labourer, as was his father, who lived nearby.
By 1851 his father, an 82 year old widower, was living with them, relying on Parish Relief and working as a labourer. James was still an agricultural labourer and Charlotte was a straw plaiter. They had 2 children living with them, and also a 15 year old niece and 10 year old nephew, both straw plaiters.
The 1861 census records him as a Straw Plaiter/Plait man. This was perhaps one of the men who prepared the straw by stripping it to lengths of 9-10 inches (about 250 cms), fitting them into pottles (about half a gallon), ready for straw to be bleached and graded before being issued to the straw plaiters, who were usually women and children. His wife and daughter were both straw plaiters.
In the 1871 census he gave his age as 77 years and his occupation as Army Pensioner. Charlotte, age 63, was still a straw plaiter.
He died in November 1878. One can imagine that he was very proud of his medal, possibly the only one in the village.
Charlotte died in 1884 – in the census of 1881 she was living with her daughter, a straw plaiter and son–in-law, an agricultural labourer, in Gray’s Yard in Golden Square. She was recorded as a Pauper.
As to James’ own family, his daughter Elizabeth worked as a straw plaiter whilst her husband Jesse Henley was an agricultural labourer. His son William was born in 1844 and in the 1861 census was recorded as a labourer, visiting (possibly working for) the Cheshire family who were millers in High Wycombe (Mrs Ann Cheshire and all the children were born in Eaton Bray). No other records can be found for him, so he is probably the William Tibbett who died in 1862.
George Tibbett was born in Eaton Bray in 1873, son of Charles Tibbett, a duck breeder, son of Charles Tibbett, a duck breeder/ agricultural labourer. By 1891 they had moved to Pest House Lane in Northall (the road from Northall to Eaton Bray. George also became an agricultural labourer / poultry farmer.
George Tibbett family photos
This photo of Mr and Mrs George Tibbett and family was taken in 1917 about 12 months before their eleventh child (Joan) was born.
Back row: Daisy, Mrs Tibbett, Mr George Tibbett, Florence, John.
Front row: Harry, George, Nellie, baby Hetty, Clara, Kitty and Mary (Mollie).
The photo was taken on a piece of flat ground at the side of their home. The cottages in the background back onto the Church Yard.
ERV.
1912 - Nellie, Clare and Kitt Tibbett are on the left, in front of their house, on the Northall Road.
1914 - The School Gardening Team. Headmaster is Mr Thomas Deeth, Nellie Tibbett is 5th from left in white dress.
Clara Field was born in Northall in abou 1874. At the age of 5 she was sent to a plaiting school to learn to plait, this she did for most of her life. She married George Tibbett in 1895.
On one occasion she sent her daughter Nellie with a weeks plait to Mr Walter Gray’s and received 1/2d; Nellie lost the shilling on her way home and it was never found.
At the age of 79 years she was invited to take part in the Easter Bonnett Parade at Luton and this photo was taken on that day. She died in 1965 aged 91 years. This photo of Mrs Tibbett was donated (to the photo album now held by Chris Yates) by her daughter Mrs Nellie Clark.
Sources
- Ancestry
- Find My Past
- Chris Yates Photo Album