User Home Page Genealogy Report: Descendants of Richard Ashby
Descendants of Richard Ashby
32.SMITHEYT5 SPAIN (ANN4ASHBEE, JOSEPH3, JOHN2ASHBY, RICHARD1) was born 1789 in Ewell,Kent,England, and died Unknown.He married NANCY BOOKER.She died Unknown.
Child of SMITHEYT SPAIN and NANCY BOOKER is:
61. | i. | GEORGE6 SPAIN, d. Unknown. |
33.JOHN5 SPAIN (ANN4ASHBEE, JOSEPH3, JOHN2ASHBY, RICHARD1) was born 1791 in Herne Bay ,Kent,England, and died Unknown.He married MATILDA DEAKE June 07, 1820 in Wickhambreux,Kent,England.She died Unknown.
More About JOHN SPAIN:
Occupation: 1821, Farmer in Herne
Children of JOHN SPAIN and MATILDA DEAKE are:
i. | JOHN6 SPAIN, b. 1821, Herne Bay ,Kent,England; d. Unknown. | ||
ii. | CAROLINE SPAIN, b. 1823, Herne Bay ,Kent,England; d. Unknown. | ||
iii. | SMITHEYT SPAIN, b. 1824, Herne Bay ,Kent,England; d. Unknown. | ||
iv. | ELLEN SPAIN, b. 1824, Herne Bay ,Kent,England; d. April 11, 1825, Herne ,Kent,England. | ||
v. | JOSEPH SPAIN, b. 1825, Herne Bay ,Kent,England; d. Unknown. |
34.ROBERT5 ASHBEE (JOHN4, JOSEPH3, JOHN2ASHBY, RICHARD1)47,48 was born March 11, 1804 in Clockhouse,Kent,England49,50, and died October 15, 1867 in Hounslow,England51,52.He married FRANCIS ELIZABETH SPENCER June 29, 1833 in ST. Annes Blackfriars,London,England.She was born September 27, 1810 in Deal,Kent,England, and died March 02, 1862 in England.
Notes for ROBERT ASHBEE:
[drayner.FTW]
[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 23, Ed. 1, Tree #3145, Date of Import: Nov 7, 1999]
THE GUNPOWDER PLOT
ROBERT ASHBEE - born March 11, 1804 - the hero (or villain) of our essay.He was at boughton, probably at the Clockhouse and found himself with at least 5 older half-brothers and eventually with 4 younger fulll brothers, not to mention innumerable sisters.In thses circumstances and despite all that Yoeman business, it is not surprising that he was destined to make his own way in the world.He attended Lynstead School a few miles from his home and when he was 10, he won a book of poems which was tooled in gold on the front cover "Master Robert Ashbee, Best Speaker, Lynstead School, 1814".This book still exists in excellentcondition.
Nothing is known of him for some years except that he is reputed to have gone to South America to seek his fortune.He came home with nothing but a collection of curious watercolour drawings of Amazonian and Forest landscapes which survived in his family until well after his death,He was 23 when his father died in 1827.
He married Frances Elizabeth SPENCER of Deal (Probably in the early 1830's) and his sone Henry Spencer ASHBEE was born on 21 April, 1834 at 24 Blackfriars Road in London.This place was described in 1841 as the "Rising Sun" Inn and by 1977 it had become a topless Go-Go club!
In 1845 when Robert's mother (Elizabeth) died, she referred tohim in her Will as living at "Houndslow" and we know for certain that by March 1850 he was manager of Hounslow Gunpowder Mills, in Middlesex.Meanwhile he is recorded as being a proprietor of Kensington School from 1848 6o 1851.Kensington school was a private Grammar School and Henry Spencer was a boarder there.It was the practice in those days for fathers to become proprietors for the duration of their sons' attendance at these schools.
How Robert became involved with Gunpowder Mills is a mystery but it may be significant that Milles existed at Faversham at the time and there are records of workers walking there daily from Boughton.What was common with all Gunpowder Mills was their propensity to blow themselves up and it is by reading the reports (!) of the explosions that we can trace much of their history.
The Powder Mills at Hounslow on the River Crane had existed for a couple of centuries.Strickly speaking they were located in the Parish of Twickenham.The sidte was owned by the Duke of Northumberland and in the early 19th Century the Mills were operated by the firm of Harvey & Grueber.However in 1820 the newly formed company of Curtis & Harvey took over the lease.Mr. Harvey - probably on of the previous owners - continued to be the technical expert for some years and was certainly still living at Hounslow in 1841, but the real boss was Mr. Curtis.He know very little about gunpowder and ran the business from his offices in Lombard Street in the City.It is probable that Robert Ashbee was appointed Manager some time in the late 1840's.
A big explosion occurred on 11 March, 1850 and 7 men were killed.Robert Ashbee was actually discussing business with Mr. Curtis in Lombard Street at the time but he may have heard the bang 11 miles away because it was heard throughout the Home Counties.(Did he think "You can't trust anybody these days -Leave 'em in charge for half a day and see what 'appens?")Both he and Mr. Curtis gave evidence at the Inquest on Friday 15 March.Robert described the harardous nature of the work and other witnesses described seeing bits of bodies flying through the air and some of them finishing up in the trees.Apparently at least 150 people would normally have been working on the site at the time.A large party from the 11th Hussars at Hounslow Barracks arrived with a fire engine but the devastation was so complete that there was little for them to do.A substantial body of Police who happened to be in Hounslow to prevent a walking race in the town was rushed to the site to control the crowds.(Why were Police required to prevent a walking race?It sounds as though we may have stumbled on a Keystone Cops-type situation.)
Robert is thought to have lived in the Manager's house in the middle of the site and a loarge scale map of the time shows a group of buildings amongst which one is described as a 'residence'.It seem to have been very close to some of the buildings where explosives were contained and hardly the place to bring up a family.A photograph of a house on the site exists and is said to be the residence.It does appear to match up with what other evidence exists.The photgraph was taken in the 1920's but the bulding itself was demolised about 1930.It was close to the River Crane and Henry Spencer's diary refers to himself bathing "in the river behind our house".Close to this house was a tower incorrectly referred to as a Shot Tower.This structure still stands.
In the 1851 Census Rober is described as a Gunpowder Manufacturer and present at the house were his wife, his son, a niece, a young visitor whose occupation is given as "goes to school" and one servant named Lucy KENT.Henry Spencer at 16 is described as an Auctioneer & Estate Agent.This does not agree with other information that is known about his career.He was not past the odd leg-pull however.A letter in Robert's handwriting has recently come to hand dated May 54 relating to some problem over control of the water in the river.He writes with quite a flourish.There is no further reference to Robert Ashbee until his name appears on two birth certificates dated 1857 and 1858.
IN the 1861 Census there are 2 different nieces present at the house together with himself, his wife and 2 servants.There are photographs that exist showing Robert Ashbee as a man of medium build and commanding respect.The other is that of his wife, which is not very flattering but it depicts her as very stout and decidedly plain.She died on 2 March, 1862.
Henry Spencer had by this time had some success in business which he enhanced by marrying the boss's daughter (a Miss LAVY from Hamburg where the company was based.) in about 1862.His wife is said to hqve got on very well with her father-in-law Robert.Robert's grandson Charles Robert ASHBEE (born 1863) recored in 1939 how as a small child he used to sit on Robert's knee and - more gruesomely - that he saw him in his coffin in 1867 when he himself was still so small he had to be lifted up in the air to see.His account of this episode which happened 72 years previously probided us with the following description of his appearance - "Cold and rather spledidly chiselled, very stately ----.The face was hard, a sort of enamelled beauty but not unkind.There may have a touch of mockery about the mouth ----".
Robert Ashbee in fact died at his home at the Gunpowder Milla on 15 October, 1867 and was buried in the family vault at Kensall Gree Cemetry.Apart from 100 pounds which he left to his unmarried sister Frances, he left the balance of his estate (under 3000 pounds) to his son Henry Spencer Ashbee.
So much for his recorded activities.But what about Frances Marion PURCHASE(1)?We know that Hounslow Station was 2 miles from the Mills provided easy access to London and this is illustrated by the report of his visit to Mr. Curtis in 1850.He only had one legitimate child (way back in 1834) which was rather different to his own father and definitely unusual for well-heeled Victorians.There is rather flimsy evidence that his unfortunate wife was not very attractive and we know for certain that he was a very active man.Was he really the father of Frances Marion PURCHASE(2)?Prior to 1874 a woman when registering the birth of a child could name anybody as father.After that date a man's name could only appear on a Birth Certificate if he attended the registration and acknowleded paternity.But why should Robert be named as father if he was not? - and he is named for 2 children which seems to underline the probability that it was true?(The writer has suspicions of another possiblity but it would be unjust to express them without more evidence.)Did he support the children?If so, what happened when he died?Did Frances Marion PURCHASE(1) even know that he had died?Did she ever find out?Did anybody in his family know of the existence of the children?There is nothing on record to indicate this.If he was the father did he also have other illegitimate children elsewhere?One feature of this genealogical research is tha for every question answered a dozn new ones arise.
The history of the Ashbee family after Robert's death is well recorded and no more will be said about it at this time, other that to note that Henry Spencer's fortune increased and with it he achieved fame as a collector and authority on books, particularly rare Spanish ones.The bulk of his library was left on his death to the British Museum.He also achieved infamy as Europe's leading authority on pornography in the late 19th Century, and at this point, it may be well to draw the curtains of the subject.
EPILOGUE
Before leaving the topic of Robert Ashbee a few coincidences shold be mentioned which taken in isolation are mildly interesting but taken together seem uncanny.Robert's wife was names FRANCES.as tahe only woman named in his Will, His only surviving unmarried sister - and so was his mistress FMP(1) and his daughter FMP(2)
One Robert's great-great-grandson (in the legitimate line) was born in 1945, became an architect but decided to enter the Church and in 1978 was studing for this vocation at Cambridge.Such a person might be thought to be unique, but meanwhile on e og George STYAN's great-grandsons and therfore also a great-great-grandson of Robert Ashbee was, born in 1945, - became an architech, - decided to enter the church and was studying for this vocation at Cambridge in 1978, at the same college and in the same year as his third cousin without anybody being aware of the relationship.A similarity in their lines of descent from Robert Ashbee is also striking.
One final coincidence.The site of the Mills was fairly extensive and eventually became a housing estate.The writers family moved from Pimlico to near Hounslow, unaware of any ancestral connections.After WW2, the what vacant lands that were left became a cemetry.In due course, the writer's parents (of whom one was Robert Ashbee's grandson) were buried there.
It was not until 1977 that the Ashbee connection was discovered and thus we came full circle.The Gunpowder Plot at leat unfolded.
K.G. STYAN - Ye Styan Chronicles - 1978
More About ROBERT ASHBEE:
Fact 6: Gunpowder Manufacturer of Hounslow53,54
Child of ROBERT ASHBEE and FRANCIS SPENCER is:
62. | i. | HENRY SPENCER6 ASHBEE, b. April 21, 1834, London,England; d. July 29, 1900, Fowlers park,Hawkhurst,England. |
35.HENRY5 ASHBEE (JOHN4, JOSEPH3, JOHN2ASHBY, RICHARD1) was born January 13, 1808 in Colkins,Kent,England, and died July 22, 1874 in Boughton under Blean,Kent,England.He married MARY ANN KINGSNORTH, daughter of JOHN KINGSNORTH.She was born 1812 in Colkins,Kent,England, and died December 21, 1869 in Boughton,Kent,England.
More About HENRY ASHBEE:
Baptism: March 14, 1808
Occupation: 1870, Gunpowder Supervisor
Children of HENRY ASHBEE and MARY KINGSNORTH are:
i. | MARTHA6 ASHBEE, b. 1846, England; d. Unknown. | ||
63. | ii. | ELLEN HANNAH ASHBEE, b. December 16, 1847, England; d. April 19, 1921. | |
iii. | JOHN KINGSNORTH ASHBEE, b. July 14, 1849, Blean,Kent,England; d. August 12, 1888, Blean,Kent,England. | ||
iv. | MARY ASHBEE, b. June 01, 1851, Colkins,Kent,England; d. October 12, 1868, Boughton,Kent,England. |
36.HANNAH HARRISON5 ASHBEE (JOHN4, JOSEPH3, JOHN2ASHBY, RICHARD1) was born March 29, 1813 in Boughton under Blean,Kent,England, and died April 28, 1842.She married PETER MARTEN.He was born 1811 in Chilham,Kent,England, and died Unknown.
More About HANNAH HARRISON ASHBEE:
Baptism: April 25, 1813
Children of HANNAH ASHBEE and PETER MARTEN are:
i. | JOHN6 MARTEN, d. Unknown. | ||
ii. | ANN MARTEN, d. Unknown. |
37.GEORGE5 ASHBEE (JOHN4, JOSEPH3, JOHN2ASHBY, RICHARD1) was born January 07, 1815 in Boughton under Blean,Kent,England, and died August 28, 1904 in Ramsgate,Kent,England.He married HANNAH LAWRENCE, daughter of JOHN LAWRENCE.She died December 1874.
Children of GEORGE ASHBEE and HANNAH LAWRENCE are:
i. | DAVID6 ASHBEE, d. Unknown. | ||
64. | ii. | JOHN G. ASHBEE, b. 1842, Canterbury,Kent, England; d. Unknown. | |
65. | iii. | EMILYN H. ASHBEE, b. 1843, Canterbury,Kent, England/Canterbury, England; d. Unknown. | |
66. | iv. | ELIZABETH ASHBEE, b. 1845, Canterbury,Kent, England/Canterbury, England; d. Unknown. | |
v. | CHARLES F. ASHBEE, b. 1849, Canterbury,Kent, England/Canterbury, England; d. August 17, 1925, Canterbury,Kent, England/Canterbury, England. |
38.GILBERT5 ASHBEE (WILLIAM4, WILLIAM3, JOHN2ASHBY, RICHARD1) was born February 20, 1803 in Herne,Kent,England, and died June 06, 1873 in Blean,Kent,England.He married MARY ANN CHANDLER, daughter of STEPHEN CHANDLER and MARY HOPPER.She was born 1808 in Bekesbourne,Kent,England, and died Aft. 1861.
Children of GILBERT ASHBEE and MARY CHANDLER are:
67. | i. | EMMA SARAH6 ASHBEE, b. November 18, 1827, Herne,Kent,England; d. July 06, 1871, Herne Bay ,Kent,England. | |
ii. | MARY ANN ASHBEE, b. June 06, 1830, Herne,Kent,England; d. Unknown. | ||
iii. | WILLIAM ASHBEE, b. 1833; d. Unknown. | ||
iv. | JOSEPH ASHBEE, b. January 17, 1836, Herne,Kent,England; d. March 20, 1856, Herne ,Kent,England. | ||
68. | v. | JANE ASHBEE, b. 1838, Herne Bay,Kent,England; d. Unknown. | |
vi. | EDWARD ASHBEE, b. 1841, Herne Bay ,Kent,England; d. October 1852, Herne Bay ,Kent,England. | ||
69. | vii. | GEORGE OLIVER STANLEY ASHBEE, b. May 04, 1848, Herne,Kent,England; d. November 30, 1932, Limehouse,Stepney,London,England. |