John Roby (abt. 1791 - 1873)

Born about 1791 in Eccleston, Lancashire, England

Husband of Sarah Roby — married 1838 in Register Office (or registrar attended), Prescot, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Died 30 Sep 1873 at about age 82 in Eccleston, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Biography

This profile is part of the St Helens, Lancashire One Place Study.

John Roby was born in about 1791 in Eccleston, Lancashire.

John married Sarah Roby in 1838, in a registrar-attended ceremony in Prescot district. Their marriage appears to have been childless (no Roby-Roby births registered in Prescot to 1852).

By June 6th 1841, they were living in Yew Tree Place, Eccleston. John was a farmer.

By March 30th 1851, they were living in Eccleston; John was a proprietor of houses.

By April 7th 1861, they were living in Holts Lane, Eccleston; John was a proprietor of houses.

By April 2nd 1871, they were living in Eccleston; John was described as a retired watchmaker.

John died on 30 Sep 1873 in Eccleston, aged 82. His will was proved on 14 Oct 1873; his estate was worth under £100, and his widow Sarah was his sole executrix. He was described in the probate record as a farmer.

Research Notes

Although John's age varies somewhat erratically between censuses, and his occupation is inconsistent in 1861, Sarah's birthplace of Newcastle, Staffordshire is consistent between the censuses so it seems likely they are all the same couple.

Marriage

Probably not to Sarah Phillips on 3 Sep 1835 at St Peter's Church in Burnley, Lancashire. That John Roby was a widowed cotton weaver, Sarah Phillips was a spinster, and both were of the local chapelry. (Image link https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-65DB-4Q?i=1012&cc=1465701)

In 1881, John's widow Sarah was a visitor in the household of Eliza Richardson (a widowed cow keeper, born in about 1843 in Eccleston). Jane Ireland, a widow born in about 1809 in Newcastle Staffordshire, was also visiting. Perhaps Sarah's sister?

In [1851 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGYH-NN6], Jane Ireland was living in St Helens with her husband Edward and their children. Their daughter Dorothy's birth was registered in 1837 in Prescot district, with mother's maiden name Roby. Their daughter Eliza's birth was registered in 1843 in Prescot district, again with mother Roby. So Eliza was probably the Eliza Richardson of the 1881 census above, with her mother and her aunt visiting. But it's curious that John Roby's presumed relative Jane was born in Newcastle Staffordshire while John was born in Eccleston and lived there all his life from 1841 onwards. However if he was born in about 1791 and she was born in about 1809, perhaps he lived there for some years as a young man; or maybe she was some kind of cousin and he never lived there.

There's a baptism for a Jane Robey daughter of Michael and Sarah in Newcastle in 1809; Michael Roby married Sarah Downs in 1808 in Stoke on Trent. Michael and Sarah appear to have had one other child - Sarah, christened in 1811. This was presumably John Roby's wife Sarah.

Burial

Not listed in St Helens Cemetery records or (as of June 2021) on Lancashire OPC

Census

1841: Yew Tree Place, Eccleston

  John Roby 45 Farmer Y

  Sarah Do 30 Y

  Mary Bailey 20 F.S Y

Sources

• Marriage registration: http://www.ukbmdcertificateordering.co.uk/certapp.php?type=marriages&data=ROBY%7CJohn%7CROBY%7CSarah%7CPrescot+Register+Office+or+Registrar+Attended%7CPrescot%7C1838%7C1838%7C%7CPT%3AR%2F2%2F21%7CR%7C61365%7Clancashire%7CPT&lang=

• Death registration: John Roby, last quarter 1873, Prescot district, age 82, accessed on FreeBMD

• Probate: https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=roby&yearOfDeath=1873&page=3#calendar

• "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ2G-GP4 : 22 May 2019), John Roby, Prescot, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. Piece 516-05 folio 10 p 12.

• "England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGYX-ZBV : 12 September 2019), John Roby, Eccleston, Lancashire, England; citing Eccleston, Lancashire, England, p. 12, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.

• "General Register Office: 1861 Census Returns database, FreeCEN (https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59035256e9379091b15bc6b3 : viewed 21 Jun 2021), Sarah ROBY in household of John ROBY, Holts Lane, Lancashire, England; from 1861 "England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images; citing The National Archives RG 9/2746, Folio 9, Page 16, Schedule 77, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.

• "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZGB-BD6 : 23 April 2019), Sarah Roby in entry for John Roby, 1871.