Fanny Gabb (1832-1905)

Fanny’s elegant signature from her marriage certificate.

Fanny was baptised on 2nd December 1832 at Newport Non-Conformist Chapel, near North Nibley. In the ’41 Census she was living with her parents, John, aged 40, a manservant, and Sarah. They had married two years earlier, on the 20th June, 1830 in Berkeley. Sarah’s maiden name was Gabb. They were living in Stancombe Park Lodge.

Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland

The red circle show Stancombe Park Lodge, where Fanny lived as a child.

The Blue circle shows Bassett Court, where Benjamin, Fanny’s future husband, lived as a child.

The green circle shows Berry Hill Farm, where I presume they both lived for the first 20 years of their married life.

In 1853, when Fanny was 21, she married Benjamin Randall, the son of a neighbouring farmer, at Bath Abbey. In the marriage certificate, her father (in reality a servant and them an agricultural labourer) was listed as a farmer. Benjamin was a widower, having been married to Ann Robinson previously.

In 1861, Benjamin and Fanny were living at Borroughill Farm, on the southern margin of the parish. Confusingly, on maps this is shown as Berry Hill Farm. With them were Fanny’s parents, John and Sarah, and the couples’ three children, plus servants. In 1871, four more children had been added to the family.

Gloucester Journal 24th February 1877

In liquidation re Benjamin Randall

Burrough Hill Farm

Instructions from the proprietor, Mr Benjamin Randall, who is leaving the farm.

To SELL BY AUCTION

On the premises at Burrough Hill

The whole of the dairy cows, in season heifers, barrens, stirks, yearlings, horse, sheep, pigs

The family moved to Lake Farm, Bulley, in Gloucestershire, as the article below appeared in the Gloucestershire Chronicle on 29th March, 1879.

Lake Farm Bulley Churcham

To be sold by auction

12 head of cattle viz 4 cows in calf, 3 heifers in calf, 1steer;9 strong store pigs. 1 sow in farrow;25 sheep comprising 5 ewes in yean, 20 tegs; poultry, the whole of the capital implements, harness, dairy utensils, household furniture, rick of wheat, about 66 gallons of cider and perry and casks, and numerous other effects…

In 1881, they had moved to Deepfilling Farm in Huntley, near Westbury on Severn. In 1891, Fanny (now Frances) was living in a cottage in Huntley with her daughter Frances. Both are recorded as hawkers. Fanny is recorded as being married, but I can’t locate Benjamin.

In 1901, Fanny and her daughter were still living in Huntley, in a three-room cottage. Fanny is receiving outdoor relief, and her daughter is ‘living on her own means’. Benjamin and Fanny seem to have separated, as, in 1901, Benjamin (recorded as a widower) was boarding at the Shears Inn in Uley. He died in Dursley in 1904, and was buried in North Nibley.

Fanny died in 1905, aged 72, and was buried in Bulley. In her death record appears ‘late of Lake Farm’, the home she had left 3 decades before.