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Reuben HAMBLING
1833 - 1892 (59 years)
Has 73 ancestors and 36 descendants in this family tree.
Set As Default Person 
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Name Reuben HAMBLING Relationship 
with Teresa Ann GOATHAM Born 1833 Blackawton, Devon, England 
Baptised 28 May 1833 St. Michael’s Church, Blackawton, Devon, England - From PR entry (image on FMP, viewed 25 Feb 2022)
"Mary the 28th No. 875. Reuben son of Wm & Elizth Hambling, abode: Town [i.e. in the village with Blackawton Church, rather than elsewhere in the parish], father: Gunsmith, ceremony performed by: J. L. Adams"
Gender Male Residence 1851 Blackawton, Devon, England - living with parents at time of census
Occupation From 1851 to 1892 Gun maker - Reuben must have been trained in the skill of gun-making by his father. Three of his brothers also became gun-makers. Surely the Blackawton area cannot have been expected to provide enough work for all of them - even if they diversified into related occupations? Probably for this reason all but Henry left the village. Older brothers had already moved to work as gun-makers in nearby towns, William to Totnes and Hiram to Kingsbridge, no doubt forcing Reuben to look to work further afield.
He must have moved away from Blackawton sometime between the 1851 census and his marriage in Sussex in 1858.
Unlike his brothers he seemed unable to settle and worked in a number of parts of the country, finishing up in Canterbury.
Miscellaneous 1859 Brighton, Sussex, England Workman's death by poison - "Singular Death by Poison. - On Monday evening, the
Borough Coroner, D. Black, Esq., held an inquest at the White Lion
Inn, North Street. According to the evidence, deceased
came down from London on the 7th May, to go into the Hospital,
where he was admitted on Wednesday, the 11th. On the previous
Monday he went to work for Mr. Hambling, gun-maker, 112,
North street, whose advertisement for a workman, in the Times,
he had answered. He also lodged with Mr. Hambling. He said his illness was brough on by diarrhœa. He left the Hospital on
the following Saturday, and returned to Mr. Hambling's, where he
continued to lodge and do a little work. The subject of entering
into partnership with his employer was then spoken of by him,
as he said he could bring some money into the concern, having saved
two or three hundred pounds. On the following Wednesday after-
noon deceased went up the stairs and laid on the bed. Shortly after
he was seized with a violent retching which continued about three
hours. Mr. Hambling went to him and enquired of him what
was the matter, and he replied "I am very ill; I have taken some-
thing and now it lies on my stomach. Do fetch a doctor, and tell
him to bring a pump with him." Mr. Dixon was in consequence
sent for, but he being from home Mr. Hambling went to Mr. Rugg's
and saw Mr. Richards, whom he informed of deceased's severe
vomiting, but he could not recollect whether or not he told Mr.
Richards that deceased wanted a pump. Mr. Richards considered
it a case of long standing diarrhœa. Mr. Rugg attended deceased
the following day, and in consequence of a hasty message that he
was in a fit, he went a second time. He had then partially re-
covered, and Mr. Rugg asked him if he had anything on his mind
which he wished to communicte. He said he had, and Mr.
Hambling left the room to afford that opportunity, when he said
he had taken some stuff from a bottle in Mr. Hambling's shop,
that he had gone down stairs unknown to the family, and drunk,
as he supposed, about half-a-pint. The stuff was what is termed
"brownings," and is used for browning gun-barrels. It is made
of 2oz. of corrosive sublimate, 8 drops of nitric acid, a pint and a
half of water, and a little sal ammoniac. On being asked why he
had taken it, he replied, "I have been so very low and so ill so
long, and that drove me to do it." From the evidence of the
brother it appeared that deceased attempted to drown himself some
little time since. Deceased had several epileptic fits, and the
bowels having become ulcerated by diarrhœa and dysentery, the
poison had aggravated the ulceration and hastened his end; poison,
then, being the immediate cause of death, the Jury returned a
verdict of "Temporary Insanity." "
(The Sussex Advertiser. Surrey Gazette. &c June 7, 1859, p.3 col. 3)
Residence 1859 112, North Street, Brighton, Sussex, England - His home when a workman took poison.
Residence 1861 20, Shaftesbury Place, St. Botolph without Aldersgate, Middlesex, England - One of 3 families at this address in the 1861 census (birthplace given as "Blarkewton" (or similar) Devon!)
Miscellaneous Aug 1865 Back of 89, Aston Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England Goods left in Birmingham - For some reason Reuben had left goods in Birmingham. If he had lived there, between being in Aldersgate and Salford, his sojourn would appear to have been brief, as a daughter was born in Middlesex in 1864.Notice in the Birmingham Gazette of Saturday 26 August 1865:
"Notice. - If Reuben Hambling, of
Manchester, does not Fetch the goods left at Mr. Hill's,
back of 89, Aston Street, within Three Days, they will be Sold."
Miscellaneous 7 Oct 1865 Bexley Street, Salford, Lancashire, England Gunpowder Explosion - Health and safety considerations weren't quite the same in 1865 as they are today as this occurence shows - not just the explosion, but also the selling of gunpowder to boys.
"Gunpowder Explosion in Salford. - On Saturday
evening, about half-past seven o'clock, two lads went into
the shop of Mr. R. Hambling, gunsmith, Bexley-street,
near the Salford Town Hall, to buy a pennyworth of gun-
powder. An old man, named Cadden, was serving them
out of a small canister, when by a mishap the gaslight
from a bracket near the counter ignited the powder,
which exploded. The canister contained about one and
a half pound. The effect of the explosion was signally
destructive. The contents of the shop window, guns and
powder flasks, with the window frame and shutters, were
all swept into the street. The lads and shopman were
burned on the face and hands, but their injuries were
not serious."
(from The Bury Times, Saturday, October 14, 1865)
Residence 1868 Lime Street, Tyldesley, Lancashire, England - At the time his daughter Caroline died
Residence 1869 Motherby Hill, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England ** probable ** - I think Reuben may briefly have gone by the name Henry Webb; if so then he was living in Lincoln in 1869 (when his daughter Fanny was born)
Occupation Bef 1874 Eastgate Square, Chichester, Sussex, England Gun maker - shop in Chichester - In Nov. 1874 it was mentioned that he had recently had a shop in Eastgate Square, Chichester
Residence Nov 1874 New York Street, London Road, Brighton, Sussex, England Residence 1879 Brighton Road, Croydon, Surrey, England - At the time of his son Roger's admission to a school in Croydon
Bequest 1880 In the will of his father - Reuben along with all his siblings equally was to receive a share of what his father left (if anything), after the death of their mother (which occurred in 1880).
The will of William Bartlett Hambling
(a 4 x great grandfather of mine)Residence 1881 3, Carlton Bridge, Paddington, London, England - Reuben was living with his wife and 7 children at the time of the 1881 census (a couple of mantle makers were living in the same house).
Residence From 1884 to 1885 82, Ashmore Road, Paddington, London, England - 19 May 1884 when dau Maud admitted to school and in the 1884 and 1885 electoral rolls
Residence From 1888 39, New Street, Ashford, Kent, England - 'Rueben', with his wife and 5 children (Roger to Mabel) was living at this address at the time the 1891 census was taken but when he went bankrupt in May 1892 he was said to have "commenced business" at the address "about four years ago", so probably sometime in 1888.
Occupation Abt Dec 1891 51, Burgate Street, Westgate, Canterbury, Kent, England Opened branch of his gunmaker's business - A newspaper report concerning Reuben's bankrupcy in May 1892 said he opened the Canterbury branch of his business "At Christmas last", which seems possibly irresponsible given that the same article claims "insolvency about June, 1891", but presumably he hoped a second branch could improve his situation. Between June and December Reuben had remarried, and it was this that enabled him to open another branch, as he borrowed £40 from his wife to do so.
Bankrupt21 May 1892 Court Charged with larceny, as a bailee Died 9 Dec 1892 Black Boy Pub, Burgate Street, Westgate, Canterbury, Kent, England Cause: Bronchitis and Delirium tremens - Wikipedia info: Bronchitis and Delirium tremens.
GRO ref: Hambling, Ruben age 50 q4 1892 Canterbury RD 2a 470
The date and place of death are as given on Reuben's death certificate but I do find the place puzzling and wonder if it is wrong. At this time inquests were held with a Jury to decide on the verdict, so Reuben could have been present as a Jury member when he died (but would he have qualified, living in Ashford? would his shop in Canterbury have made him eligible for Jury service? were bankrupts eligible anyway?)
Or, I think more likely, he was there to give evidence. Unfortunately inquest notes don't seem to survive for this period for Canterbury; the best source of information can be local papers, when an inquest was of sufficient interest to be reported on. I have not found a mention of Reuben in any report, either regarding his own death or present at the inquest for another.
If Reuben had some important evidence to give I can see that he may have felt he should attend an inquest despite being unwell, but I find it surprising that someone with bronchitis and Delirium tremens of sufficient severity that he would die of them that day should feel able to leave his home in Ashford, travel to Canterbury and attend an inquest there. Even if he had been staying at his Canterbury shop, I still find it suprising he should leave his sick bed to attend the Court. But if he was delerious surely he would not have been thinking straight enough to attend Court if was supposed to? Could the delusions brought on by the condition have taken him there? Reading about death caused by DTs I think it is normally preceeded by the person being in a coma for a couple of days. If he had been it wouldn't make sense for him to die in the Court. Exceptions can be when people had an accident as a result of the DTs, e.g. falling from a window, but if that had happened wouldn't that be mentioned on the death certificate?
I think there is another possibility. When there was an inquest, as there was for Reuben, the Coroner was the informant for the death, and Reuben's death certificate shows the information had been received by the Registrar on a form. I do wonder if the Coroner absent mindedly entered the Court address instead of the address at which Reuben's death had occurred.
Death certificate for Reuben Hambling Buried 12 Dec 1892 St. Mary’s Church, Ashford, Kent, England - From PR entry (image on FMP, viewed 25 Feb 2022)
"Reuben Hambling No. 62, abode: Canterbury, buried: Dec. 12th., age: 50 yrs, ceremony performed by H. P. Brewer"
Miscellaneous 1893 The unpaid for suit - When the Canterbury County Court sat at the Guildhall in Canterbury on Tuesday 8 August 1893, i.e. after Reuben's death, Messers Warren and Summers tried to claim the cost of a suit from his widow:
"Messrs. Warren and Summers, Canterbury, v. Mrs.
Hambling, Ashford
This was a claim for £2 17s. 6d. for a suit of
clothes. - Mrs. Hambling deposed that her husband
died whilst a bankrupt. She never knew he ordered
any clothes. - Judgment for defendant."
(report from The Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 12 August 1893, col. 3)
Siblings6 brothers and 5 sisters Patriarch & Matriarch 
John HAMBLING, b. Est 1654, d. Nov 1732, Berry Pomeroy, Devon, England (Age ~ 78 years) (3 x Great Grandfather) 
Johane BASTARD, b. Est 1628, d. Yes, date unknown (4 x Great Grandmother)Notes - (Research):Not found in the 1871 census
Person ID I253 All Last Modified 26 Apr 2023
Father Clerk William Bartlett HAMBLING, b. 1787, Blackawton, Devon, England , d. 24 Feb 1864, Blackawton, Devon, England (Age 77 years) Mother Elizabeth BAKER, b. Abt 1794, Blackawton, Devon, England , d. 1 Nov 1880, Blackawton, Devon, England (Age ~ 86 years) Married 14 Jan 1812 St. Michael’s Church, Blackawton, Devon, England - both signed, James Hambling witnessed
Family ID F22 Family Group Page | Family Chart
Family 1 Mary Ann WISE, b. Abt 1837, Newhaven, Sussex, England , d. 10 Sep 1891, Ashford, Kent, England (Age ~ 54 years) Married 6 Dec 1858 St. Nicholas’ Church, Brighton, Sussex, England - GRO ref: Hambling, Reuben to Wise, Mary Ann q4 1858 Brighton RD 2b 348
Details from PR entry (image on FamilySearch, viewed 25 Feb 2022; the image courtesy of
the East Sussex Record Office)
Children11 children Last Modified 25 Feb 2022 Family ID F172 Family Group Page | Family Chart
Family 2 Annie Sarah Pleone COCKSEDGE, b. Dec Q 1843, Shalford, Essex, England
Other Partners: William Skone REES m. 16 Dec 1867Married 14 Nov 1891 The Register Office, Holborn, London, England - GRO ref: Hambling, Reuben to Rees, Annie Sarah S. q4 1891 Holborn RD 1b 1297
Certificate for the marriage of Reuben Hambling to Annie Sarah Pleone Cocksedge
Reuben's 2nd marriageLast Modified 25 Feb 2022 Family ID F5433 Family Group Page | Family Chart
- From PR entry (image on FMP, viewed 25 Feb 2022)