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Florence Minnie HAMBLING
1900 - 1974 (73 years)
Has 829 ancestors and 5 descendants in this family tree.
Set As Default Person 
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Name Florence Minnie HAMBLING Relationship 
with Teresa Ann GOATHAM Residence From 1900 to 1928 Stoke Fleming, Devon, England 
Early life - From a photo in Stoke Fleming when Nanny was a babe in arms and her baptism there her parents appear to have moved back to Stoke Fleming in 1900.
Born 2 Jul 1900 62, Carlyle Road, Ealing, Middlesex, England - GRO ref: HAMBLING, Florence Minnie q3 1900 Brentford RD 3a 103; GRO online index shows mother's maiden name as Longland
Born at 1.10am; address and time from her father's "Birthday Book" - said Ealing W whereas 1901 census said Brentford.
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Baptised 2 Sep 1900 St. Peter’s Church, Stoke Fleming, Devon, England [1] Gender Female Illness Between 1918 and 1919 Spanish Flu - I've known for as long as I can remember that my grandmother went white haired when young. For a good few years after tha she died her hair so it doesn't show in photos, but from memory I think it was when she was about 20. I'm sure it must have been my Mother who told me, so a second hand report. I've not known anyone go white so young, I think it is quite unusual, and I've wondered what the cause was. I'm not aware of anyone else in the family doing so, so no sign of it being genetic (though quite a small close family so can't be certain). However, I have now heard that people went white as a result of the 'Spanish' flu that cause the pandemic in 1918-1919, so I think that was probably the cause in my grandmother's case.
Residence From 1929 to 1941 Devonport, Devon, England Early married life - Since Granddad was in the Navy and away at sea Nanny, and Mummy once she'd arrived, lived in "digs" in Devonport, till they moved out for safety after the blitz. (I think - or was Nanny living with her parents until after my mother was born?)
Residence From 1940 to 1941 84, Barton Avenue, Keyham Barton, Devonport, Devon, England - Need to check source - I think from Granddad's naval papers
Residence From 1941 to 1942 Boston, Lincolnshire, England War time measures - After leaving Devonport, Nanny and Mummy moved to stay with friends / relations in Stoke Fleming for a short while and then to live with Nanny's parents for about a year.
Residence From 1942 to 1958 Wandsworth then Balham, London, England Move to London - When the Admiral Granddad sometimes worked for needed him again, and this time in London, the family moved to live in London although it was during WW2.
Died 24 Jan 1974 St. Mary’s Hospital, Eastbourne, Sussex, England Cause: 1(a) Pulmonary Embolism (b) Post partial gastrectomy - GRO ref: Bailey, Florence Minnie q1 1974 dob 2JY1900 Eastbourne RD 5h 821
Short birth and death certificates for Florence Hambling Cremation 1 Feb 1974 Eastbourne Crematorium, Eastbourne, Sussex, England Nickname Florrie or Flo - I believe known as Florrie when a girl and young woman, but know as Flo for most of her adult life.
Funeral 1 Feb 1974 St. John’s Church, Polegate, Sussex, England Buried 11 Apr 1974 St. Peter’s Church, Stoke Fleming, Devon, England - (ashes interred in her grandparents grave)
Siblings1 brother and 1 sister Half-siblings2 half brothers (family of Timothy LONGLAND and Minnie Ann COURT) Patriarch & Matriarch 
John HAMBLING, b. Est 1654, d. Nov 1732, Berry Pomeroy, Devon, England (Age ~ 78 years) (6 x Great Grandfather) 
Mary WOODLAND, b. Abt 1759, d. Yes, date unknown (3 x Great Grandmother)Notes - I am told she had a village Dance Band before her marriage ("Florrie Hambling's Dance Band") and that there were newspaper cuttings about this (possibly thrown out by Granddad after her death). I gather she thought that marrying a sailor would mean she could carry on an effectively single life, attending dances etc.
However, even if her grandfather throwing her out had not disrupted her life, getting pregnant with my mother immediately would have. This was not in her plans, she tried hot baths etc. to bring about a mis-carriage as revealed by a letter to my grandfather that we found clearing his house after he died. Her attempts to mis-carry did not work and my mother was born 9 months to the day after she and my grandfather married. She took precautions not to be encumbered with any more children!
Nanny herself played the piano, though disliked classical music. Asked to sing in the church choir, but responded she could whistle but not sing (I take after her in this respect).
I believe (from what I was told) that Nanny moved from living with her parents to living with her Grandparents when her brother was born (1906) and remained with them until about 1928, although her parents had moved to Dartmouth and then via Surrey to Boston, Lincolnshire by then. Certainly she was with her grandparents at the time of the 1911 census which agrees with this. She ran the Tuck Shop my great grandfather owned.
In about 1928 she went to Boston to help out when her mother was unwell, got engaged while there and while her parents were happy about the engagement her grandfather disowned her (disapproving of my grandfather - not only a miner's son but, worse in his eyes, a sailor - who all, as everyone knew had a "girl in every port"!) I gather that her grandfather even threw out clothes and possessions she had left in Stoke Fleming. I have a copy of a letter her father wrote to his father complaining about the way he was treating her - referring to it being like the way he had been treated.
Nanny's grandfather refused to see his great granddaughter, or to allow his wife to do so, although I understand my great grandmother did see her secretly.
My mother may not have been initially welcome, but she was loved and cared for.
Aged about 18 months my mother caught TB and had to spend the following 18 months in hospital. During this time my grandmother herself became ill. She went to the Doctor and was told all that was wrong was she needed a square meal. She was starving herself to pay for my mother's care. The Doctor introduced them to a "penny a week" scheme and all was well.
I don't believe Nanny ever read a book during her adult life, having had it drummed into her as a child (by her father) that this was a waste of time. (I think her mother may have spent too much time reading popular literature rather than getting on with the housework!)
Nanny enjoyed running and also played tennis as a girl / young woman, and this was blamed for her having arthritis later in life; I can only remember her walking with a pair of crutches. She was only 73 when she died - I guess she used the crutches from her late 60s. She was thus unable to join in playing with us in the way that Granddad did - though I think she was quite fussy about her appearance and would not have liked games that might have messed up hair or clothes!
I believe Nanny was practically tee-total as a result of seeing the drinking of her grandparents, with whom she grew up (from the age of 6).
Forced to go to church three times on Sunday when a child, in reaction she went far less often as an adult. I remember my grandparents going to church monthly, but my grandfather was more of a church-goer and she may well have gone very little when he was at sea. When my mother spoke of being sent to Sunday School I got the impression her mother did not attend the church. And when granddad left the navy my mother spoke of going to church with him - her mother was not mentioned. I believe it may not just have been the frequency of church attendance as a child that put her off, but the fact that her grandfather considered himself a pillar of the church, whilst being harsh with his family.
Sadly, most of my memories of Nanny are towards the end of her life (I was not quite 11 when she died) when her mind was going. I do, though, know I was very fond of her when little and felt I was very special to her. Her memory problems cannot have been severe but meant her ability to converse was poor, repeating back to you things she had heard - things you had told her not long before! (my mother was unable to remember she'd had any problems and I wondered if I was imagining it, but a couple of letters my grandmother wrote towards the end of her life, that I now have, confirm my memory about this is correct).
I wish I had known my grandmother better, though I don't feel I would have the special bond with her that I did with my grandfather, as I think we would have had less in common.
While I have between one and 2 thousand books I don't believe she ever read one - due to her father's attitude "have you nothing better to do" if he saw her reading.
That may have been fine when she was young, sporty, outgoing and musical but probably not so good when her arthritis limited her going out and reading may have helped keep her mind active.
One small thing in which I definitely do take after her: I like to have a glass of water by me pretty well all the time at home (and often in my bag when out) to sip at; my mother often commented on this being just like her mother!
Person ID I4 All | Teresa's direct ancestors, England: Kent Group (in Go(a)tham One-Name Study), All in the Goatham / Gotham One-Name Study , The descendants of Charles Court and Frances née Tapner Last Modified 13 Mar 2022
Father James Bartlett ("Bert") HAMBLING, b. 6 May 1876, 34, Delamere Crescent, Paddington, London, England , d. 4 Nov 1952, 55, West Street, Boston, Lincolnshire, England (Age 76 years) Mother Minnie Ann COURT, b. 25 Aug 1878, Brentford, Middlesex, England , d. 26 Feb 1952, The Gables Hospital, Spilsby, Lincolnshire, England (Age 73 years)
Other Partners: Timothy LONGLAND m. 4 May 1896Married 21 Oct 1899 St. Mary’s Church, Ealing, Middlesex, England - My great grandmother was married first to Timothy Longland. My understanding is that he was a close friend of my great grandfather, who lodged with them. When dying TL asked JBH to take care of his wife (pregnant when he died). After TL died JBH did the respectable thing and moved out, waited until the year of mourning was up, and then married TL's widow - what better way of taking care of her?! Sadly in the intervening year or so between being widowed (aged 19) and remarrying my great grandmother had given birth to her second child, lost it and then a few months later her first born had also died, aged 2½.
She must have been in need of comfort! Hopefully too the birth of a child who survived, my grandmother, some 8½ months after her second marriage brought her comfort.
I have a copy of a letter my great grandfather wrote to his father after my grandmother got engaged complaining about the way his father was treating her - referring to it being like the way he had been treated (something that was news, but not a total surprise, to the family when we came across this after my grandfather's death). Not a total surprise due to my great grandmother's family history (17 years before the marriage my great grandmother's uncle had died in goal. He had been there at the time of both the 1871 and 1881 censuse, with another uncle and his family in the workhouse at the earlier date. At the same time, their mother had been in and out of the lunatic asylum and continued to be until her death in 1916. And had knowledge of an ancestor's brother in the C18th being a vicious smuggler survived?)
Clearly, though, my great grandfather had not been disowned in the way my grandmother was, as before her first birthday my grandmother along with both her parents and grandparents had moved from Brentford to Stoke Fleming, where they contined to live close to each other for some years, my great grandmother working in her father-in-law's shop / tea rooms.
The marr cert says "The Parish Church" - in Brentford district, no indication of which, so I assumed Brentford. But Golden Wedd newspaper article says St Mary's, Ealing (which is in B. district) (Vicar was W. (C/E.) Oliver)
Certificate for the marriage of James Bartlett Hambling to Minnie Ann Longland (nee Court) Wedding Anniversary 21 Oct 1949 Boston, Lincolnshire, England Golden Photos 
Family ID F5 Family Group Page | Family Chart
Family Henry ("Fred or Bill") BAILEY, b. 22 Jun 1899, 11, Stainton Street, Westoe, Co. Durham, England , d. 16 Oct 1984, Princess Alice Hospital, Eastbourne, Sussex, England (Age 85 years) Courtship From 1926 to 1929 - One Remembrance Sunday, I guess in about 1926, when Granddad was on the staff of Dartmouth Royal Naval College, he went with a colleague who was to play Reveille before the 2 minutes silence in Stoke Fleming (about 2 miles from Dartmouth).
There in the churchyard they met a civilian member of the staff at the college, Syd Huddy, who lived in Stoke Fleming. He introduced them to 2 local girls - my grandmother and a friend. They arranged a date for the 4 of them, my grandmother at first partnering the bugle player. It didn't take long for them to switch partners - and the rest is history.
My grandfather at first gave his name as "Fred". I believe making up a name was common practice. Then when he got seriously interested in my grandmother he folded his coat for her to see his true name. However, being used to calling him Fred she stuck with it, and he remained Fred - not just to her, but to most people outside of his own family (where he remained Henry) and work colleagues (where he was Bill - due to the old song and his surname).
Banns of marriage Abt Mar 1929 St. Saviour’s Church, Dartmouth, Devon, England To reflect Granddad's residence at Britannia Royal Naval College Married 1 Apr 1929 St. Botolph’s Church (“The Stump”), Boston, Lincolnshire, England 
Children + 1. Brenda Evelyn BAILEY, b. 1 Jan 1930, “Electra”, 84, Main Ridge, Boston, Lincolnshire, England , d. 21 Jun 2003, Torbay Hospital, Torquay, Devon, England (Age 73 years)▻ Eric Herbert John GOATHAM m. 7 Jul 1956Photos 
Last Modified 20 Feb 2016 Family ID F3 Family Group Page | Family Chart
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Photos 
Documents 
At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
Histories 
A Royal Tuck Shop
An account of the Tuck Shop and tea rooms that some of my Hambling ancestors ran in Stoke Fleming that enjoyed royal patronage, due to being close to the Dartmouth Royal Naval College.
Sources - [S293] Stoke Fleming - Parish Registers (FMP data), St Peter’s Church (Stoke Fleming, Devon), (brightsolid online publishing ltd. findmypast.com.), Baptism of Florence Minnie HAMBLING; accessed 31 May 2014 (Reliability: 3).
Under heading 'Baptisms ... Stoke Fleming ... 1900' - "1900 Sep 2nd No. 798 Florence Minnie, parents: James Bartlett & Minnie Ann, Hambling, abode: Stoke Fleming, father's occupation: Carpenter, ceremony performed by: Joseph Samuel Exell Rector" (in left margin 'July 2nd 1900' - i.e. date of birth)