Person:Henry Robinson (35)

Henry John Robinson was baptised on 5th June 1870 at Sidlesham in Sussex, son of Fanny Robinson, formerly Edwards, and her husband James Robinson, an agricultural labourer. Henry was the fifth of the couple's six children, but three of his older siblings had died young, leaving him one surviving older brother, Edward, who was seventeen when Henry was born. Henry's parents went on to have another son, George, less than two years after Henry's birth. When Henry was born both his maternal grandparents were still alive and living locally; his maternal grandfather died in 1872.

Henry appears in the 1881 census living with his parents and brother George at Mill in Sidlesham. They are listed under the surname Allen which Henry's father James sometimes used; Allen was James's stepfather's surname. By 1891 they were living at Church Lane in Sidlesham and Henry was working as an agricultural labourer.

In 1894, aged 24, Henry married Minnie Alice Johnson. They had two sons together. Henry became a railway signalman. In 1901 they were living near Drayton Station in the parish of Oving, just east of Chichester on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway line from Chichester to Brighton. Henry's maternal grandmother died in 1903.

By 1911 Henry and Minnie had moved to 2 Railway Cottages near Arundel station, which actually fell within the parish of Lyminster. They have yet to be traced after 1911.

1.   Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. Henry John ROBINSON, June Quarter 1870, Westhampnett Registration District, Volume 2b, page 337

2. ↑ England. Marriages, 1538-1973. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast).

   ch. 5 Jun 1870, Sidlesham, Sussex: Henry John son of James & Fanny Robinson

   Needs to be confirmed at West Sussex Record Office. Whilst no named connection has been found, this baptism has been linked to the Henry John Robinson who married Minnie Alice Johnson on the basis that in the censuses after their marriage Henry consistently claimed to have been born around 1870 at Sidlesham. The 1870 baptism appears to be the only one matching that description, and nothing has been found to suggest that the child baptised in 1870 died young or married anyone else, nor do the censuses suggest that there was more than one Henry John Robinson from Sidlesham.

3. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1111; Folio 69; Page 13, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Sidlesham, Sussex
   James Robinson, head, married, male, 39 [1831/2], Ag Lab, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Fanny Robinson, wife, married, female, 39 [1831/2], b. Pagham, Sussex
   Edward Robinson, son, unmarried, male, 18 [1852/3], Ag Lab, b. Mundham, Sussex
   Henry Robinson, son, 11mo [1870], b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Alfred Edwards, lodger, unmarried, male, 27 [1843/4], Ag Lab, b. Mundham, Sussex

4. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 1122; Folio 70; Page 14, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Mill, Sidlesham, Sussex
   James Allen, head, married, male, 48 [1832/3], Agric[ultura]l Labourer, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Fanny Allen, wife, married, female, 48 [1832/3], b. Pagham, Sussex
   Henry J. Allen, son, unmarried, male, 10 [1870/1], Scholar, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   George Allen, son, male, 9 [1871/2], Scholar, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Henry Turner, lodger, unmarried, male, 52 [1828/9], Agric[ultura]l Labourer, b. East Wittering, Sussex

5. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 840; Folio 63; Page 10, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: Church Lane, Sidlesham, Sussex
   James Robinson, head, married, male, 58 [1832/3], Agricultural Labourer, employed, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Fanny Robinson, wife, married, female, 58 [1832/3], b. Pagham, Sussex
   Henry Robinson, son, single, male, 21 [1869/70], Agricultural Labourer, employed, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   George Robinson, son, single, male, 19 [1871/2], Agricultural Labourer, employed, b. Sidlesham, Sussex

6. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 967; Folio 60; Page 18, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: Nr. Drayton Station, Oving, Sussex
   Harry J. Robinson, head, married, male, 30 [1870/1], Railway Signalman, worker, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Minnie A. Robinson, wife, married, female, 27 [1873/4], b. Westbourne, Sussex
   William J. Robinson, son, male, 4 [1896/7], b. Oving, Sussex

7. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), (formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 5361; Schedule 37, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 2 Railway Cottages, Arundel (Lyminster C.P.), Sussex
   5 rooms occupied
   Henry Robinson, head, male, 40 [1870/1], married, Railway Signalman - LB&SCR, worker, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Minnie Robinson, wife, female, 37 [1873/4], married 16 years, 2 children born alive, 2 children still living, b. Westbourne, Hampshire
   William James Robinson, son, male, 14 [1896/7], Telegraph Messenger, worker, b. Drayton, Sussex
   George Henry Robinson, son, male, 8 [1902/3], School, b. Drayton, Sussex
   William Martin, boarder, male, 28 [1882/3], single, Domestic Gardener, worker, b. Goring by Sea, Sussex