Person:Rebecca Kempson (1)

Rebecca Kempson was born in 1850 at Totternhoe in Bedfordshire, daughter of a straw hat sewer named Sarah Kempson, formerly Gobby, and her husband Joseph Kempson, an agricultural labourer and straw dealer. Rebecca appears in the 1851 census living with her parents and siblings at Totternhoe. By 1861 the family had moved into the neighbouring town of Dunstable.

The family later moved to Luton, where Rebecca married Levi Hucklesby on 25th March 1871. They settled in the southern suburbs of Luton and had several children. In 1873, Rebecca's mother died in Luton Union Workhouse.

Both Rebecca and Levi worked in the straw hat industry; Levi as a blocker and Rebecca as a finisher. In 1876 and again in 1877 Levi was prosecuted for assaulting Rebecca. On the second occasion Rebecca told the court that she would be glad to be separated from him. However, they continued to live together, having nine children in total between 1871 and 1888, although at least two died young. Rebecca's father died in 1880.

The 1891 census finds Rebecca, Levi and their children living at 48 Albert Road.

Rebecca died in 1896, aged 46. Levi outlived her by 27 years.

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

   b. Rebecca KEMPSON, March Quarter 1850, Luton Registration District, Volume 6, page 104, mother's maiden name G...bby

2. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1757; Folio 12; Page 17, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Joseph Kempson, head, married, male, 35 [1815/6], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Kempson, wife, married, female, 41 [1809/10], Straw Plaiter, b. Wobourn [sic], Bedfordshire
   David Kempson, son, male, 11 [1839/40], Straw Plaiter, b. Stanbridge, Bedfordshire
   George Kempson, son, male, 8 [1842/3], Straw Plaiter, b. Stanbridge, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, daughter, female, 7 [1843/4], Straw Plaiter, b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   James Kempson, son, male, 4 [1846/7], Scholar, b. Puddle Hill, Bedfordshire
   Rebecca Kempson, daughter, female, 1 [1849/50], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire

3. ↑ England. 1861 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 RG9; Piece 1011; Folio 48; Page 3, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Church Street, Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   Joseph Kempson, head, married, male, 44 [1816/7], Ag[ricultural] Labourer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Kempson, wife, married, female, 51 [1809/10], Straw Plaiter, b. Wobourn [sic], Bedfordshire
   Rebbecca Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 18 [1842/3], Straw Plaiter, b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 17 [1843/4], Straw Plaiter, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   James Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 14 [1846/7], Straw Plaiter, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 8 [1852/3], b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire

   Although Rebecca's age here is given as 18, this makes no sense in light of the birth record and the 1851 census - presumably there was a copy error in her age somewhere.

4. ↑ 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 1571; Folio 79; Page 16, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 13 Langley Place, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Allen, head, married, female, 43 [1827/8], Sewer, b. Annan, Scotland
   Aggness McMartrie Allen, daughter, unmarried, female, 13 [1857/8], Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Allen, son, male, 7 [1863/4], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   ~
   Levi Hucklesby, lodger, married, male, 20 [1850/1], Blocker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Rebbeca Hucklesby, wife, married, female, 21 [1849/50], Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   ~
   Henery Farmer, lodger, married, male, 23 [1847/8], Basket Maker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Jane Farmer, wife, married, female, 28 [1842/3], Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   George Farmer, son, male, 2 [1868/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ellen Farmer, daughter, female, 11 months [1870], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ 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 1651; Folio 81; Page 26, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 15 Langley Place, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Levi Hucklesby, head, married, male, 29 [1851/2], Straw Hat Manufacturer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Rebecca Hucklesby, wife, married, female, 31 [1849/50], Straw Hat Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Albert Hucklesby, son, male, 10 [1870/1], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Jane Hucklesby, daughter, female, 8 [1872/3], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Clara Hucklesby, daughter, female, 6 [1874/5], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Hucklesby, son, male, 3 [1877/8], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Charles Hucklesby, son, male, 5 mo [1880], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ 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 1273; Folio 93; Pages 23 & 24, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 48 Albert Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   5 or more rooms occupied
   Levi Hucklesby, head, married, male, 40 [1850/1], Hat Blocker, employer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Rebecca Hucklesby, wife, married, female, 41 [1849/50], Hat Finisher, employer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Albert Hucklesby, son, single, male, 20 [1870/1], Bricklayers Labourer, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Jane Hucklesby, daughter, single, female, 17 [1873/4], Sees to the House, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Clara Hucklesby, daughter, single, female, 16 [1874/5], Nothing, neither employer nor employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Hucklesby, son, single, male, 11 [1879/80], School, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Harriet Hucklesby, daughter, single, female, 9 [1881/2], School, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Gertrude Hucklesby, daughter, single, female, 3 [1887/8], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Seliena Hucklesby, daughter, single, female, 2 [1888/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

7. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Rebecca HUCKLESBY, June Quarter 1896, Luton Registration District, Vol. 3b, page 227, aged 47 [1848/9]

8.   Luton Times and Advertiser, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   24 Jun 1876.

   LUTON BOROUGH SESSIONS.
   MONDAY LAST.
   Before Mr W. Bigg, (Mayor) and Mr A.T. Welch.
   ASSAULT CASE.
   Levi Hucklesby, blocker of New Town was charged on remand with assaulting his wife Rebecca on the 6th inst., at Luton. - The offence was proved, and defendant was fined by the Bench 10s. and 10s, expenses, or 21 days' imprisonment with hard labour.

9.   Luton Times and Advertiser, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   26 Oct 1877.

   LUTON BOROUGH PETTY SESSIONS.
   WIFE BEATING.
   Levi Hucklesby, blocker, New own-street [sic], pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife.
   On Tuesday night, about 10.30, he wanted to send a girl living in their house for some beer. She objected to it, it he would send. When the girl had gone out, he struck her in the face with his doubled fists, and treated her very badly. The wife said she should be glad to be separated from him.
   Prisoner was sentenced to two months' hard labour, and afterwards to find sureties for six months.