Job Keens

c1795-1861

Job was born in Newbury. He worked as a labourer as a young man. When he was 22 years old Job joined the Army (80^th Foot Regiment), he enlisted on the 12^th April 1817 and served for 16 years.  (The Royal Hospital Chelsea: Regimental Registers of Pensions 1713-1882 record his residence as Oxford on 12/6/1833, at the time of his discharge)

 He married Ann New on 20^th November 1836 at St Martin’s East Woodhay Hampshire and they had the following three children (all 3 births registered in Kingsclere):

Joseph c1838

Eliza Maria 1840

Levi 1843 (died aged 4 in 1848 in Newbury)

In 1851 Job was working as a Doctor’s Domestic Servant and the family were living at Ayles Yard (off Bartholomew Street) Newbury.

The 1861 census records Job (65) as an Almsman/ Chelsea Pensioner living at 5 Raymond’s Almshouses  Newbury with his wife Ann (51), born Middlesex, son Joseph (23), Tallow Chandler and daughter Eliza (20), Dressmaker.

Job died aged 66 on the 25^th November 1861 he was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 30^th November.

In the 1871 census Ann was recorded as a Nurse, she was living in the City Newbury and had a lodger, James Walker (76) living with her. She died aged 78 in 1878 she was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 23^rd January.

Sources:as above