Maria Hible (1800 – 1867)

Elizabeth Hible (1824 – 1876)

Isaac Hible (1834 – 1868)

Maria Cousins was born circa 1800 in Kintbury the daughter of John and Elizabeth Cousins. She was baptized on 16 February 1800 at St Mary in Kintbury. Maria married Joseph Hible on 18 February 1822 at St Mary in Greenham. A son Thomas was baptized at Kintbury on 22 September 1822.

Subsequently Maria and Joseph had a number of children all born in Greenham.

Joseph died 27 September 1834 aged 37 and was buried on 1 October 1834 at St Mary in Kintbury. An announcement re Joseph’s death appeared in the Reading Mercury date 6 October 1834 as below.

On Saturday, the 27^th ult, at Greenham Silk Mills, Mr. Hibel, junior, aged 37, after a short illness, deeply and deservedly regretted by a numerous family. As a mark of respect, the whole of the people employed in the mill followed in the funeral procession to Kintbury, a distance of six miles.

In the 1841 census Maria was recorded living at Greenham Mills with children Thomas, a miller, Elizabeth, John, a miller, Joseph and Isaac.

In the 1851 census Maria was recorded living at the Old Cattle Market in Newbury with daughter Elizabeth aged 26 and son Isaac aged 13. Maria was recorded as a nurse, Elizabeth a dressmaker and Isaac a press boy.

In November 1851 Isaac Hibel, a shoemaker, was fined 5s for drunkenness and disorder between 1 and 2 on a Sunday morning in Newbury.

In a trade directory from the 1850s Elizabeth Hibel was recorded as a milliner and dressmaker based at 49 Northbrook Street.

Ten years later in the 1861 census Maria was recorded living at the Old Cattle Market in Newbury with Elizabeth and Isaac. Maria was still recorded as a nurse, Elizabeth still a dressmaker and Isaac was now a journeyman brush maker.

Maria died July 1867 aged circa 69 and was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 5 July 1867. Isaac died a few months later on 21 April 1868 at the Cattle Market in Newbury aged 34 from phthisis (tuberculosis) 12 months, he was recorded as a brush maker (journeyman). He was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 27 April 1868.

On 15 August 1868 an advert appeared in the Reading Mercury for the sale of the Eagle Inn situated in Bartholomew Street in Newbury including three brick and tiled cottages each with a kitchen, a pantry and two bedrooms. One was occupied by Miss Hibel at the weekly rent of 2s 6d, so very likely to be Elizabeth’s home.

In the 1871 census Elizabeth was living by herself at the Old Cattle Market and was recorded as a dressmaker.

Elizabeth died September 1876 aged 52 and was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 27 September 1876.

PS The spelling of this surname varied considerably between various records, Hibel and Hible were the most common variations. Hible has been used here as it was used most frequently and on the death of both Maria and Isaac. Any references in the press etc have been recorded as printed.

Author: Gerald Soper
© FNRC