Family Connections

The prompt for this post is “A Breakthrough Moment”.

A few weeks ago, I decided to investigate my somewhat mysterious ancestor, Susannah Hobson.  Susannah Hobson married Eden Davies* in 1781, in Passenham, Northamptonshire, England.  It was the second marriage for both.  I am descended from their daughter Elizabeth. 

One method for investigating family history is to look at their family, associates and neighbours (known as the FAN club), so I had a closer look at Susannah’s son from her first marriage (to Francis Cull), Richard Cull.  I discovered that Richard Cull moved from Passenham to Hertingfordbury, Hertfordshire, which distracted me away from Susannah Hobson.

Vintage Map Collage, Copilot generated 27 Jan 2026

My ancestor George Roberts, son of Elizabeth Davies, married Charlotte Hollingsworth on 8 September 1831, at St Marylebone, London.  Charlotte Hollingsworth, like Susannah Hobson, has proved elusive.  I had identified several possible Charlotte Hollingsworths but the problem with London around 1830 is that people moved to London from all over the place, so any one of the Charlottes was a possibility.  While investigating Richard Cull, I remembered that one of the Charlottes of interest was from Hertingfordbury, and I thought that maybe George Roberts met his wife while visiting his Uncle Richard.

Charlotte Hollingworth was born around 1806 in Hertingfordbury, the daughter of Joseph Hollingsworth and his wife, Elizabeth Uncle.  Charlotte was baptised on 2 Mar 1806 in the local parish church.  She was the second of nine children; her siblings were: Fanny, Amelia, Henry, George, Charles, John Alex, Thomas and Emma. 

Once I put Charlotte Hollingsworth of Hertingfordbury in my tree, everything fell into place.  My uncle and I share DNA with descendants of Charlotte’s siblings George, Charles and Emma.  I was also able to trace the Hollingworth and Uncle families back several generations.

Charlotte Hollingworth and George Roberts lived in Hendon, now part of Northwest London.  They had three children, Eliza (my ancestor who I have written about previously), George and Frances Elizabeth.  Sadly, George and Frances died in childhood, although both outlived their mother.

Charlotte Roberts nee Hollingsworth died around the beginning of December 1835 and was buried in the churchyard of St Johns, Hampstead, where many illustrious people are buried, including artist John Constable and comedian Peter Cook.  Her burial record says she was 24 years old, but Charlotte was 29.

Widower George Roberts married for the second time in 1838 to Susannah Harding.

As for Susannah Hobson, I am still investigating and have a theory that I am working on.

 

Notes on Lineage: Me, Mum, Daphne Madge Smith, John Henry Smith, Harry Smith, Eliza Roberts, Charlotte Hollingsworth

*Davies, Davy, Davis and other variations.