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FAMILY MEMBERS ARRANGED IN DATE ORDER

To earlier Gilbert family members

1817 - 1895 CHARLOTTE GILBERT (nee HASSELL)

Charlotte Gilbert around 1870.

Born; 20 September 1817, Hellingly (although the family were more from Waldron)
Parents; Stephen Hassell (1784-1857) tailor & draper of Waldron = Susannah Bray (1786-18??) his first wife, married in 1805.

More details of the Hassell family

Married; David Gilbert (1825-1916) 17 December 1855, at 'the old Church, Brighton' (the family bible entry suggests that it was probably St.Nicholas').
Children; Mary (1857-1942), David (1861-1902)
It is believed that she met David Gilbert when they both attended the Independent Chapel at Framfield, and married him in December 1855, immediately before their move to Eastbourne to start the bakery business. His grand-daughter Ellen wrote of a conversation she had with David in his later years "While at Tickerage, he became acquainted with Mrs.Reed and, through hearing of her sister Charlotte, came to know Grandma. I gathered that he wrote to Charlotte Hassell and when (I suppose) she favoured his suit, he asked her father's permission to pay his addresses to her, to which he consented. When a shop, empty for three months, was heard of in Eastbourne, it was taken, and they were married."

Charlotte Gilbert c.1880. Photo: Alfred J Isard, Seaside Road, Eastbourne.

Died; 2 February 1895.
Four photographs are held in H.R.Gilbert's records.

More details of Charlotte's (Gilbert) family

1825 - 1916 DAVID GILBERT

David Gilbert around 1870.

Born; 25 April 1825 at Little London, near Waldron, Sussex
His original birth certificate, registered at Dr. William's Library, Red Cross Street, Cripplegate, London (in the common manner of non-conformist families) is held in H.R.Gilbert's records. According to the certificate, present at the birth were witnesses Nicholas Stone and Elisabeth Piper.
Parents; William Gilbert (1790-1844) = Maria Jennings (1785-1834)

Married; Charlotte Hassell (1817-1895) on 17 December 1855, at Old Church, (St.Nicholas's) Brighton.
A copy of the marriage certificate dated May 1876 is held in H.R.Gilbert's records. Witnesses were Isaac Adams (1819-1892, married Charlotte's sister Ruth) and Harriett Read (1814-18??). David was shown as a miller of Framfield parish, aged 30.
Children; Mary (1857-1942), David (1861-1902)
After his mother's death (when David was 9) he and his brother were brought up to agricultural work on their farm.

The Farm at Waldron

David Gilbert around 1885.

The 1841 Census records an unspecified property at Little London with the following occupants; William Gilbert (aged 51, farmer), William Gilbert (aged 17), David Gilbert (aged 15), Caleb Cambridge (aged 15), Mary Sellins (aged 25). (This was not the properties nearby owned by the Jarvis, Golding, Russell or Fuller families)
When his father also died in 1844 the farm was given up and David apprenticed himself to the miller at Tickerage Mill, Framfield in 1847.

Tickerage Mill, Framfield

He moved to Framfield and attended a small independent chapel where he met his wife and heard the preaching of John Grace from whom he subsequently leased a bakery business in Eastbourne.

Gilbert's Bakery, Eastbourne

David Gilbert around 1885.

David appears in the 1851 census as an unmarried servant and miller's journeyman, born in Waldron, of Tickerage Mill House, apprenticed to Edward Okill Dadswell, 30, born Mayfield, farmer and miller with 75 acres and 4 employees, wife Rachael and three children, Eli, Ruth and Ebenezer.
The 1861 Census shows David, aged 35, living at the bakery in Seaside Road, Eastbourne with his wife Charlotte (aged 43), daughter Mary (aged 3), son David (aged 1 month), Charlotte Noakes (niece of Charlotte Gilbert, aged 17 bakery employee), Elizabeth Novis? (nurse, aged 67), Mary James (aged 24, servant) and Edwin Barker (aged 24, baker journeyman).
The 1871 Census shows David living at 52 Seaside Road (aged 45, baker and confectioner) with Charlotte, his wife (aged 53), his son David (aged 10, scholar), Charlotte Noakes (niece, aged 27, assistant in shop), Alice Griffiths (aged 26, assistant), Frances Harmer (aged 42, servant) and James Battcock (aged 61, baker).
In 1880 David purchased all the surrounding Eastbourne properties from John Grace, demolished the old bakery building and built a new 3-storey block incorporating a modern bakery.

The 1881 Census shows David Gilbert as Head of Household at 51 & 52 Seaside Road, aged 55 (confectioner), with his wife Charlotte aged 63, son David aged 20 (assistant), Charlotte Noakes aged 37 (assistant), along with Anna Osborn (29), Sarah Clark (30), John Read (38), William Simmons (63), Catherine Simmons (60), William Hart (10), mostly servants, labourers etc.
His son David (1861-1902) was handed the lease in 1884 and David senior retired from the bakery business.

In 1886 David built 15 houses on a plot between Ceylon Place and Pevensey Road, Eastbourne, the proceeds from which were to provide an income for the family well into the 20th century.

Houses in Ceylon Place and Pevensey Road, Eastbourne

The 1891 Census shows that David and his wife had retired to 47 Terminus Road, Eastbourne, the occupants being David Gilbert (aged 65, retired baker), his wife Charlotte (aged 73), Charlotte Noakes (niece, aged 46, bakery assistant) and Agnes Jones (aged 20, general servant).
David's wife Charlotte died in 1895 and the 1901 Census shows him living at 47 Terminus Road aged 75, with Charlotte Noakes (aged 56, niece of his late wife) and Naomi Marchant (domestic servant, aged 23, born in Willingdon).
David junior (now running the bakery) died in 1902, so David senior came out of retirement and, with his grandson Gilbert Benjamin Soddy (1881-1956), purchased the business from his son's widow Ellen and once more ran the bakery.
The 1911 Census shows David living at 47 Terminus Road, aged 85, with Charlotte Noakes (aged 67, single, born in Bletchingly, Surrey) and Naomi Marchant (aged 34, domestic servant, born in Willingdon).

47 Terminus Road, Eastbourne

A document in David's handwriting on 47 Terminus Road notepaper, dated 1903, reads;
"I was born at Little London in the parish of Waldron in Sussex on the 25th of April 1825, my father being a farmer so I was brought up to all kinds of farming work till 1844 when my father died leaving two sons of which I was the younger. After a time the farms were given up and I then apprenticed myself to a miller at Framfield, and was in that line of business till December 1855 when I married and hired the business premises at 52 Seaside Road of the late Mr.John Grace, and there carried on the Baking and Confectioner's business till I gave it up to my late son and then retired from it."
His grand-daughter Ellen wrote of a conversation she had with David in his later years;
"He was about 22 when he went to Tickerage Mill. Wages were raised from two shillings to eight shillings a week after about eight years service - and he was perfectly satisfied. While at Tickerage, he became acquainted with Mrs.Reed and, through hearing of her sister Charlotte, came to know Grandma. I gathered that he wrote to Charlotte Hassell and when (I suppose) she favoured his suit, he asked her father's permission to pay his addresses to her, to which he consented. When a shop, empty for three months, was heard of in Eastbourne, it was taken, and they were married."
(See Richard Gilbert's autobiography and family history for more details.)

David Gilbert in a 'Bath Chair' in front of Lansdowne Terrace on the Western Lawns, Eastbourne, around 1915.

Died; 23 November 1916, a widower in his house at 47 Terminus Rd, Eastbourne in 1916 aged 91.
His funeral took place at Ocklynge Cemetery, Eastbourne, and an obituary and report of the funeral is on page 54 of Charlotte Gilbert's newspaper cuttings album.
A note in his wallet (in H.R.Gilbert's records) says "Copy - This is my will. I devise to my wife everything of which I may be possessed at my death and hereby appoint her my sole executrix."
This simple notion was of no avail, as his wife died in 1895, and his actual will (dated 1906) ran to 14 pages of foolscap typescript. Executors were Gilbert Benjamin Soddy (grandson), Oliver Mitchell (friend), and Charlotte Noakes (niece of his late wife, and shop girl/assistant at the bakery for several years).
The will mentioned 52, 54, 56, 62, 64, 68 Ceylon Place, Eastbourne, 91, 93, 95, 97, 99, 101 Pevensey Road, and Ceylon Nurseries as being properties owned by him.
See this page for details.

1, 2, 3, 4 Mountfield Place, Bourne Street, and 15, 17, 19 Bourne Street, were left to his daughter Mary Soddy (1857-1942) along with the contents of 47 Terminus Road, a house they both lived in but did not appear to own; his servant Naomi Marchant was to receive one pound for every year she had worked for him.
A copy of the will is held in H.R.Gilbert's records.

His grandson, Richard Gilbert, described him variously as alone, unappealing, enigmatic, introspective, reserved, perpetually serious and strongly religious, yet never angry or unkind, severe or gloomy. There is no reason to suppose that he had any interests beyond his family, the chapel and the business. After his death, the Eastbourne Chronicle obituarist found it difficult to say anything of him beyond that he was a 'highly respected' fellow townsman, and at one time a member of the Burial Board.
Held in H.R.Gilbert's records is a letter to his children, written around 1902 and intended to be read after his death, outlining his spiritual life.
Five photographs are in H.R.Gilbert's records;

1857 - 1942 MARY "POLLY" SODDY (nee GILBERT)

Mary Gilbert around 1875. Photo; G Churchill, Eastbourne.

Born; Eastbourne 9 July 1857
Parents; David Gilbert (1825-1916) = Charlotte Hassell (1817-1895)
Married; Benjamin Soddy (1856-1895) on 28 April 1880, Cavendish Place Chapel, Eastbourne. Best man was G.Tilling of the family who ran Thomas Tilling, the London bus proprietors. One of the bridesmaids was Ellen I.Morris, later to become her sister-in-law. Witnesses were E.W.Tilling, David Gilbert, M.Adams, E.J.Morris, Benjamin Soddy, L.Soddy (Lydia?).
The original marriage certificate is held by H R Gilbert.
They immediately moved to 243 Walworth Road, Newington, London.
Children; Gilbert Benjamin (1881-1956), Edith Charlotte (1882-1883), Robert James (1884-1971), Margaret Eleanor (1885-1967), Kathleen Mary (1887-1944), James (1889-1917), Leslie (1893-1973)
When her husband died in 1895 she inherited his corn and flour merchant's business at 243 Walworth Road, and sold it to Benjamin's father, Benjamin (1822-1911) for £3500. The receipt for this sale is in the Ben Soddy (3) envelope. The lease of 243 Walworth Road was also transferred (£90 per year for 32 years).

Mary Soddy (formerly Mary Gilbert) around 1902 from a family group photo.

Robert Morris's diary 20 March 1911; "Mrs Gilbert to Barcombe to see Mrs.Soddy, who is staying with Mrs.Frank Gorringe."
23 March 1911; "Mrs Benj.Soddy visited Ryderswells. She walked round the garden this evening."
4 October 1912; "Mrs.Soddy visited Mrs.Baxter at Ryderswells."

In the 1906 will (with 1915 codicil) of her father David Gilbert (1825-1916) her address is shown as 47 Terminus Road, a house they both occupied but did not appear to own. He left her 1, 2, 3, 4 Mountfield Place, Bourne Street, Eastbourne (later known at Mountfield House, Ceylon Place), and 15, 17, 19 Bourne Street, along with the contents of 47 Terminus Road.
A postcard dated 28 Mar 1939 to her nephew Richard congratulating him on the birth of his son David shows her address as 22 Upperton Gardens, Eastbourne.
Died; 16 October 1942, 'Silchester', Kings Drive, Eastbourne, aged 85. Her son Leslie was present at the death. A copy of her death certificate is in the Soddy (2) envelope.
Seven photographs of Mary are held in H.R.Gilbert's records;

For more details see "The Soddy family"

1861 - 1902 DAVID GILBERT

David Gilbert around 1880. Photo; P Nimmo & Son, Edinburgh.

Born; 14 March 1861.
Parents; David Gilbert (1825-1916) = Charlotte Hassell (1817-1895)
Married; Ellen Isabel Morris (1857-1951) on 28 February 1884 by the Rev.A.J.Baxter at Cavendish Place Chapel, Eastbourne. Benjamin Soddy (1856-1895) was best man, and Kate Isard was bridesmaid.
Children; Ellen (1885-1988), Charlotte Isabel (1886-1976), David (1888-1915), Mary (1889-1976), William (1892-1955), Richard (1894-1988)
In May 1876 David spent a week's holiday with his widowed Aunt Ellen (183?-1899) at Southsea, spending the whole time pursuing his interest in things nautical. A copy of the diary of this holiday is in H.R.Gilbert's records. In 1877 he and his cousin, Luther Adams, and another member of the Eastbourne Bicycle Club made a fortnight's expedition to France, embarking at Newhaven on May 25th, and cycling on 'penny-farthings' from Dieppe to Rouen, Nantes, Paris and Amiens, only making use of the railway twice. He kept a diary of the trip, as did Luther, and the latter's account was published in the June Eastbourne Standard. A copy of his article is held in H.R.Gilbert's records.

David Gilbert around 1882.

David appears to have learned to play the organ (he bought and sold several in his lifetime) and the cello. He also attended drawing classes and produced some creditable water colours and sketches. A painting of the Field House, Eastbourne, dated 1877 just before it was demolished, is in H.R.Gilbert's records.
So his interests included travel, music, cycling, painting, rowing and cricket - a considerable contrast to his father. He married in 1884, and his father-in-law did not attend the wedding as he had reservations about marriages being conducted in non-conformist chapels. The honeymoon was at Leamington. The couple then settled at 52 Seaside Road, which his father had vacated, and was later to take over the family bakery business. Their first child Ellen was born on 11 October 1885, a Sunday, and also the day on which he played for the first time the organ he had installed in Cavendish Place Chapel probably at his own expense.

Gilbert's Bakery, Eastbourne

Details of Cavendish Place Chapel and the organ.

David Gilbert around 1884. Photo; Alfred J Isard, Sea Side Road, Eastbourne.

Robert Morris's diary entries;
27 February 1899; "We understand that David Gilbert now intends to try for the vacant seat on the Directorate of the Gas Co."
13 April 1899; "Mrs D Gilbert leaves today for Crowborough. Mr D Gilbert crossed over to France this morning."
28 August 1899; "J.B.M. (James Berry Morris) again elected on Gas Co. Directorate, and Mr D Gilbert likewise."
27 July 1900; "Charlotte returned from school. Mr D Gilbert & children to Boulogne - had rough passage."
3 November 1902; "Telegram and letter arrived this morning. Mr D Gilbert junr seriously ill with diphtheria. Alice left at once for Eastbourne."
4 November 1902; "A telegram and postcard arrived this morning. Better report, had some sleep. Alice left for Eastbourne this afternoon. A letter arrived this evening, had trouble with his heart."
5 November 1902; "Alice not very well so did not go to Eastbourne. The news received seemed very satisfactory until at 8pm we received telegram stating that Mr Gilbert had just passed away. He seems to have expired shortly after 7pm."
7 November 1902; "It is supposed that Mr Gilbert contracted the malady while on his visit to Paris, from which he returned on the 29th ult."
8 November 1902; "Very stormy, high wind and driving rains. I and Mary to Eastbourne by 10.44 am train. We dined at Mrs Gilbert's and attended the funeral at 3.45 pm when, happily, the rain left off. 36 or 37 carriages followed and there was a large assembly at the cemetery. The service was conducted by Mr.A.J.Baxter."
Richard Gilbert wrote in his autobiography "On Oct 17th 1902....he left for Paris for a brief holiday, returning on the 24th. On the 28th, a Tuesday, he became unwell, but no serious view of the illness was taken until the Thursday, when, it seems, diphtheria was recognised (in the family it has always been assumed that this was picked up in Paris....). Six days later, in the evening of Wednesday, Nov.5th, Father died.... Mother said that she had left Father's bedside for a brief meal when the end came. The nurse told her that he said 'Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit', and did not speak again."

At his death he was the president of Eastbourne Master Bakers, a director of the gas company, a borough overseer, and an active supporter of the YMCA. A short report regarding his death is on Page 140 of Ellen I.Gilbert's newspaper cuttings album, and a longer obituary with details of the funeral is on Page 142. Other obituaries are on pages 26-30 of Charlotte Gilbert's cuttings album.
His account ledger 1897-1902 shows him to have had shares in the Castle Hotel (Hastings), Eastbourne Gas Co., Eastbourne Sanitary Steam Laundry, Metropolitan Railway Co., Crescens Robinson & Co., Henry Denny & Sons (Waterford), Bovril, Thomas Tilling Ltd., The Colonial Rubber Co. (West Africa), and Rowntree & Co.
Richard Gilbert wrote that David was reported to have left £26,000.
Among the properties were the bakery, and No.6 Seaside. Everything was left in trust for the children, the executors being his wife, James Morris and Oliver Mitchell (architect of the new bakery. He was an architect and surveyor, born in Uckfield in 1840, member of the first Eastbourne Town Council 1883, living at 11 Pevensey Road).

An account of his estate dated Oct 1903 (To ESRO May 2003) shows a total value of £27542.2.4 including the estimated value of the following;
1,2,5 & 6 Seaside Buildings £8,000
1 & 3 Jubilee Terrace £1,000
1, 3 & 5 Bourne Street £2,250
92 & 94 Latimer Road £ 700
41 & 43 Wilton Road, Bexhill £1,600
'Coal yard' £ 700

A document of 1953, purporting to show how the various investments and properties of David Gilbert had been dealt with by the trustees, shows the following properties in hand;
41 & 43 Wilton Road, Bexhill
92 & 94 Latimer Road, Eastbourne
149 & 153 Seaside Road, Eastbourne
They were joined with 81-91 South Street, Lewes and 14d North St., Eastbourne (being the properties of his wife Ellen until her death in 1951) to form an 'undivided estate absolute', the proceeds of which were to be divided equally between his 5 surviving children. By April 1955 the properties were still providing an income in rent to the five beneficiaries.
Both of the above accounts, and another dated 1908, are in H.R.Gilbert's records in the David Gilbert 2 envelope.
A painting by David of the organ at Cavendish Place Chapel, Eastbourne, was donated to the Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne, in 1990 by David's daughter-in-law, Elsie Gilbert (1906-1990)
Died; 5 Nov 1902.

Held in H.R.Gilbert's records are the following;
Diary of the holiday in Southsea 1876
Painting of Field House, 1877.
Copy of cycling article, 1877
His note & account book 1881-1883.
His accounts ledger 1897-1902 (used also by his widow from 1946-1948)
Account of firework-throwing incident, 1899.
Accounts of his estate 1908 and 1953. Sixteen photographs of David.

More details of David's family

To later Gilbert family members