Frances Timpson 1818 – 1868 (TE1)
Frances grew up with her sister and brothers and as soon as she was able obtained employment probably as a female servant in a house or business initially probably locally. We have been unable to find her in the 1841 census probably because of transcribing errors.
We don’t know why but Frances travelled to London and in the 1851 Census held on 30 March 1851 we find her living and working as a Cook in a Boarding House at the very prestigious address of 40 Craven Street, City of Westminster, London.
On the Census document Frances is aged 32 years and her husband to be William Charles Groome is also there as a Servant aged 23 years. Now we know how and where they met.
Frances Timpson and William Charles Groome were married on Sunday 29 February 1852 at St Martin in the Fields Church, Trafalgar Square, London. They were both able to sign their names.
The couple had three children.
- (GT1) William Henry Charles Groome 1854 – 1913 their first child will be covered separately as he was a man of some importance.
- (GT2) Ann Elizabeth (Annie) Groome their second child was born on 17 May 1857 at 9 Lower Crown Street, St Margaret Westminster and lived at home until a surprise letter had arrived from her Aunt Mary Ann Loweth to her father, to say that she could do with extra help at the Wheel Inn in Kings Cliffe as Henry and Ann Timpson (another uncle and aunt) were moving to Oxfordshire and would not be able to assist her any more.
Was Annie interested in moving there and working at the hotel? Annie jumped at the chance to get work and spend time with her cousin Emma, so she moved there in early January 1871. Annie lived with her aunt and cousin and worked at the Wheel Inn most likely until the death of her aunt in October 1873. Annie appears in the 1871 census at Kings Cliffe living with Aunt Mary Ann Loweth and Cousin Emma. Annie then moved back to London living first with her father then by the 1881 census with her brother W H C Groome.
In 1893 she married Charles John Horner the brother of the wife of her elder brother W H C Groome. A case of brothers and sisters marrying brothers and sisters. According to the 1911 Census this couple had no children. They were living at Kew in Surrey.
Annie’s husband Charles John Horner was a Lithographic Artist on his own account. He passed away in December 1932 at Kew. Annie lived on in the family home until her death on 19 June 1946 at Kew. - (GT3) Frederick Groome their third child 1860 – 1861. Died as an infant.
Sadly Frances Groome née Timpson passed away on 13 March 1868 aged 50 years. Her husband William Charles Groome remarried in 1871 to Eliza Elizabeth Tilly. He passed away in mid 1900 aged 72 years.