Leslie Cooper Robards

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 20 Jul 1842, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England
• Occupation: 1881; Ship broker

Notes:

When Thomas Robards died his son, my father was only about 12 years old and all of the members of the family were women so were unable to carry out the two farms and the Mill. Consequently all these were sold and the women (Elizabeth Robards and Jane Robards daughters of Thomas Robards also their aunt sister of their mother her name being Miss Nightingall and it is said she lived before her time being a Greek and Latin scholar). All these as I meant to say and my father moved to Holloway somewhere at the foot of Highgate Hill. John Robards at about 16 years old was articled to Mr. John Russell, Ship broker in Great St. Helens Bishopsgate in the City of London and he lived with the Russells in Upper Lewisham Road. Lewisham a suburb of London. Mr. Russell ran the first line of steamers to the Black Sea for the Russian Steam Navigation Co. and John my father used often to travel to Odessa in the Black Sea and also to Ireland. John Robards married Kate Baxter my mother on 4th June 1875. John and Kate had known each other as children as Kate lived with her parents next door but one in Holloway. They became engaged in 1872 and soon after Kate and her parents moved to Stone, Kent a village overlooking the Thames near Gravesend. They were married at Stone by Canon Murray and had seven children. After they married they lived first at Greenhythe a village near Stone then at Bexley then three different houses at Dartford then at Grove Park now part of South-east London. All these places are in Kent with easy access to the City and also to the shipping on the River Thames -- places like Gravesend and Tilbury. Very soon after my birth in 1894 at Grove Park they moved to a house called Beech Hyde near St. Albans, Hertfordshire. I think my father wanted to get back to the scenes of his boyhood. He had beer sent to boarding school at the age of five to St. Albans, to the St. Albans Grammar School. The Lady Chapel Of St. Albans Abbey was used as a schoolroom and what is now the Bishop's Palace was the Headmasters House where he boarded. Well to come back to later years in 1894 and the house called Beech Hyde they lived there for about two years and then my father retired from business. He had some sort of a breakdown in health about then and the furniture was stored and the family moved from one seaside place to another for about six years - Bognor, Bexhill, Eastbourne - in rented apartments all in Sussex. Settled at the "Croft" Alfriston, Sussex in 1901. Both died at Alfriston. My father in 1927 and my mother in 1933 and they are buried in the Churchyard there.

Alfriston is a village of about 700 people lying amid the South Downs about 9 miles from Eastbourne and Beachy Head and about 41 miles from Seaford a small town on the Sea Coast near the port of Newhaven. A port much used by the travellers to France. Alfriston is a very old village and I was brought up there and lived there until I went to London to earn my living. I used to walk 2 ½ miles to the nearest Railway Station every day in order to go to Eastbourne to school. Oh of course I cycled sometimes.

Your grandfather Harold Robards also went to London and worked in the Anglo-Foreign Banking Co. in Bishopsgate. I also went to the Anglo Foreign Bank for about two years until I joined the merchant bank of M. Samuels Co. Ltd. So all of us - my father in Great St. Helens Bishopsgate. Your grandfather Harold Robards in Bishopsgate and myself also in Bishopsgate for 45 years all worked within a few hundred yards of each other.

John married Kate Baxter on 4 Jun 1875 in Stone, Kent, England. Kate (daughter of Morris Baxter and Eliza Garland) was born on 21 May 1850 in Holloway, Middlesex, England; died on 7 Aug 1933 in Alfriston, Sussex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Property: Lemsford Mills, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England; At the time of his death owned the dwelling house and the water driven mill known as Lemsford Mills in the parish of Hatfield in Hertfordshire also two farms in the neighborhood one of them called Simonshyde.
• Baptism: 9 Oct 1785, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, England

Notes:

Buried:
Sacred to the memory of Elizabeth, the beloved wife of Mr. Thomas Robards of Lemsford Mills in the Parish of Hatfield who departed this life December 6th 1851 Aged 51 years also of Thomas Robards eldest son of the above Thomas & Elizabeth Robards who departed this life March 7th 1853 aged 13 years also of the above named Mr. Thomas Robards who departed this life September 25 1854 aged 70 years also of Elizabeth Robards who departed this lif e February 1st 1866 aged 29 years also of Jane Robards daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth Robards who died Jan 18 1892 aged 53 years.

Thomas married Elizabeth Nightingale on 12 Jan 1826 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. Elizabeth (daughter of John Nightingale and Edith) was born about 1800 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England; died on 6 Dec 1851 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England; was buried in Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 5 Nov 1800, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England; Saint Mary's Church

Morris married Eliza Garland. Eliza and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 6 Jan 1760, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, England

John married Mary Thrale on 18 Nov 1784 in Sandridge, Hertfordshire, England. Mary (daughter of Thomas Thrale and Ann Parsons) was christened on 3 Oct 1762 in Saint Leonards Church, Sandridge, Hertfordshire, England; died on 12 Jun 1832 in Cromer Hide, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England; was buried on 18 Jun 1832 in Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
Sacred to the memory of Mrs. Mary Robards wife of Mr. John Robards late of this Parish who departed this life June 12, 1832. Aged 69 years

In memory of Elizabeth Daughter of John & Mary Robards who Died October the 7th 1799 aged 12 years

John married Edith. Edith and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]