George GWYNN and Mary Ann HOBBS

[kentishmaid]

Something unexpected has cropped up, andI would be very grateful if anyone could help me find out more. 

Mary Ann Hobbs married Peter Withers in about 1828 - two years later he was tranported to Tasmania for taking part in the Swing Riots.  They had at least two children (twin girls), possibly more.

However, it now turns out that Mary Ann had three children before her marriage to Peter (Martha Gwynn Hobbs, bap 12/8/21, Mary Gwynn Hobbs bap 16/3/23, and George Gwynn Hobbs bapt 27/7/27.  What is most interesting is that she had a fourth child, Evan Gwynn Hobbs, born 1835, died 1836, so the relationship with the father continued over quite a long period and after Peter's transportation.  The eldest girl, Martha, showed a George Gwynn as being her father on her marriage certificate.

I would be fascinated to know who George Gwynn was and why he and Mary Ann didn't or couldn't get married.

Mary Ann (still known as Mary Ann Withers) was living in London in 1851 with the married Martha as a neighbour.  I don't know where she was in 1841.

If anyone could help me with this one it would be much appreciated.

Kentishmaid

[davierj]

Hi
In what Wiltshire parish were Mary Ann's children baptized and where did she marry Peter Withers?

There is a George Gwyn, age 50, living in Aldbourne in 1851, married to a Mary with a 22 year old daughter coincidently named Mary Ann Gwyn.   He has 2 other children, Meriam and George, aged 9 and 7.

Cheers dave
 

[ninkynoo]

Hi Kentishmaid
Have you read the book Essex Machine Breakers,The Story of the 1830 Swing Riots ?.
I have it and Peter Withers is mentioned in it ,I am happy to send you details.
Lin

[kentishmaid]

Hi Lin

Yes, please do send me details.  My son has just bought me Captain Swing by Eric Hobsbawm and George Rude for Christmas, but it would be particularly interesting for me to read something which mentions Peter Withers.  Thanks for telling me about it - I wouldn't have thought to check it out myself as I would have assumed from the title it was only about Essex.

Janet

[kentishmaid]

Hi Dave

The children were all born in Ramsbury, and Mary Ann Hobbs married Peter Withers in the parish church of Ramsbury.

If the George Gwyn you have found is the George Gwynn who fathered Mary Ann's children, it means he had a Mary and a George with both Mary Ann and his wife!

Thanks for your interest

Janet

[davierj]

Have you any information on Peter's transportation, such as where and when were the court cases etc?   If not perhaps I can find something about it.   I would guess that the case came to court in 1830.
Dave

[ninkynoo]

Essex Machine Breakers by Gill Chambers

Page 15
Concerning families of men transported
Other men had their families brought out at their own expense after they were free and some ,not all them batchelors married in Australia and made new lives for themselves. Peter Withers wrote several times to his wife in Wiltshire asking her to join him in Tasmania.He heard nothing from her until 1844 ,by which time he had married again .In his reply ,dated 20th 0ctober 1844 ,he tells her of this ."I now that to eare that I married is a hard trial for you to bare but it is no good to tell you a lye i sent a great many letters be4fore i took a wife so not earing from you an i being a young man i thought it a Proper thing to Look a partner wich would be a comfort to me in my Bondage........so we must not think about coming together again".

I think this may solve the problem of why she had another child.
Lin

[kentishmaid]

Hi Dave

I know a fair bit about Peter Withers' case - he took part in a riot in November 1830 in Rockly and injured a special constable.  In January 1831 he was sentenced to death (don't know at which court) but the sentence was commuted to transportation, and I believe he sailed on the HMS Proteus.

The rest of my family at that time - the Hunters from Ramsbury and Palmers from Thatcham, were all agricultural labourers so I think it's more than likely they were also involved in the riots, though presumably lucky enough not to be caught.

I'm finding it all very interesting - we never covered these incidents in my history lessons at school and I'm finding family history is teaching me a lot!

Janet

[kentishmaid]

Hi Lin

Many thanks for the extract from the Essex Machine Breakers.  Peter seemed to be unusual to be able to write such letters.

Mary Ann had her fourth child with the mystery George Gwynn in 1835 (the child died in 1836).  I wonder whether he ended the relationship in 1844 and that is why she attempted a reconciliation with Peter.

I don't suppose I'll ever know for sure!

Janet