Family History

Sex : Male

Date of Birth : 1812

Place of Birth : Great Wymondley, Hertfordshire

Date of Death : 1874

Place of Death : Hitchin, Hertfordshire

Number of Children : 0

James Worbey (or Waby or Walby or several other spellings) was baptised on 17th May 1812 at Great Wymondley in Hertfordshire. As an adult James gave his place of birth as Hitchin, or on one occasion as Nine Springs, a hamlet which straddled the parish boundary between Hitchin and Great Wymondley. Some of James's younger siblings give the family's abode as Walsworth, a hamlet in Hitchin parish a little way north of Nine Springs. On 27th April 1834 James married Sophia Gaylor at Holwell, just north of Hitchin. After their marriage they lived for a couple of years in Holwell, having children baptised there in 1834 and 1836. They then moved back to Walsworth, where they had another three children between 1839 and 1842. Sophia died in 1843, when she was said to be 28 years old. On 14th April 1849, James married again. His second wife was his cousin Amy Breed, formerly Walby, whose first husband had died in 1846. They appear to have had a daughter, Emma, born early in 1850. However, both Amy and her daughter Emma died later that year - their deaths were both registered in the second quarter of 1850. Amy was buried at Hitchin on 22nd May 1850. She was 35 years old. Shortly after Amy's death, James appears to have set up home with a woman called Deborah White. In March 1851 Deborah had a son called Frederick, whose birth was registered as Frederick Worboy, with his mother's maiden name given as White, even though James and Deborah were not married. The 1851 census finds Deborah and her three children living in the same house as James and one of his children, albeit listed as a separate household at that address. They were living at Hitchin Hill in Hitchin. James was working as an agricultural labourer and Deborah as a straw plaiter. James and Deborah appear to have had at least eight children together between 1851 and 1871. Apart from Frederick in 1851, it would seem that the rest of their children's births were registered under the name White. The 1861 census finds the family living at The Riddy in Hitchin. James and Deborah did eventually marry, on 22nd September 1866 at Great Wymondley, shortly after the birth of their youngest child. It is not clear why they did not marry earlier. The 1871 census finds James and Deborah living at 3 Riddy Mow in Hitchin. James died in 1874, aged 62. Deborah survived him by 26 years.

Sophia Gaylor ( 27th April 1834 - 1843 )

Children : None / Unknown

Relationship notes : Holwell, Bedfordshire

Amy Walby ( 14th April 1849 - 1850 )

Children : None / Unknown

Relationship notes : Hitchin, Hertfordshire

Deborah White ( 22nd September 1866 - 1874 )

Children : None / Unknown

Relationship notes : Great Wymondley, Hertfordshire