My Great x3 Half Aunt Emma (1855 - 1911) was a silk carrier in a lace factory, housewife, mother of two, and an older half sister of my Great Great Grandfather Walter Boobier (1871 - 1924).
Emma was born in Oct/Nov/Dec 1855, in Tiverton, to William Boobier (about 29), a stone mason, and Emma Boobier (nee Kimmings) (about 28), a laundress.
Emma was baptised on New Year's Day 1856 in St Peter, Tiverton.
She was named for her mother Emma and Aunt Grace.
Emma was the fourth of eight children (six sons and two daughters):
- William Edwin Kimmings 1850 - 1851 (14 months)
- Thomas Philip 1851 - 1907 (55 years old)
- William Donald 1854 - 1855 (about 1 year and half)
- Emma Grace 1855 - 1911 (54 years old)
- Edwin John 1858 -
- William Edwin 1861 -
- Lucy Janet/Jeanette 1863 - 1863 (0 - 3 months)
- George Albert 1864 -
Two of Emma's older siblings passed away before she was both - both were called William.
1861 Census:
In Jan/Feb/Mar 1863, when Emma was seven, her baby sister, Lucy, passed away, aged zero to three months, in Tiverton.
In January 1867, when Emma was eleven, her mother Emma passed away, aged about forty. She was buried on 24th January 1867 in Exeter. Emma's father remarried the next year. William (about 41) married Jane Mutter (about 30) in May/June 1868.
Emma had four younger half brothers:
- Robert 1869 -
- Walter 1871 -
- Alfred 1873 -
- Frederick 1874 -
Whilst Emma's father, step-mother and younger siblings moved to Exeter, teenagers Emma and her older brother Thomas stayed in Tiverton, where they lived with their Aunt Mary Jess, a shopkeeper.
1871 Census:
1881 Census:
At the time of the 1881 Census, Emma was living at 16 Church Street, Tiverton, with Elizabeth Corkery, a cleaner in the lace factory, and her daughter Julia. As young women, Emma worked as a silk carrier and her friend Julia worked as a silk winder, also at the lace factory.
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| 16 Church Street, Tiverton on Google Maps today (2026) |
You can see on this map below how close Church Street is to the Messrs Heathcoat and co. Lace Factory, which dominated the town. The large lace factory still stands, and they are still a fabric business. Not only that, I have visited there with my friend in search of fabric.
(https://southernhistorysociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Vol-13_1991_Mark-Brayshay-Heathcoats-Industrial-Housing-in-Tiverton-Devon.pdf)
Julia Corkery was a couple years younger than Emma. Julia is shown boarding with Emma and her future husband Robert on the 1891, 1901 and 1911 censuses. And living with daughter Emma and Robert's daughter Emily on 1939 census. Julia lived with the family for nearly sixty years! She must have been like family to them, and I like to imagine a dear friend to Emma.
Messrs Heathcoat and co. Lace Factory, where Emma and Julia worked, was founded by John Heathcoat back in 1815. As a young man, he greatly improved the construction of the warp loom so it could produce lace - he essentially invented the first machine to make lace.
On 20th March 1887, Emma (31) married Robert Hayball (18), a smith, in Tiverton. An unusual age gap between husband and wife.
When they married, Emma would have been at least two months pregnant.
Emma and Robert had two daughters:
- Alice 1887 -
- Emily Florence 1891 -
At the time of both daughters' baptisms, the family lived on Melbourne Street, Tiverton
1891 Census:
In May 1894, Emma sent her "intelligent" six-year-old daughter Alice out, with half-a-crown in her purse, to buy eggs from Mrs Angel's shop in Wellbrook Street, Tiverton. Alice returned home screaming, as, after she had come out of the shop, thirteen-year-old Frank Pook, with his younger brother nine-year-old Frederick Pook, took the purse from her and stole a shilling each; they threw the purse back at her and ran away. The older boy was whipped six times with a birch rod for the theft.
From the Devon and Somerset News of 17th May 1894:
1901 Census
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| The family home of 4 Church Street, Tiverton on Google Maps today (2026) |
As children, Emma and Robert's daughters, Alice and Emily, were members of Tiverton's St Paul's Band of Hope.
They took part in many performances in the early 1900's. They sang, recited, played the piano. They played piano duets together, such as 'Twickenham Ferry' in 1903 and 'Come back to Erin' in 1904.
In April 1901, Emily, in a quartette, sang 'The Robin Song'. And Alice sang a solo of 'The Sweet Wild Rose'.
In May 1901, Alice sang a solo of 'At My Work I'm Always Singing'. And Alice, Emily and many other girls sang 'The Little Workers".
In June 1901, Emily and friend Dorothy Huxtable sung the duet 'Dolly's Birthday'. And in a trio, Alice sang 'Little Nell' and 'The Crystal Spring'.
Later in June 1901, Emily recited 'Bessie Lee'. And Alice, in a quartette, sand 'My Mother'
In January 1903, Emily sang the Christmas carol 'Softly The Night Is Sleeping'.
In May 1903, "the most popular item of this varied program" (Tiverton Gazette of 6th May 1902), was a duet entitled 'Schoolgirls' Quarrel', performed by Emily and friend Dorothy Huxtable. Alice also performed a dialogue entitled 'Sign At Once' with Katie Huxtable and Rose Bell.
Later in May 1902, Emily performed a dialogue, called 'The Ale Jug' with friend Dolly Saunders; whilst Alice sang a song called 'Pickles'. The Crediton Gazette of 10th May 1902 said Alice "has a sweet voice, and sang with taste and precision".
In May 1903, Emily sang 'Cuckoo' with friends Beatrice Stone and Dorothy Huxtable. Whilst Alice sang a solo of 'Won't you buy my pretty flowers', and 'The Blue Ribbon' with seven other girls.
In May 1904, Emily performed a piano solo of 'Le Savoyard', a recitation of 'A true story' and provided piano accompaniment for the performances of others.
In August 1907, Emma's husband Robert attempted suicide but survived.
Robert was suffering from an acute depression following an accident.
Back in January 1907, whilst packing machinery at work, a piece of metal had fallen onto the fingers of one hand. One of his fingers was cut off and another so badly crushed it might have to be amputated.
From the Western Times of 8th January 1907:
Seven months later, he was still in great pain and depressed. On his doctor's advice, Robert went away for a change, but whilst away got little to no sleep, and came back on 10th August more depressed than before. He felt he had come back too soon. On the 11th August, he took poison - a bottle of 'spirit of salt' used for soldering - which resulted in collapse and vomiting, but not death.
When brought to court - suicide being a crime back then - Robert cried bitterly and was remorseful. Emma had not wished to attend court, but was called for and "gave an undertaking to look after her husband". Before discharging the case, the major gave some kindly words of advice to Robert.
From the Tiverton Gazette of 27th August 1907:
In April 1908, Emma's daughter Emily passed her intermediate in piano playing.
In Jan/Feb/Mar 1911, Emma passed away, aged fifty-four, in Tiverton
The 1911 Census shows the family she left behind:
Five years later, Emma's widower Robert remarried. In Jul/Aug/Sep 1916, Robert (48), a carriage maker, married Emily Mary Eleanor Harris (49) from Northampton, in Melksham, Wiltshire.
Also in 1916, Emma and Robert's two daughters both married.
In Jan/Feb/Mar 1916, Emily (24 or 25) married William Arthur H Newton (23), later a painter and decorator.
In Apr/May/Jun 1916, Alice (28) married Albert David Glyndwr Morgan (27), later a postman.
When they wed, Emma's son-in-laws, William and Albert, were both serving in the army in the First World War.
Neither couple had any children, meaning Emma has no living descendants.
On 27th July 1939, Robert's second wife Emily passed away
From the Tiverton Gazette of 1st August 1939:
After his second wife's death, retired widower Robert stayed with his younger daughter Emily and family friend Julia in Paignton.
1939 Census:
In Oct/Nov/Dec 1942, family friend Julia Corkery passed away, aged eighty-three, in Devon.
In Jan/Feb/Mar 1951, Emma's widower Robert passed away, aged eighty-two, in Exeter. He outlived his first wife by forty years!
Later in life, Emma's daughters, Alice and Emily, moved from Paignton, and lived and passed away in Newton Abbot.
