johngibsonfouldes1

John Gibson Fouldes
(Born 2nd August 1861 - Died 1926)

My Grandad's Grandfather. According to the 1881 English Census at age 19 he was a born in Oxton, Nottinghamshire and was then working as a Servant (a boots cleaner I think) in a hotel in Sheffield (address 19 to 25 King Street).

In the 1891 English Census (at age 29) he was married to Julia Fouldes (her age is stated here as 33 and she was born in Hardy (?) Bridge in Yorkshire).
His occupation here is a Cab Driver.
They lived at 12 Margerrison Street in Sheffield with their 6 year old son John Gibson (marked as a "Scholar") and their 1 year old daughter Edith ( also marked as a "Scholar").

In the 1901 English Census (at age 39) he was still living with Julia Fouldes (her age is stated here as 44) at the same address.
They lived with their 16 year old son John Gibson (who was now an apprentice silver and goldsmith), their 11 year old daughter Edith and their three other sons: George (Aged 9), Frank (Aged 7) and James (Aged 6).

The following is from the notes by James Fouldes (husband of Kathleen Lawson):

"My Grandfather. His birth certificate was registered by his mother Sarah who "made her mark" and again the "E" was left out
(the omission of the "E" has cost me many hours of search which otherwise would have been avoided, both in the case of James and John Gibson).

John Gibson was a footman in a stately home in Hastings. He then left and sailed around the world twice before settling down at the age of 21!!

In 1883 he married Julia Oates. They had five more children to my knowledge, but I believe there were more. The only second generation Fouldes issued from the children were:-

Jack (John Gibson) Fouldes (Pinchbeck) son of Jack (John Gibson) Fouldes.
Myself (Sheffield) son of James Fouldes
Jack Fouldes (Sheffield) son of Frank Fouldes
Anthony Fouldes (Sheffield) son of Frank Fouldes

George Fouldes and Edith Fouldes (married name Pearson) did not have children.

I have no recollection of John Gibson - I was probably five going up to six when he died. He collapsed on his way home from work one night and died days later. My mother thinks he was a wonderful man - kind and considerate. Although a cabbie at the time of his marriage, he ultimately had a Maintenance type of job in the Tram Sheds. My father said he was a good speaker ("could spout up at meetings").

My Uncle Frank tells me that John Gibson was a bit wayward in his younger days and like his father James had a taste for ale. Later he settled down and became a "Chapel man".

I wish he had lived longer for me to have known and remembered him."

Tony Fouldes tells me some extra details: "I know my Grandfather John Gibson worked at Newstead Abbey as a wheelwright, that's not far from Oxton, before coming to Sheffield to work as a maintenance man on the trams. He ran away to sea in 1879 aged 18. I have a copy of his discharge certificate from a ship, "Sobraon" in London 1880. Oddly he signed on in 1879 under the name John Bulder but signed off in 1880 as John Fouldes".

These details would tie in with his "wayward" younger days! If he was in trouble for something bad he would probably have signed up to work on the ship under a false name to hide from whoever was after him! It's certainly interesting to find a mischievous relative in the family!

CLICK HERE TO SEE A PHOTO OF JOHN GIBSON WITH SOME OF HIS OFFSPRING.

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