George, the oldest son of George KIRBY (born 1824) (my 3x great-grandfather) married Sarah Gammon in 1842.
1851 census shows George (27) was a pork butcher living in the Ville of Dunkirk (a village next to Blean) with his wife, Sarah and their children.
They lived next door to George’s widowed father, Joseph, also a pork butcher. George’s mother Ann had died in 1848 (age 73).
1857 Joseph Kirby, George’s father, died (age 85).
1861 census shows George, a pork butcher, and his family living at 18 Whitstable Road, Blean.
1871 census shows George (47) a pork butcher living at 18 Blean Bottom with his wife and children and a border, Sion Gilbert, a blacksmith.
1881 census shows George (57) a pork butcher and a farmer of 70 acres of land employing 4 men and 1 boy, living at 24 Whitstable Road, Blean with his wife and children. Sion Gilbert, the blacksmith, is now living next door (at No 25) with his wife, George’s daughter, Emma, and their children.
The photo of George’s wife, Sarah, (on the right) was taken in her later years.
On 16 October 1886 George committed suicide (age 63). The inquest was held at the Hare and Hound pub (close by at 30 Whitstable Road) and reported in the Kentish Gazette:
KENTISH GAZETTE23 October 1886 BLEAN. SUICIDE On Friday East Kent Coroner (R. M. Mercer, Esq.), held an inquest at the Hare and Hounds. on the body of George Kirby, aged 63 years.—Thomas Kirby said I reside in this parish and am a labourer. The deceased was my father. He resided in this parish, and was a pork-butcher. On going into my father’s stable about 6.45 a.m to-day to see about the horse, I found the deceased hanging to the side of the door, his toes touching the ground. I found he was attached to a rope tied round the beam and from there round his neck. I went and got assistance and then got him down. Life was quite extinct, but he was just warm. My mother told me he got up a 6 o’clock and left the house and she never saw him again alive. His usual time for getting up was 6.30 a.m or 6 am. There was a small footstool lying overturned about two feet from him as if he had kicked it over. I know he was in pecuniary difficulties.—Sion Gilbert said : I am a blacksmith residing in this pariah, and the son-in-law of the deceased. I was called by the last witness about 6.45 to go to Mr. Kirby’s barn. He said his father had hung himself. I found the deceased hanging with rope round his neck from beam. I helped the last witness to get his father down, and he was quite dead. A verdict of “Suicide by hanging whilst a state of temporary insanity” was returned.— Mr. George Collard appeared the inquest on behalf of the relatives of the deceased, who is said to have been rendered despondent through losses sustained farming. |
1891 census shows Sarah living in Tunbridge Wells at the home of her youngest daughter, Elizabeth, with her husband and family. Sarah died later than year in Tunbridge Wells, aged 68.
Here is the family bible stated by George and Sarah.
George and Sarah had 14 children:
(1) George (1843-1921) This was my 2x great-grandfather – see more about his life HERE.
(2) Sarah Ann (1844-1904) In 1868 Sarah Ann married Thomas John Taylor, a carpenter journeyman. They lived in Canterbury.
(3) Fanny (1847-1908) In 1867 Fanny married Abraham Bishop, a butcher, and they had 10 children. They lived in Blean.
(4) Thomas (1848-1927) In 1878 Thomas married Frances Ann Wood and they had 11 children. They owned Honey Hill Farm in Blean. The photo on the right is of Thomas and Frances Ann Kirby.
(5) Emma (1850-1901) In 1874 Emma married Sion Gilbert in 1874, and they had 2 children.
(6) Ann (1852-1931) Ann was unmarried.
(7) Susan (1854-1894) In 1872 Susan married Frederick Wood, a woodman, and they had 9 children.
(8) Joseph (1856-1935) In 1881 Joseph married Katherine Miles, and they had 1 child, Joseph. In 1896 he married Eliza King. The photo on the left is of 3 generations: Joseph Kirby, his father, George Kirby, and his son Joseph Kirby.
(9) William (1861-1947) In 1886 William married Amy Petley and they had 6 children. They lived in Folkestone.
(10) John (1863-1864) died at 6 months old.
(11) Albert John (1865-1865) died at 6 months
(12) Frederick (1866-1867)died at 6 months
(13) Elizabeth (1868-1941) In 1886 Elizabeth married James Lyndsey Ballatyne, and they had 5 children.
(14) Jane (1871-1871) Jane died at or shortly after birth.
> George Kirby and Sarah Elizabeth Gibbs
Last updated: March 11, 2022 at 15:10 pm