The Sale of the Hobbs Family Business - 8th April 1907 Paddington London

I found this notice relating to the sale of the Hobbs family business. It is from the Essex Newsman dated Saturday 6th April 1907, and refers to the sale "without reserve" of the contractor's stock

Thomas Hobbs was ostensibly my great great grandfather

There was no mention whatsoever of my great grandfather JAMES HOBBS in Thomas Hobbs's Will of March 1907. The beneficiaries and the executors of the Estate are his two sons William and John and his daughter Susannah Emma. His bequests refer to his three natural children and not to James. The inference is that although Thomas had adopted James he was not his "natural" child and so would not benefit under the terms of his Will. However this is not to say that Thomas disowned James. His marriage certificate of 1882 and my grandfather Clem's birth certificate of 1894 both state that James worked as a Wharf Foreman at the family business of "Thomas Hobbs and Sons" and so they both must have accepted the situation to a certain extent.

The two sons who inherited the business wasted no time in dissolving it. hence the notice from a local auctioneers dated Saturday 6th April 1907.

If anyone has any further information on the sale I would be delighted if they would contact me