A few years ago I exchanged information with a lady with whom I shared some of my ancestors. This lady made reference to the fact that my great great grandfather, Edmund Webb, had been bankrupt in the early 1860s. This was new to me and so I looked at Southampton newspapers around that date for more information. I found that he had been declared bankrupt at that time. He was described as a timber dealer. This occupation was different from the previous descriptions of him as a carpenter. Interestingly the family of his wife, Sarah Sign Humby, had been timber dealers in Lyndhurst. As Sarah's family had lost their timber business I wondered if she and her mother, Elizabeth Watts Humby nee Sign, had encouraged Edmund to change occupations. I extended my search dates to look for more information. Yes, there was more information. Then I extended the dates again, and again and again! I had given Edmund the benefit of the doubt over one failed business. I found articles from 1856 to 1884 concerning his business dealings. The Southampton search extended to Portsmouth, Gosport, the Isle of Wight, Dorset and his birth place in the north of Hampshire. His bankruptcy details featured in newspapers all over the country. He had starring roles in accounts of the court proceedings. He was a multiple bankrupt and his business dealings were legendary. I collected dozens of newspaper articles about him.The main articles fall into the groups listed below. There are many more for the intervening and later years.
1856 First Bankruptcy including details of his father Thomas Webb’s financial assistance and Sarah Sign Webb’s Marriage Settlement
1857 Bankruptcy of Elizabeth Watts Humby and the Bankruptcy
and Imprisonment of Thomas Harris for Fraud
1858 (Admiral) Saumzraz v Webb
1859 Disputed Bill of Exchange and Second
Bankruptcy
1861 The Death of William Rolleston
1862 The
Railway Hotel, Southampton
1863 Third Bankruptcy
1869 The Coach and Horses, Portsmouth
1870 Fire
at the Coach and Horses
1871 The Hants and Berkshire Agricultural Show and the Pig Problem
1871 The Private Omnibus Service in Portsmouth and Pearce
v Webb
1872 The Imprisonment of John Sharp a soldier from Hilsea Barracks, Portsmouth
1872 Liquidation
by Arrangement
Edmund Webb Summary of Court Cases can be found to the right of this post.➨
There is also an article The Saga of Edmund Webb which gives details of his family and life.➨
Hint 😉 Always look outside your initial search area you never know what you may find.
