16 - The Combes Family
Like households 14 and 15, the Combes or Combs family at household 16 didn't settle in Romiley for very long. All three families were living on Robinson's Row, possibly only renting a room or half of a house whilst they worked at Robinson and Schofield hat manufacturers.
John Combes married Maria Kinder in Stockport in December 1855. The couple were both living on Oxford Road in Dukinfield where John worked as a Calico Bleacher. His father was a hatter and Maria's father was a spinner and whilst Maria was able to write her name on the marriage certificate, John was illiterate.
They began a family at number 70 Oxford Road, a small terraced house. Their first child Hannah was born a year after the wedding, followed by Albert a few years later and then Elizabeth.
In the late 1860s they left Dukinfield behind for Romiley, where John switched from calico bleaching to felt hat body making. In fact, much of the family found work at the hatworks and by 1871 Maria and Hannah were working as trimmers (adding decoration to the hats) and Albert was working as a body maker at just 12 years of age. 10 year old Elizabeth was listed as being a "Nurse girl (help)". They also had a 2 year old son named Samuel.
By 1881 the family had moved to Denton, a centre for hat manufacture, and they lived at 177 Manchester Road. The family all worked in the industry, though 12 year old Samuel was still a full time scholar.
Maria passed away aged 58 in 1886 and by 1891 the family were living in Denton, at 26 Manchester Road. John resided with his unmarried daughters Hannah and Elizabeth and son Samuel who had joined the hat trade. Albert had moved out of the family home. He was head of a household with a family lodging with him.
It seems Albert didn't make a success of living independently as by 1901 he and his father were working as hat plankers from their home at 119 Manchester Road, along with Hannah and Elizabeth who worked as trimmers out of the home. Albert died aged 40 in 1901, followed by John in 1902. Hannah followed in 1905, aged 48, then Elizabeth passed away aged 49. Samuel died aged 53 in 1924.
I was unable to discover why the family were so short lived and none of the children appeared to have partners or families of their own. It is widely known that many hatters were affected by mercury poisoning and it is possible that this contributed to the Combes family dying so young.