Name:	Robert GUMBLETON	N0004
Born:
Baptised:
Parents:
Died:
Occupation:	Grocer
Spouse 1	Ann ENSOR	Child 1 N0028 Ann GUMBLETON ca. 1798 Child 2 N0038 Mary GUMBLETON ca. 1799 Child 3 O0001 Richard GUMBLETON 20 Oct 1801 Child 4 O0005 Mary GUMBLETON 25 Jun 1803 Child 5 O0007 Elizabeth GUMBLETON 7 Sep 1805 Child 6 O0020 Jane GUMBLETON 9 Aug 1807 Child 7 O0022 Josiah William Dornford GUMBLETON 27 May 1809 Child 8 O0027 Maria Urmston Backhouse GUMBLETON 9 Dec 1811
The date and place of Robert's birth are unknown. There is one enigmatic clue: a letter (source unknown) in the Society of Genealogists Library appears to be a transcript of a family bible for Robert and Ann's family. However, the letter was written in the 1950s and probably transcribes entries from a bible dating from the late 19th century, rather than being contemporary with Robert's life: certainly some of the early information contains errors. Nevertheless, it includes "Robert Gumbleton, born Sept 1775" and "Ann Ensor born Apl 7 1778". This latter piece of information is correct, so perhaps the former is also. In Dorset, there are baptisms of at least two Robert Gumbletons who could be possible candidates, but neither seems wholly convincing. One is Robert, base born son of Martha Gumbleton, baptised 3 Oct 1774 at Shaftesbury Holy Trinity. The date looks approximately right, but it would be unusual for a 'base-born' child to end up as a grocer. The second is Robert, son of Robert and Ann Gumbleton of Melbury Abbas, baptised 14 Feb 1765. The problem with him is that he seems a bit early. Neither of these fits the facts closely enough to be accepted without some further evidence. By the mid-1790s, Robert was a shopman at the grocer's shop of Simon Pretor, in the Shambles, Sherborne. Many of Simon Pretor's papers have been preserved and include references to Robert Gumbleton, at least in 1795. On 10 Jan of that year he refers to "my man Rob. Gumbleton who is as honest a fellow...". In July 1795, Simon Pretor retired and sold his business to John and William ENSOR. A notice in the Sherborne Mercury of 10 Jul 1795 indicates that they retained Robert Gumbleton as their shopman. On 7 Sep 1796, Robert Gumbleton married Ann Ensor, the sister of his new employers at Sherborne Abbey (by license). He left Sherborne, probably straight away (the Ensors were advertising for a shopman in Sep 1796) and next appeared in Ilchester, Somerset, where he had his first 4 children between 1798 and 1803. However, in 1805 he was back in Sherborne, and baptised his 5th child, Elizabeth, on the 18th October. This stay in Sherborne must have been short-lived, and on the 28th Dec 1805, Robert Gumbleton was in London where, having cashed a cheque for £33 and dined with friends at an eating house in the Strand, he was robbed in Birdcage Walk, whilst walking to Pimlico. The woman who robbed him was later caught and Robert appeared as a witness at her trial at the Old Bailey on 15th Jan 1806. At this point he said that he lived in Deal (Kent). In fact he was enrolled as a freeman of Deal, Kent, on 20 Mar 1806. This was a necessary step to being able to pursue his trade as a grocer in that town. What led him to leave Dorset and travel across England to Kent is another mystery. Robert appears in the Deal poll books until August 1813, when his name is crossed out and 'Dead' is written in the column. So far, Robert's burial has not been located, nor any will found. After Robert's death, Ann did not remarry and the family did not fall into poverty. Their eldest son became a grocer in Grosvenor Row, Pimlico; another son was a cordwainer (also in London) and the daughters were straw hat makers. Ann (nee Ensor) ended her days in Hampstead and was buried in Highgate cemetery. The apparent prosperity if the family after his death is yet another mystery.

Date	Event	Place	Reference
1795	References in papers of Simon Pretor	Sherborne, Dorset	Letters of Simon Pretor
10 Jul 1795	Robert Gumbleton referred to in Sherborne Mercury	Sherborne, Dorset	Sherborne Mercury
6 Sep 1796	Marriage licence of Robert Gumbleton & Ann Ensor	Sherborne, Dorset	Marriage licences
7 Sep 1796	Marriage of Robert GUMBLETON and Ann ENSOR	Sherborne, Dorset	Marriage Index
22 Apr 1802	Mention of Mr Gumbleton's shop, Ilchester	Ilchester, Somerset	Trewman's Exeter Flying Post
15 Jan 1806	Robert Gumbleton witness at Old Bailey	London, Middlesex	Proceedings of the Old Bailey
20 Mar 1806	Robert Gumbleton admitted as freeman of Deal	Deal, St Leonard, Kent	List of freemen