Nat Gould

Sarah Ann Horobin 1860-1939

Sparklow 2007. The Royal Oak is the highest building shown.

Sarah Ann Horobin was born on 25 November 1860 at Fairfield near Buxton in Derbyshire, the daughter of William Horobin 1808-1888 and his wife née Mary Wild 1824-1903.

When the Census was taken in 1871 she was a schoolgirl living with her parents at 15 West Street (now called West Road) in Buxton, Derbyshire. Her father was then recorded as being a labourer.

By 1881 however he had become the landlord of the Royal Oak inn at Sparklow in Hartington Middle Quarter parish in Derbyshire, and the family were living there.

Sparklow is a remote and isolated hamlet, situated high on the Derbyshire limestone plateau some 1200 feet above sea level. Just below the Royal Oak inn lay the former Hurdlow railway station of the Buxton - Ashbourne line completed in 1900 and dismantled in 1969. Its alignment here differed from that of the old Cromford & High Peak Railway.

On 31 May 1883 Sarah Ann Horobin was married to Samuel Hallows at Earl Sterndale in Derbyshire. He was born on 18 November 1858 at Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire, the son of John Hallows 1831-1887 and his wife née Martha Jane Gregson. Samuel Hallows worked as a platelayer on the Cromford & High Peak Railway, as did many of his relatives. That railway ran just behind the Royal Oak inn at Sparklow kept by his father-in-law William Horobin 1808-1888.

They had the following children:

John William Hallows. He was born in 1884 at Harpur Hill near Buxton in Derbyshire. When the Census was taken in 1901 he was aged sixteen working as a tape weaver.

Sarah Ann Hallows nee Horobin and her family in 1907

Martha Jane Hallows. She was born in 1885 at Fairfield. In 1901 she was aged fifteen working as a tape wrapper. She was married to John William Melbourne in 1908. He was killed in action during the First World War.

Samuel James Hallows. He was born in 1888 at Fairfield. In 1901 he was aged thirteen working as an errand boy.

Herbert Hallows. He was born in 1889 at Monyash in Derbyshire.

Mary Annie Hallows. She was born in 1891 at Middleton by Wirksworth. She was married to William Alfred Franklin.

Hannah Hallows. She was born in 1895 at Middleton by Wirksworth. She was married to Frederick Richardson.

Signature on 1911 Census Return

When the Census was taken in 1891 Samuel and Sarah Ann Hallows and their family were living at Main Street, Middleton-by-Wirksworth in Derbyshire. In 1901 they lived at 1 Middle Peak in Wirksworth, and by 1911 they were at Rise End in Middleton-by-Wirksworth.

Samuel Hallows died on 1 June 1929 at Wirksworth, and was buried there on 4 June 1929.
His widow Sarah Ann Hallows née Horobin died on 8 July 1939 at Wirksworth in Derbyshire aged 78 years.

The Hallows and Horobin families have been the subject of extensive and scholarly research by Jean Durbin, the great-granddaughter of Samuel Hallows and his wife nee Sarah Ann Horobin, who kindly provided the family photograph on this page.
Shown in the photograph are: back row left to right Mary Annie Hallows, Herbert Hallows, John Hallows, William Hallows, and Martha Jane Hallows; front row left to right the mother Sarah Ann Hallows nee Horobin, Hannah Hallows, and the father Samuel Hallows.
Much valuable information is also given on the excellent website of John Palmer and his correspondents http://www.wirksworth.org.uk/D20-HALW.htm