Edward (Edwin) HOBAN (1868-1939)
Occupation: Brass Worker & Tube Drawer
son of John Hoben & Jane Harris

Married 11th October 1892
St. Andrew's Church
Bordesley, Birmingham, Warwick UK

Matilda HUMPHRIES (1869-1929)
daughter of William HUMPHRIES & Ann EDWIN

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Edward HOBAN, (pictured above) was born Edward HOBEN in 1867 Birmingham, England but was also known in his early years as Edwin Hobern. As Edwin Hobern he served for twelve years in the Kings Royal Rifle Corp (now the Royal Green Jackets) between 1884 and 1896 with his older brother Richard. Ed saw active service overseas in Cyprus and Gibraltar and his granddaughter Irene, remembers his story of seeing the ghost of his recently killed brother appear beside him during a skirmish. We have deduced that this brother must have been Richard HOBEN as all trace of Richard is lost after the 1881 census.

Ed was renowned for his great size and strength and also for his fighting Irish temper. It is said that he was not afraid of anything or anyone, except, perhaps, his diminutive wife, Matilda Hoban nee HUMPHRIES. Once Matilda was called in by the local police because Ed was asleep in Cannon Hill Park using a pig's head as a pillow. Little Matilda went down to the park and gave Ed a tongue lashing, dragging him home like some naughty school boy. The reason Ed would have been using a pig's head as a pillow was that he was famous for the brothes he made from them using fresh vegetables from his own garden allotments nearby their home in Blossom Avenue, Bournebrook, Birmingham.

It could be Ed developed such great strength due to his work as a 'Dogger' in the metal trade. His job was to drag white hot brass out of the furnaces and run with it to a coiling machine. His grandson, Horace POWELL, remembers going to meet his grandfather at the end of his work day at 'The Battery', the factory in Selly Oak, Birmingham where Ed was a foreman. Ed would carry Horace on his shoulders down to the Station Pub, then give him sixpence and say "Naw don't tell yer Nan where I am."

He is remembered by his grandchildren as a well built, handsome man with a kind heart and a genial nature, well respected by all until his death in 1941.

Our HOBAN surname has seen many different spellings over time: Hoban; Hoben; Hobin; Hobern; Hoborn; and even Habern as seen in the 1901 census. Although it is not a common surname name in the UK, the many variations in spelling has made tracing the family's history in and around Birmingham, Selly Oak & Smethwick, Kings Norton an interesting challange.

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Children of Edward HOBAN & Matilda HUMPHRIES :

Beatrice HUMPHRIES b. 1887 (Daughter of Matilda HUMPHRIES) Matilda HOBAN (1893-1893) Edwin (Edward) HOBAN b.1894 Married Hannah May BOWMAN 1911 Birmingham UK No Children Ernest HOBAN (1895-1963) Married Ruth KINGHAM(1894-1939) Daughter of Harry KINGHAM & Emmilene HIGGS 1913 Birmingham UK Children: Ernest K. HOBAN b. 1913 Joseph HOBAN (1914-2003) Harry HOBAN (1917-abt 1984) George HOBAN (1918-1918) Albert HOBAN (1919-1978) Richard HOBAN (1921-2002) William HOBAN (1922-2002) James H. HOBAN b. 1923 Ruth HOBAN(1924-abt 1983) Also Married Minnie SMITH (1904-1987) Birmingham UK Children: Michael HOBAN Beryl Patricia HOBAN Maureen HOBAN

Richard HOBAN b.1897 Married Alice M. BOLTER 1922 Birmingham UK Children: Gwendoline Rose HOBAN Edna HOBAN Albert HOBAN (1899-1904) Matilda HOBAN (1901-1977) Married Albert POWELL (1894-1957) Son of Elizabeth POWELL 1921 Bournebrook, Birmingham UK Children: Albert Edward POWELL Horace POWELL Irene May POWELL Reginald T. POWELL (1930-1930) William J. POWELL Ronald POWELL James H. POWELL (1942-2005) Florence HOBAN (1902-1903) Catherine HOBAN (1903-1904)

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HOBAN Children - Family Histories

Proving Edward Hoban

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HOBAN CENSUS DATA

HUMPHRIES CENSUS DATA

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Many thanks to Irene Harvey nee Powell, Reg, Horace, Ron & Albert Powell, & Keith Hoban for their help with compiling the information above.

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