1757
Born
11 July 1757 at Isle of Ely
July 11th 1757 Witcham, Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
Robert Barber
1757 – 1821
✓ Validated against records · 2026-07-06
Robert Barber was baptised at Witcham in 1757, among the last of the line born on the island itself. In 1778 he married Rebecca Irons of Downham — the banns naming him plainly “Robert Barber, Singleman, of Ely St, Mary”: already off the island by his wedding day — and with Rebecca he settled the family on the Ely side for good, among the fen-edge parishes where their children were baptised through the 1780s and '90s.
He was buried at Ely St Mary in 1821, in his sixty-fifth year. Rebecca long outlived him: she was buried in 1843, aged eighty-eight — almost sixty-five years from the day they married.
Composed from validated records · 2026-07-06
- Birth
- July 11th 1757 Witcham, Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire
- Marriage
- July 12th 1778 to Rebecca Irons in St. Leornard's, LittleDownham, Cambridgeshire
- Burial
- November 15th 1821 , Ely St Mary, aged 64 years
- Parents
- Robert Barber and Susannah Poole
- Siblings
- Mary Barber baptised November 27th 1752, Witcham, Cambridge Susan Barber baptised February 26th 1754,Witcham, Cambridge Ann Barber baptised December 21st 1755,Witcharn, Cambridge Robert Barber baptised July 11th 1757, Witcham, Cambridge Wenham Barber baptised October 3rd 1760, Witcham, Cambridge Wenham Barber baptised March 14th 1762, Witcham, Cambridge
- Children
- Robert Barber baptised August 29th 1779, Ely William Barber baptised November 3rd 1782, St. Mary's Ely, burial January 2nd 1783 Whenham Barber baptised January 25th 1784, Ely Hannah Barber baptised November 20th 1786, Ely William Barber baptised February 23rd 1789, Ely Mary Barber baptised July 23rd 1791, Ely died October 7th 1805 John Barber baptised December 11th 1794, Ely Josiah Barber baptised May 25th 1800, St. Mary's Ely
- 1778
- Marries Rebecca Irons in Downham, Cambridgeshire on the 12th July Banns "Robert Barber, Singleman, of Ely St, Mary and Rebeckah Irons of Downham, singlewoman "
- 1783
- Death of second child William aged 2 months
- 1805
- Death of daughter Mary aged 14 years
- 1821
- November 15th, burial of Robert aged 64 years
- 1843
- March 18th burial of Rebecca aged 88 years
In your grandmother’s words · from her notebook
Family
Parents
The children of Robert & Susannah Poole
· · · · Robert Barber b. 1757this page ·
Marriage
Children
Life
Confirmed — anchored to a recordEstimated — inferred
1778
Married Rebecca Irons
12 July 1778 at Downham
“Robert Barber, Singleman, of Ely St, Mary and Rebeckah Irons of Downham, singlewoman.”— Marriage banns, 1778 — Little Downham
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research, cited — not yet re-verified at the image:
- Marriage banns, 1778 — Little Downham — Marriage of Robert Barber and Rebecca Irons at St Leonard's, Little Downham, 12 July 1778 (Mum's reading of the register and banns). It is the record that marks the family's move off Witcham to the Ely side of the fen. from Mum’s research
1783
In 1783
1783
Death of second child William aged 2 months— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1805
In 1805
1805
Death of daughter Mary aged 14 years— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1821
In 1821
1821
November 15th, burial of Robert aged 64 years— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1821
Buried
15 November 1821 at Ely St Mary
November 15th 1821 , Ely St Mary, aged 64 years— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1843
In 1843
1843
March 18th burial of Rebecca aged 88 years— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
Our research
Off the island
Research · Witcham, Downham & Ely
Robert's Witcham baptism (parents Robert & Susannah Poole) is confirmed at the FamilySearch parish index; the 1778 Downham marriage and the family's Ely baptisms are Mum's readings. To do: read the 1778 Little Downham register and the 1757 Witcham baptism at the image; Rebecca Irons's Downham baptism would open her line.