Nat Gould

Frances Cicely Hall 1791-1863

St Nicholas Newcastle

Brimfield church

Frances Cecily Hall was born in 1791, the daughter of John Hall of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and his wife née Mary Hunt.

She was baptised on 30 October 1791 at St Nicholas church in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

She was married to Samuel Moody Gethen on 20 March 1816 at Brimfield parish church in Herefordshire (1). She was his second wife.

He had previously married Sarah Hemans 1752-1818 on 10 January 1790 at the church of All Hallows Bread Street with St John the Evangelist in London. They had four children: Samuel Hemans Gethen (baptised 1791), Mary Gethen (baptised 1795), Thomas Gethen (baptised 1796), and Sarah Gethen (baptised 1802).

Samuel Moody Gethen and his second wife née Frances Cicely Hall had the following children:

Philip Gethen. He was born in 1817 in Hereford. He was baptised on 24 April 1817 at All Saints' church in Hereford. He became a mercer, eventually taking over the large retail drapery shop that his father had begun in the 1790s.

John Gethen. He was born in 1819 in Hereford. He was baptised on 27 June 1819 at All Saints' church in Hereford.

Henry Gethen. He was born in 1821 in Hereford. He married Mary Jane Edwards, daughter of George Edwards of Birmingham on 25 November 1846 (2). They had the following children: Henrietta Gethen, Mary J E Gethen, Alfred G L Gethen, and Percy Gethen.

William Gethen. He was born in 1823.He married Anne H. Williams, widow of Mr J.M. Williams and eldest daughter of the late James Symonds on 27 February 1855 (3). They had a son Cecil Gethen. William Gethen died in 1892.

Hereford Times 3 September 1836

Frances Emma Gethen. She was born in 1824 and baptised on 19 March 1824 at All Saints' church in Hereford. She was married there on 28 April 1859 to Charles Wood of Edgbaston, Birmingham (4). they were living in Edgbaston in 1861.

George Gethen. He was born in 1826. He married Annie Walmsley, daughter of Mr. G. Walmsley on 11 September 1866 (5). He died in 1904. They had the following children: George Walmsley Gethen, Charles Hall Gethen, and John Ernest Gethen.

Francis Gethen. He was born in 1828 in Hereford. In 1871 he was living at Chorlton-on-Medlock in Manchester.

Their father Samuel Moody Gethen was a mercer and had a retail drapery shop at High Town in Hereford. When he died in 1836, his wife Frances Cicely Gethen continued the business with the assistance of her sons (6).

However in 1845 she decided to retire and hand the shop over to her sons Philip Gethen and Henry Gethen, advertising in the local newspaper that she was closing the shop for a few days to make the necessary changes (7).

By 1851 Henry Gethen had moved elsewhere, but Philip Gethen was then running the business as a master draper employing five assistant drapers, including his younger brother John Gethen, and an apprentice. He was unmarried, and living with him then were his widowed mother and unmarried sister Frances Emma Gethen.

Frances Cecily Gethen died on 7 March 1863 (8). Her Will was proved on 16 November 1863 (9).

(1) "Married.] At Brimfield, Saml. Moody Gethen esq. of Hereford, to Miss Fanny Hall, niece of the Rev. Dr. Hunt, of Cockshoot Lydiat-House.": The New Monthly Magazine volume 5 (1816) page 368. Also reported in Gentleman's Magazine volume 86 Part 1 (1816) page 466, and Cambridge Chronicle and Journal 5 April 1816.
(2) "MARRIAGES. Nov. 25, at St. Philip's Church, Birmingham, ... Henry Gethen of this city to Mary Jane, second daughter of George Edwards, Birmingham." Hereford Journal 12 December 1846.
(3) "Feb 27 at All Saints Church, William Gethen to Anne Hart, relict of the late Mr. J.M. Williams, and eldest daughter of the late Mr. James Symonds, all of this city." Hereford Journal 28 February 1855.
(4) Hereford Journal 4 May 1859.
(5) Hereford Journal 15 September 1866.
(6) Hereford Times 3 September 1836 and 10 September 1836.
(7) “MRS. F. C. GETHEN, BEING ABOUT TO DECLINE BUSINESS IN FAVOUR OF HER SONS, PHILIP AND HENRY GETHEN, BEGS respectfully to inform her Friends and the Public generally, that the SHOP IS NOW CLOSED FOR A FEW DAYS, To enable her to complete the Arrangements for the same. High Town, February 11, 1845.” Hereford Journal 12 February 1845.
(8) "Deaths...GETHEN.- March 7, at Athelstan-hill, aged 71, Frances Cicely, relict of the late Mr. Samuel Moody Gethen, of this city." Hereford Journal 14 March 1863.
(9) "16 November 1863. The Will of Frances Cicely Gethen late of the City of Hereford Widow deceased who died 7 March 1863 at Hereford aforesaid was proved at Hereford by the oaths of Philip Gethen of the said City Mercer John Gethen of the said City Gentleman and Henry Gethen of the said City Mercer the Sons the Executors." National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1966 (1863) page 43.