Ernest Herbert Barber
(1902-1985)

Ernest Herbert Barber was the oldest child of the seven children of Louisa Barber of Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.

Ernest worked as a Horse Keeper on the farmland surrounding Witchford, and continued to do this after his marriage to Maude Yarrow of the nearby village of Little Thetford, Cambridgeshire.

During the Second World War he was a member of The Home Guard, stationed at Witchford and later at Coveney, Cambridgeshire.

The identity of his father was never revealed by either him (if he knew) nor his mother. His daughter believed that Ernest's father was Flanders Hopkin - the family to whom Louisa had been a servant. His daughter believed that Louisa's mother did not agree for Louisa to marry Mr Hopkin as he was significantly older, but either way, she married him the following year and they had their first 'official' Hopkin child.

On his marriage certificate in 1929, a "Frank Barber" is given as the name. Frank was a common name for Flanders - the name of his mother's first husband and also the name of his brother, although their surname was Hopkin. Herbert was noted as 'Herbert Hopkin' on the 1911 census.

Life Events

Born:

• 15th January 1902 at Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.

Baptised:

• 7th September 1902 at St. Andrew's Church, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.

Married:

• Maude Yarrow (1899-2004) on 1st April 1929 at St. Peter's Church, Wilburton, Cambridgeshire, England.

Children:

• Pamela Maud Barber (1932-2015)

Census and Residence

• 1911: 9yrs, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.

Employment

• 1929: Horsekeeper

Death

• 22nd September 1985 at his home at 11 Manor Court, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England, aged 83 years.

Burial

• September 1985 with his wife Maude, at St. Andrew's Churchyard, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.