Elizabeth Mary "Bess" Rebbeck
Sister to George Rebbeck R.N.
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Elizabeth Mary Rebbeck
born 28 Jan 1853 in 6 Godfrey Street, Southampton,
Father William Geary REBBECK
Mother Sarah NOBLE.
Also Known as Bess or Betsy
Married Reuben Vincent in 1874
b 1855 in Rockbourne, Hampshire, son of George Vincent and Mary PercyChildren
George born 1875 in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
Andrew born 1877 in Netton, Hampshire.
Flora born 22 Oct 1878 Rockbourne, Fordingbridge
Frank/Francis born 1881 in Rockbourne, Hampshire.
Kate born 1883 in Rockbourne, Hampshire.
Mary born 1886 in Rockbourne, Hampshire.
Ada born 1888 in Rockbourne, Wiltshire.
Eliza born 1890 in Rockbourne, Hampshire.
Frances Bessie (Fran) born 1893; died 9 Jun 1966.
Bess Rebbeck Vincent looks a stern woman in the photograph but looks can be deceiving. Her great-nieces, the Brenton daughters, all loved her and Kay described her as "a dear". Kay remembers the parrot, Polly, and her great aunt keeping a spoon handy to throw and covering the cage with a cloth when the parrot's language became too loud and vulgar. The parrot had been a present from her brother, George, on his return from a long trip overseas. It was unfortunate that the parrot had spent a considerable time as the pet of the ship's company and had collected a large vocabulary of naval terms that would never be found in a book. However Bess and Polly had a love-hate relationship which lasted until Bess' death. Polly the parrot lived only a short while longer.
A visitor once remarked on the delicious smell of her dinner cooking and was consequently invited to join her for a meal of her her favourite delicacy, lamb's tails. In those days lambs tails were amputated at birth, among other things, and in true country fashion nothing was wasted.
Kathleen Brenton Franklin remembers her aunt as a "wise woman". Kay played truant from chapel one Sunday, cycling to visit Aunt Bess instead. Bess said nothing about Kay missing chapel and entertained her in her normal fashion but when Kay went to leave for home she was told "I am afraid you cannot have your paste pot of jam to take with you today as the family will know where you have been." Wise woman indeed! She voiced no recriminations for Kathleen missing Chapel; just a gentle reminder that she was in the wrong. Kathleen has never forgotten that incident. She was "found out" because a neighbour wondered where she had been instead of Chapel and said as much to her mother.
Bess's cottage in Nouales Lane can still be seen from the A31 Ringwood by-pass and is a real "Chocolate Box" thatched cottage. She lived there until her death with her youngest child, Frances (Fran) who never married.
Bess has descendants living in Australia and the photographs were kindly sent by one of them, Debbie Howse. Is that perhaps the picture of Reuben in the brooch? Debbie did say that both pictures came from a locket.
