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Fobbester name - where does it originate?

Fobbester name - where does it originate?

Posted: 22 Jun 2000 1:11PM GMT
Edited: 10 Jan 2006 9:30PM GMT
Fobbester is a pretty unusual name. Apart from immediate family members I have never run into another one. Are there any others out there? We have always wondered where the name originally came from. Would love to hear from other Fobbesters - it can't be a difficult family to trace?

fobbester

s.inzani (View posts)
Posted: 24 Nov 2000 4:51AM GMT
my wife (karen fobbester) suggests the name was also shared with sir william drake(the explorer's) right hand man. i havent researched the subject but apparently this is quite true!

Fobbester

Posted: 29 Nov 2000 10:56AM GMT
Edited: 10 Jan 2006 9:30PM GMT
I have heard this before but I believe his name was "Frobisher". Perhaps the Fobbesters' had some dyslexia in the family and the name became mis-spelt somewhere down the line! Is your wife an English Fobbester? It is good to hear that there are other people who have/had the same surname - if you discover any more would love to hear.

Fobbester

Paul Fobbester (View posts)
Posted: 30 Jan 2001 1:15PM GMT
Most of my family have spent time trying to trace the name, all without sucess. I see there is a very good South African swimmer called Tracy Fobbester.

Fobbester

Posted: 1 Feb 2001 2:12PM GMT
Edited: 10 Jan 2006 9:30PM GMT
Interesting - I grew up in Zimbabwe (although my father came from the UK). He always told us we were the only Fobbesters in Africa! I am beginning to suspect that at one time we were all Forresters and somewhere along the line we had an ancestor who couldn't spell!

Fobbester

Paul Fobbester (View posts)
Posted: 12 Feb 2001 12:33PM GMT
This has always been the conclusion I have reached. Have you tried typing Fobbester into the Google search engine? (www.ggogle.com) This comes up with various references as follows:

1) Your enquiry on this board
2) Drew Fobbester - who has started a nutrition company in the South East.
3) Tracy Fobbester, SA swimmer
4) Jo Fobbester with a review of a Nissan Primera.
5) Mrs S. Fobbester on the board of Hampshire county council.
6) Ken Fobbester
7) Peter Fobbester - Unhappy car owner
8) Butler Mr Fobbester
9) James Fobbester - died 1946

I am directly related to 4,6 & 8 do you know any of the remaining lot? No. 8 is the most interesting as it is a reference to a Fobbester (My grandads brother)on Jim'l fix it! Did you watch this episode?

Fobbester name

Posted: 13 Feb 2001 12:03PM GMT
Edited: 10 Jan 2006 9:30PM GMT
I can remember my grandparents discussing the episode of Jim'll Fixit you mention and my grandfather saying that the butler in question was a cousin (I am pretty sure it was a cousin) of his. We can't be too far removed!

In relation to your list I know no. 2 pretty well - Drew is my brother! It is interesting that No 9 on the list is James Fobbester since both my grandfather and my father were named "James Fobbester" ( I have named my son James too!)

I did do a teeny bit of research a few years ago into the name and one of the earliest records I found was 17 60ish (I can't remember exactly). The earliest records stemmed from the East End of London - Stepney, Whitechapel, etc. I know that my grandfather was born in London and so was my father - but I would love to know whether the earliest Fobbester was an immigrant who ended up in the UK or whether we come back to the question of dyslexia!

It would be interesting to know exactly how far removed we are. Sadly both my grandfather and my father are no longer alive but I will quiz my remaining relatives. My grandfather was James Fobbester (married to Flora) - they spent the majority of their years living in Ramsgate, Kent. I'll keep you posted if I discover anything new!

Fobbester

Paul Fobbester (View posts)
Posted: 13 Feb 2001 1:47PM GMT
If you are correct and the butler in question was a cousin of your grandparents then we must share the same great-great-grandfather. In other words you and I (me?) are cousins, all be it twice removed.
I do not know who my grandads grandfather was and, alas, I can no longer ask him. However my father may know and I will ask him this weekend.

My family also origonate from the London area and I believe this is where most Fobbesters were located until the end of the second world war. My Grandfather ran his own business as an electician in Knightsbridge.

I know my mother has done some investigation into the history of the early Fobbesters so I will quiz her this weekend also.

This particular line of the name is a dying breed and since you are also a 'nee' I can't look to you for support either. Fortunatly my cousin S. Fobbester married last year so I am hoping he gets down to business soon to save me the effort!
The Fobbester name will be remembered for some time however. Butler Fobbester as refered to above is pictured in a world famous mural at Ragley Hall (his place of work) in Warwickshire. The mural dipicts Jo and his wife high up on the ceiling immedietly adjacent to God! I went on a guided tour ,annonimously, some 2-3 years ago and the tour hostess talked for several minutes about Mr Fobbester and the reason for his place in the mural.

On a final point the James Fobbester I referred to did not die in 1946, he left St Edmund's college, Ware Hertfordshire in 1946. Appologies if this was a relative of yours!

Fobbester

Posted: 14 Feb 2001 10:32AM GMT
Edited: 10 Jan 2006 9:30PM GMT
I checked with my mother and yes, Butler Fobb was definitely my grandad's cousin so I guess we share the same great grandparents! Apparently my brother visited Butler Fobb a few years ago whe he and his girlfriend were in the vicinity where he lived. I'll have to quiz him about the visit.

My sister-in-law gave my brother a "Burke's Peerage" guide to the Fobbester name. It is a bit of a con as it gives nothing away with regard to the origins of the name but it does tell me that the total estimated population of Fobbesters in the UK is 73 (there are a total of 21 households in the registry and an estimated 29 households in the UK). There are 8 Fobbesters in South Africa - (a total of two households in the registry and an estimated 3 households in total). There are no Fobbesters registered anywhere else in the world! We are few and far between!! My brother has produced four children but only one of these is a boy to carry on the name - so all you Fobbester guys had better get your act together before the name is extinct!

I believe that St. Edmund's College relates to my father - he won a scholarship to a public school and I am sure it was this particular one, but again I will have to check with my mother on this one.

I am sure that my great-grandparents had some kind of business in the West End but once again I'll have to confirm this.

Out of curiousity did you see the picture of Drew on his website - are there any Fobbester similarities in looks even having skipped a generation or three?!

Family tree - can anyone fill in the blanks?

Posted: 31 May 2001 12:19PM GMT
Edited: 10 Jan 2006 9:30PM GMT
I am trying to put together a family tree for my children. If anyone can fill in any of the blanks before my grandparents or knows of any of their siblings would love to hear.

Grandparents:

James Fobbester Flora Fobbester
(married 1920s/1930's?)
\ children
James Fobbester |Brian Fobbester
married married
Rosemary Fobbester Janet Fobbester
(1960's) (1960's)
\\ \ children children
Drew/Susan Christine/Wendy
(both married) (both married)
1990's 1990's



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