HIBLING FAMILY
Leonard Cole Hibling & Sarah (nee Knighton)
Sarah Hibling with sons Arther, Len, Dick & Lawrence
Wedding of Gertrude Hibling - photo probably taken at the rear of Meeching Road
By Carol Walton
The Hibling family originally lived in Peterborough, moving to Steyning around 1878 and then settling in Chapel Street, Newhaven in 1883. Leonard Cole Hibling, head of the family, earned his living as an engine fitter, and was for several years connected with the cross channel ferries. Leonard was also a member of the Ouse Valley Lodge, R.A.O.B. The family tell the story of how Leonard, for a wager, climbed to the top of the sheerlegs and sat and played his cornet. Leonard died in 1909 leaving his widow Sarah with ten children whose ages ranged from 9 to 30 years.
Sons and daughters of Leonard and Sarah were Alice, Edith, Gertrude, Leonard, Louise, Arthur, Florence, Horace, Emily and Lawrence. In 1918 son Horace Richard (Dick) was drowned when HMS Narborough was wrecked off the Orkneys. Son Arthur was killed when the cliffs at Newhaven collapsed in 1920, and daughter Louise, a nurse, died from blood poisoning in 1921.
Most of the family remained in Newhaven - Reg, son of Florence, worked for many years in the Newhaven Post Office. But David, grandson of Lawrence, did what many boys have only dreamed of - at the age of 17 he left to join the circus, eventually becoming an animal trainer/presenter with Chipperfields. Over the years David has worked as a ringmaster for all of the major British circuses, hosted circuses for the BBC, and worked for Disney. In 1996 he became artistic director for Zippos Circus.
We would be interested to know if anyone has any other memories or knowledge of the family.