In 1869, after 18 years at Fretherne, Thomas and Elizabeth moved to Lower Clopton Farm, Mickleton, in the far north of Gloucestershire - a considerably larger property of 333 acres at the western edge of the Cotswold hills. At Lower Clopton Farm, Thomas employed 8 men, 4 boys and 3 women.
In the 1871 census, he is listed as the head of the house with no less than 19 household members including agricultural labourers, farm servants, domestic servants and a dressmaker, who is listed as ‘visiting’, as well as his own family.
Conspicuously absent from the family during their period at Lower Clopton Farm, however, was young Thomas Hobbs Clutterbuck, from whom we are descended. According to family lore, during the late 1860’s, when young Thomas was in his late teens, he was ‘exiled’ in disgrace after being accused of stealing a loaf of bread. Some time later, he was found to be wrongly accused of the crime but by the time the family tried to find him to make amends, he had disappeared - no doubt feeling somewhat hurt, betrayed and pretty pissed off!
Fore Street, Wellington in Somerset - 1800's
It would seem that young Thomas Hobbs could not get far enough away and eventually ended up a whole county distant. While the rest of his family were in Mickleton, Gloucestershire, Thomas ended up working as a grocer’s assistant for John Gowan, a young father and owner of a Grocery and Draper’s Store in Fore St, Wellington, Somerset County. At 20 years of age, Thomas was living with John, his wife and two small children.
Thomas Snr and Elizabeth spent most of their working lives on the land before retiring to Chase Lane House in Kingswood, with their youngest sons, William (who became a tobacconist and grocery store owner) and Edward (who became caretaker of the Bristol Hippodrome). Their eldest sons, John, Frederick and Thomas Hobbs, emigrated separately to Australia.
Thomas and Elizabeth's middle children, Henry and Walter, established the Drapers business, Clutterbuck Sons, at Manchester House, Parsonage Street, Dursley. They were also joined for a time by their younger sister, Rosa, before she married quarry-supervisor-come-farmer, William Barber Hobbs and settled at Churchwood Farm in Cromhall. In 1886, Walter and Henry dissolved their business partnership, with Henry continuing as the sole owner/trader, while Walter returned to farming, settling first at Morwent House in Westbury on Severn, then at Parkend Farm in Standish.
In 1884, after sustaining heavy financial losses through a failed business venture in South Africa, Thomas Snr became deeply depressed and took his own life. After this sad event, his wife, Elizabeth, moved back to High Street, Wickwar, where she had lived most of her childhood. She suffered a mild stroke in her later years, before passing away, New Year’s Eve, 1903.
Thomas and Elizabeth Hobbs Clutterbuck were eventually survived by 34 grandchildren, spanning three continents - Britain, Australia and Canada.