‘Tamar wife of Mr James Moss had a son born 13 minutes past 2 a.m. on 17th June’, reads an entry in the diary of Joseph Moss for 1866. Named Robert and born at Wood Lane in Horsley Woodhouse, he was the fifth child and second son of James Moss and his wife Tamar (née Cresswell), who had him baptised at St. Clement’s Church, Horsley, on 2nd October 1870.

Robert was only five years old when his mother died, and within one month of his sixth birthday, his father was also dead. The six young children of James and Tamar were taken in by family members, with Robert and his brother Joshua being cared for by their uncle Robert Moss and his wife Mary who lived in the neighbouring village of Smalley.

Robert attended school Smalley Boys’ School. An entry in the school’s records dated 5th May 1880 reads ‘Reverend W. Bradshaw brought 6 certificates for boys who passed the Bishop’s Prize Exam on March 13th’ and that ‘Robt. Moss obtained 3rd Class Certificate’. Two years later at the age of 15, ‘Robert Moss, Pupil Teacher (1st Year)’ is included in the list of ‘Teaching Staff for the year 1881-2’. The school year appears to have run from January to December.

Extract from a report regarding Smalley Endowed School dated 15th December 1882.

Robert went to Cheltenham College for his teacher training, and then left for Southborough, in Tunbridge Wells, where he was an assistant master at a school for two or three years. By 1891, Robert had moved to Hillingdon in Uxbridge, Middlesex, and although his occupation on the census was recorded as a schoolmaster, he became the headmaster of St Margaret’s Boys’ and St Margaret’s Girls’ Schools around this time.

On 4th June 1892, Robert was a witness to the marriage of his sister Fanny to Thomas Samuel Polly at St Clement’s Church in Spotland, Lancashire.

Corporal punishment

Robert attended the Uxbridge Petty Sessions on Saturday 9th September 1893 where he was summoned for having assaulted a pupil by striking him on the back with a cane on 6th September. A ten year old boy, John Hopper, claimed that ‘shortly after four o’clock when he had finished his drawing lesson, Mr. Moss came up and struck him across his back, being under the impression that he had not finished his work. Mr Moss said “Get on with your work.”...[the boy] cried out loud, and Mr Moss kept striking him six times, three times across the back, and once on his wrist, in addition to the first one on [his] back.’ ¹ A girl employed in cleaning the schools was in the adjoining girls’ school, five metres away, when she heard ‘the sound of the cane falling, and a boy crying very loudly’. John’s sister found out that her brother was being caned and went to tell their mother, who promptly came to the school, and asked if she could take her son out. ‘Mr Moss said in about four minutes, as he wanted to cane him, and if his mother wanted to stay and see it done she could do so.’ ¹ The mother then sent for the boy’s father who, on arriving, spoke to Robert in a disrespectful manner. Mr Hopper took his son to the police station at 5pm that evening and asked an inspector to examine him. ‘He found a lump on the boy’s wrist almost as large as a walnut, and on the boy’s buttocks a large wheal which appeared to have been caused by the blow of a stick.’ ¹

A boy who was sitting near John Hopper told the Bench that John ‘dropped his pencil on his slate, and Mr Moss struck him on the back with a cane, not hard, and told Hopper to get on with his work. Hopper made a great noise crying very loud, and Mr Moss struck him again. The first blow was a light one, but the others were a little harder.’ ¹

Robert’s defense explained that John Hopper was ‘turning round, and in addition to neglecting his own work, was obstructing other boys from doing their tasks that had been set for them. Mr Moss told him to go on with his work accompanying his command with a slight touch of the cane. The lad commenced to cry in a most dreadful manner, not the cry of pain, but the howl of defiance’. ¹

Other witnesses were called: a fellow teacher said he was positive that Robert did not lose his temper; the vicar of Uxbridge, who visited the school three or four times a week, regarded Robert as ‘a very kind and humane master’; three boys from the class said they did not think the blows were severe, and that Hopper upset the class by talking to them. ‘One of the lads stated that Hopper had told him that if the master struck him he should howl so as his mother might hear him.’ ¹

‘The Bench retired to consider the case, and on their return, the Chairman said that they were not prepared to say that the punishment was too severe. Schoolmasters were very much tried, but they must not lose their tempers. The summons would be dismissed’ ¹.

During the session, it was noted that Robert had an excellent character in the neighbourhood, and that the school had improved under his tuition, with 116 ‘names on the books, a higher total than had ever been recorded’. ¹

Married life

On 10th May 1894, Robert married Mabel Sarah Houseman at Christ Church, Tunbridge Wells. Sarah was born in Southborough, Kent, the daughter of Alfred Hodson Houseman and his wife Sarah (née Walter).

Robert became the honorary secretary of the Middlesex Education Society in 1896, which he helped to found, and later also became the treasurer.

Robert and Sarah’s first child, Madeline Edith, was born in Uxbridge on 31st March 1895. She was followed by Winifred Dorothy on 28th July 1896, Doris Mary on 18th November 1898, and Phyllis Mabel on 13th January 1901. In April 1901, the family were living at 1 Halsey Villas on Bawtree Road, Uxbridge, with Robert still teaching at St Margaret’s. Robert and Sarah’s last child and only son, Hugh, was born in Uxbridge on 20th January 1904.

Kelly’s Directory of Middlesex 1899 - Uxbridge

Robert was said to be always of a most kindly and genial disposition, taking great interest in many affairs connected with the town of Uxbridge. ‘He always took a keen interest on sport, especially cricket and football, but more particularly in regard to the former’ ² and became one of the oldest members of the Uxbridge Cricket Club: ‘His batting scores to be seen in the books show a fine record, and he was a clever bowler. He once played for the Kent C. C. by special request, when he again figured as an excellent bowler...[He] was also noted for his clever play at billiards, and had few equals with the cue.’ ²

The family regularly attended St Margaret’s Church where Robert was a member of the choir and superintendent of the Sunday School for over 20 years. He was an active worker on St Margaret’s Church Council, a member of the Church of England Men’s Society, and vice-president of the Uxbridge Division of Teachers Association.

Robert was also a ‘teacher of teachers’. He received a certificate to start a teacher’s class around 1904, and helped form evening classes at the local Technical Institute.

All this work took its toll. Robert Moss died at 7 a.m. on 7th October 1914 aged 48. ‘He had been ailing for a long time, and had a long rest at Margate during the summer, but with little result, and since the end of August he has been at home...where, despite an occasional surprising improvement he gradually sank to a peaceful rest.’ ²

Robert’s funeral service was held at St Margaret’s Church, Uxbridge, on Monday 11th October. ‘Black shutters were placed at the windows of all the business houses, and blinds were drawn, while the fact that such a large number of townsfolk gathered at the funeral was in itself striking testimony of the great esteem in which the late Mr Moss was held.’ ³ The church bell tolled and ‘the voice of the Vicar was heard reciting the opening portion of the burial service, as the coffin was born slowly into the church.’ ³ During the service, the hymns O strength and stay upholding all creation and Now the labourer’s task is o’er were sung.

As well as his wife and children, the mourners included Robert’s brother Joshua and his sister Fanny. Representatives from the Education Committee, the Uxbridge Association of the National Union of Teachers, Middlesex County Education Society, St Margaret’s Boys’ School, and several other local schools also attended, together with many members of the Masonic Order, since Robert was a Freemason.

‘After the service the cortege proceeded slowly to the Hillingdon Cemetery. The hearse bearing the coffin was covered with lovely wreaths, and so numerous were the floral tributes that a landau was also filled with them...At St Andrew’s Schools the children lined the pavement, and at Hillingdon Road Schools the boys were drawn up in line and stood at attention as the sad procession passed by. The St Margaret’s boys were drawn up on either side of the cemetery gates. Each had a black band of mourning on his arm, and as the cortege entered the cemetery every head was uncovered.

‘The scene at the graveside was a most impressive one. The committal sentences having been pronounced by the Vicar of Uxbridge, the full choral service of the Masonic Order was gone through, the singing of hymns of the Order sounded strangely beautiful...Then the boys of St Margaret’s School paid a silent farewell to their late loved head master. With the coffin was lowered into the grave a lovely white cross.

‘The breastplate was simply inscribed: “Robert Moss, died 7th October, 1914, aged 48 years”’. ³

‘Robert Moss. Died 7th October 1914, aged 48 years.’ Uxbridge and West Drayton Gazette, 7th November 1914

In his memory, the Robert Moss Cup was created which in 1928 and 1932 was awarded to the winner of the boys’ relay race, and in 1938 was won by Townfield athletes in the senior boys’ team race.

After her husband’s death, Mabel continued to live in Uxbridge, and by 1939 she had moved to 194 Harefield Road where she lived with her three daughters.

Uxbridge and West Drayton Gazette, 8th October 1926

Mabel Sarah Moss died on 24th May 1956 aged 81 and was buried in Hillingdon Cemetery on 28th May.

Robert and Sarah’s daughter Madeline, known as Lena, became headmistress at Belmont Road Infant School and lived to be 102 years old. Their daughter Doris became a teacher and vice-president of the National Union of Teachers but died at the age of 48, while their daughter Winifred, known as Fred, lived to be 76. Phyllis was their only daughter who married, while their son Hugh, who married in 1935, went on to become the principle of Gloucester City School of Arts and Crafts.

Robert Moss was my first cousin four times removed.