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| Zimber Bros shop on the Quay in New Ross |
Vitus Zimber (of whom more elsewhere) was born in 1820 in the village of Siegelau in the then Grand-Duchy of Baden. His future wife, Salome Hummel, was born in 1817, a few years earlier (we presume in the village of Neukirch). Salome's father, Joseph Hummel (who came from Rohrbach), was, like Vitus, a clockmaker. He was also a Tax-collector and sometime Mayor of Neukirch. He also held Bible hours at his house 'Zinkhausle' in Brennersloch and is given as the founder of the protestant parish in Neukirch-Furtwangen-Gütenbach in the predominantly Catholic Black Forest area. It is also recorded that in the upheaval around the 1848 revolution in Baden, he was forced from his position as mayor, presumably because of his religion.
Their first children, Albertina (1845) and Lambert (1848) were born in Neukirch. Their marriage in Neukirch Catholic Church on 31st July 1848 post-dates the birth of both these children. This was not unusual in the area at that time, as the cost of marriage was prohibitive. It is also interesting to speculate as to the impact the turmoil of the 1848 revolution, which affected Baden, had on the family. There is also the story of the Königenhof accident and an apparent part Vitus may have played in the events of the time (see elsewhere).
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| Zimberhausle in Hexenloch |
From 1868, we find records of Zimbers leaving Neukirch / Furtwangen and Siegelau (I've included Siegelau because of the family connection and the names that occur being the same, though it is possible that some of these are cousins) for England or the USA.
- In 1868, Adolf leaves Siegelau for England. In 1871, Aron and Richard also left Siegelau for England.
- In 1874, Richard married Jane Binnions in Waterford.
- In 1875, Adolf and Karl Friedrich left Furtwangen for England. It is possible that Adolf returned from his first trip to England. 1875 is also the year that their eldest brother Lambert takes over ownership of the Zimberhausle Clock Workshop. This may indicate the beginning of a Zimber Bros clock business trading clocks between Ireland, Britain and the Black Forest.
- 1875 is the year of the Franco-Prussian War, German Unification and the establishment of the German Empire. It is tempting to see these changes as part of the background to the Zimbers' leaving Baden.
- In 1876, we have Aron leaving Neukirch for England. [Note: all this coming and going to "England" may have in fact been to Ireland, as Ireland was part of the UK at that time and the German record takers may not have differentiated between the two].
- In 1877, Salome Zimber died.
- In 1880, Aaron Zimber married Elizabeth Ashmore in Waterford. The shop at Quay, New Ross has been established as this is given as his address. Also in 1880, the Zimber Bros. firm in New Ross subscribed 2s 6d to the Parnell Defence Fund.
- In 1881, Albertina Zimber, my great-grandmother is born in New Ross. Karl Friedrich (later known as Charles Frederick) was in Liskeard, Cornwall, living and working with Francis Joseph & Bridget Kaupp, clockmakers.
- In 1883, Joseph Henry Zimber was born in New Ross.
- In 1887, Richard Frederick Zimber (of whom more here) was born in New Ross.
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| Zimber Bros, New Ross, Co. Wexford |
- 1891 sees Adolf Zimber working as a lumberman in Coalmine, Alberta, Canada.
- In 1893, Vitus Zimber died in Gütenbach.
- The following year, 1894, Aaron's wife, Elizabeth, died in New Ross. Her gravestone reads:
- "Zimber - Erected by Aron Zimber in memory of his beloved wife Elisabeth, who fell asleep in Jesus, Jan 8th 1894. Also, above Aron died Jan 17th 1901. for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him."
- In 1895, Aaron married Isabella Crowley.
- In 1900, Lambert sells Zimberhausle to the state.
- In 1901, Aaron Zimber died in New Ross. His brother Richard, now living in Wexford St., New Ross, was present at his death.
- The 1901 census shows Lambert and Rufina Zimber living at the shop on The Quay. I'm not sure whether they had moved there on a permanent basis or simply in the aftermath of Aaron's funeral. Richard and Jane Zimber are living at 14 Wexford Street, and Aaron's widow, Isabella and his two sons, Joseph and Fred, are living at 30 Cross Lane.
- The 1901 census shows Charles Frederick and his family living in Fore St., Bodmin, Cornwall. His brother Roman is living there with them.
- Aaron's second wife, Isabella dies around 1904 in Waterford. Also in that year, Joseph Zimber emigrated via Liverpool to Montreal, Canada, where, within a few weeks of arriving in August, he married Bridget Coady, who had travelled with him from New Ross.
- In February 1905, Joseph Zimber is killed in an accident in Montreal, Canada. In October of that year, his sister, Albertina, married John Holmes in Dun Laoghaire (or Kingstown as it was then called).
- In 1908, Charles Frederick, along with his son Rudolph, visited New Ross and met with Lambert, Rufina, Richard & Jane and Albertina Holmes. They are most likely on their way to the wedding of his son Charles Vitus, who married Margaret Molony in Bandon, Co Cork.
- The 1911 Census has Albertina Holmes and family living at the shop, which is now at 2 Charles Street, and Richard Zimber, whose wife died a few years previously, lodging at a hotel at 1 Cross Lane.
- Richard died in Germany in 1911.
- The outbreak of war in 1914 sees Aaron's son Richard Frederick (known as Fred) killed at the Second Battle of Ypres (see here).
- In 1917, Adolf died in Montana, USA.
- The 1926 register of electors shows Charles Vitus living in Killarney, where he has a shop. The following year, his son Douglas Thomas was born.
- That same year, 1927, Albertina Holmes died.
- The Zimber Bros business in New Ross was still in existence up to 1938. The Bodmin shop was in family hands up until relatively recently.
I've updated the information above with main additions highlighted.
- Kevin Holmes (01/2011)
