George Hunn Nobbs

Who was George Hunn Nobbs?

George Hunn Nobbs was an English missionary on Pitcairn Island and later Norfolk Island, where his many descendants still live today.

He claimed he was born in Moira, County Down, the illegitimate son of Francis Rawdon-Hastings 1st Marquis of Hastings and Jemima Ffrench, and that the marquis did not acknowledge him, and also that he was fostered by the elderly Nobbs family who lived near Yarmouth. However, evidence from parish registers discovered in July 2000 by Macquarie University researcher Alexandra Starling suggest it was more likely that George was the illegitimate son of Jemima Hunn [registered as Jaminia in parish records] who later married John Nobbs, schoolmaster of St Nicholas Yarmouth Norfolk England. Jemima Hunn and John Nobbs had two daughters after their marriage on 13th of June 1800 in Greater Yarmouth Norfolk, [namely Charlotte baptised 1801 and Jemima baptised 1802].

According to this evidence, 'George Nobbs Hunn' was baptised in the parish church of Runham, Norfolk on 27 October 1799.