Arthur Benoni Hubbard

Ben, as he was always known, had Down’s syndrome. This condition is now better understood since Aunt Frances made her comments. The term Mongol is now never used. His mother (CMH) was 43 when she gave birth and a baby with Down’s is one of the risks for older mothers.

I think Ben was always loved - but that my grandparents, his parents, found him very difficult to cope with, especially when they were getting older.

In those days there was something of a stigma attached and Down’s people were often ‘put away’ – often in huge institutions, which were often less than understanding of their inmates. My grandparents obviously didn’t want him to suffer a life in an Institution and they placed him with a friend in Lincolnshire who was a clergy widow.

By all accounts he was a loveable character.

I have never seen any photos of him. Maybe it was thought that someone like him should not be included? On the main pages of this website, I use the delightful studio picture of his three elder siblings (Jack, George and Frances) posing together when Ben would have been about three, but he is not included. I feel very sad about this as I think the stigma of that time probably dictated his exclusion.

From the National Probate Calender (Index of Wills and Administrations.)
Arthur Benoni Hubbard of 2 Monks Road, Ashby, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, died 8th February 1946. Administration London 16th April to the Reverend George Edward Hubbard and the Reverend John Waddington Hubbard, clerks. £115 4s 2p.

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