the bank’s interest. After all, it was cheaper to
house a half dozen junior clerks in a bachelor’s mess than to put up a married
couple in a home of their own, even without considering the accommodation costs
of the almost inevitable children.

By the time of his marriage, Noble had fulfilled the seniority
requirement by serving as Accountant in Bombay, but was about half a year short
of the usually expected waiting period for marriage. There is no record of
whether his marriage was approved by the senior brass, or whether he simply
flew under the radar for a while. His wife, Frances Sexton, was a mere
seventeen years old at the time of their marriage, a not unusual age for that
time and place. He was twenty-nine.

A year later on October 26, 1876, George was authorized
tomake what arrangements he wished for new premises to be built at Bombay
provided no material increase in rent or furnishing etc. The need for these improvements was likely
occasioned by the birth of his son, John Frederick Sexton Noble, a few
months earlier on August 7, 1876. A
year later, George left on leave, and the next glimpse that we have of him is
in Hong Kong.

For several years,
he worked as the HSBC Inspector of Branches. This meant that he had to spend a
considerable amount of time traveling from branch to branch. He also did a
stint taking temporary charge of the Calcutta agency, and later of the agency
in Manila. During the time that he was thusly employed, his wife gave birth to
a second son. At this point, I do not know how