Hobson’s (choice), n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Hobson’s (choice) n.

[rhy. sl.; f. SE Hobson’s choice, ‘this one or no other’, thus effectively no real choice. Named for Thomas Hobson or (d.c.1630), the Cambridge carrier (commemorated by John Milton (1608–74) in two epitaphs), who let out horses and is said to have compelled customers to take the horse that happened to be next to the stable-door or to go without; orig. Hodgson’s choice and cited as such by Ernest Weekley as occurring in 1617, 13 years before Hobson’s death]

the human voice.

1908		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘Odd or Even?’ Sporting Times 26 Sept. 1/3: For ’e lifted up ’is ‘Obson’s choice’ in some well-known ‘ding dong’.
1923		Northern Whig 12 Sept. 8/6: His voice was his ‘Hobson’s choice’.
1959		Galton & Simpson ‘Hancock’s Half-Hour’ ser. 6 [radio ascript] ‘He’s claiming copyright on his hobson’s.’ ‘I beg your pardon.’ ‘His hobson’s choice — his voice’.
1960		J. Franklyn Dict. of Rhy. Sl.
1979		R. Barker Fletcher’s Book of Rhy. Sl. 21: Her hobsons, low and husky / Made my newingtons go numb.
1981		P. Wright Cockney Dialect and Sl. 105: ’Obson’s Choice ‘voice’.
2001		M. Coles Bible in Cockney 23: ’E suddenly heard the Hobson’s of an angel from heaven saying, ‘Abraham! Abraham!’.
2002		D. Shaw ‘Dead Beard’ at www.asstr.org 🌐 You never heard such a bull and cow in all your life as Dionne screams out at the top of her hobson’s choice.