Henry Charles HOOKINS entered the world on 24 June 1839 at 4.30am in Bond Lane, Mitcham. He was the 7th of 11 children born to William HOOKINS and his wife Sarah (nee HOWARD).
Two years later in the 1841 Census Henry was at Locks Lane, Mitcham with his parents and 5 siblings as one had already died before Henry's birth.
In 1849 Henry's father died of Phthisis aged just 36 leaving his Widow Sarah with 10 children aged between 2 and 22 years of age, one of whom was to die the following year shortly after his 4th birthday. In the 1851 Census therefore Sarah is now recorded as a Laundress and is living with 8 children at Bull Yard, West Fields, Mitcham as one daughter was, it seems, a patient at the Middlesex Hospital in Marylebone, although recorded as HAWKINS.
By 1861 Henry had moved out of the family home and was a Porter lodging with a Thomas MASON in Bethnal Green, whilst his mother was at the family home in Palestine Grove with 4 of his siblings and his married sister Hagather/Agatha and her 3 children.
In 1866 Henry married Caroline BAKER at Christchurch Spitafields. Henry was now a Packer living at 96 Brick Lane in Spitafields whilst Caroline lived at 10 King Street.
Their first child, Emily Sarah, was born in August of the following year followed by Rose Ellen in August 1869. Emily was born at 162 Central Street in St Lukes and Rose at 32 Rahir Street. In the 1871 Census the family is recorded as HOCKINS and living in Britannia Street, Shoreditch with Rose under the name of Rosina. Henry Charles Junior was born later in 1871 at 19 Britannia Street, Eliza in 1874 at Whitechapel, Frederick Frank in 1876 at 5 Crown & Shears in the Minories (although he died the following year), Maud Mary in 1878 at Duke Street, Aldgate, and William John in 1890. All through the 1870s father Henry continued in his Porter role.
In the 1881 Census the family is recorded as HOOKINGS. By then the family were living at 12 Worley Court in St Botolph although Emily was not with them as she was a scholar at the John Carr (probably CASS) School in St Botolph. Henry is described as a Market Porter.
During the ensuing 4 years two more children were born - Albert Edward in 1883 and Griffiths Arthur in 1885, both born at Worley Court.
By 1891 Eliza was away from the family in service in Bromley, and Emily was not with them but due to marry in July of that year. The remaining family were at 7 Royal Albert Buildings in St Botolph with Henry now a Wine Packer.
By the time of the next Census in 1901 Emily, Henry and Rose had all married and father Henry is believed to have died at the beginning of that year as Caroline is recorded as a Widow and living in Newington with her youngest son. Henry would have been 61 years old at the time of his death and Caroline was to outlive him by a further 23 years.
