St Gregory's Church in Dawlish, Devon was the baptismal location for John HOOKINS, son of Robert HOOKINS and his wife Mary (nee STAFFORD), the last of their 3 children. Sadly Mary was to die in 1817. but John's father was to be married again 10 months later in 1818 to Ann WESTCOTT. John was to welcome 4 more half brothers from that union.
John was to become a Classical and Mathematical Assistant at the Free Grammar School in Andover and opened a seminary for the education of young gentlemen in Exeter when only 22 years of age. Apparently the edition of the Exeter Flying Post issued on 17 March 1825 stated that "the system of instruction will comprehend Greek, Latin, and English language grammatically; Writing, Arithmetic, and Geography, Algebra, Euclid's Element of Geometry, and other branches of Mathematics."
The last of John's 4 half siblings was yet to be born when he married Ann SOUTHEY on 21 June 1825 at St Thomas the Apostle Church, St Mary Major, Exeter. Only 2 days later another article appeared in the Exeter Flying Post providing further insight into the seminary he had brought into being. It indicated that both boarders and day scholars would be accepted with "each boarder being accommodated with a single bed." It was further stated that "Mr Hookins pledged himself that no exertions shall be spared to promote the health and domestic comfort of his pupils, as well as their improvement in the several departments of study to which their attention may be directed." "The premises," it says, "are large and commodious, and being situated in a healthy part of the city, are in every respect well calculated for the reception of boarders."
The baptism of John and Ann's first child, John took place in 1826 at Holy Trinity Church Exeter. 6 more children were celebrated at the same church in 1828 (Mary Ann Sarah), 1830 (Frances), 1833 (Charles and Robert), 1835 (Lucy), and 1838 (Sidney Southey). The family then seem to move home to Brockley, south west of Bristol, as their final child Millicent Orton was baptised in the church there.
In 1836 John decided to reduce the terms for enrolment where it is stated the annual fee for boarders would be 24 guineas. Mention is also made in Trewmans Flying Post that "Young gentlemen who are not required to study the Classics, are prepared for Commercial or Agricultural pursuits by a system of education comprising Reading, Writing, English Grammar and Composition, Arithmetic, Merchants' Accounts, the Mathematics, Land Surveying, Navigation (if required), Geography with the use of Globes, History etc." Quite an impressive and extensive list!
The family home in the 1841 Census was Elm House in Brockley. John and Ann shared the home with 6 of their children with Frances (as Fanny) and Lucy being pupils at school in Yatton (recorded there as HOOKINGS). John, however, died in 1848 at the age of just 45 and was buried in the churchyard of the church where only 8 years earlier Millicent had been baptised.
The widowed Ann is described as an Annuitant in the 1851 Census and is living in Westbury on Trym with Sidney and Robert + 3 of her sisters, a visitor and a Servant. The visitor and her sisters, all of whom seem to have been born in the West Indies, were all classed as "fundholders" so were obviously self sufficient in living off investments. By 1861 Ann was living in the St Michael area of Bristol with son Sidney, a sister who is classed as deaf, a servant and a lodger with his family members. She herself died in 1864 and her deaf sister went to live with Ann's married daughter Frances.
