Frank Woollatt HOOKINS (Tree A)

80 Andover Street

Frank Woollatt HOOKINS was born on 31 December 1882, the 3rd of 4 children born to John Lyddon HOOKINS, a Minister with the Methodist Church, and his wife Sallie Sophia (nee WOOLLATT).

His birthplace was 80 Andover Street, Brightside in Sheffield.

2 years later however Frank's mother died, possibly as a result of the birth of her 4th child. A further 2 years down the line his father John re-married, this time to Sarah Charnock LUMB. 

By the time of the 1891 Census the family was somewhat fragmented. Father John was lodging with a dental surgeon in Kingston-Upon-Hull, presumably having moved to a different area with the Methodist Church. Frank's step mother Sarah was lodging in Darlington with Frank's eldest sister and his younger step-brother. Another sister was visiting in Helston, whilst Frank aged 8 and his younger brother aged 6 were in Newcastle upon Tyne living as HOOKING with a General Servant and a Nurse Maid at 20 Oxford Street.

21 Prospect Place

Family normality had been resumed in 1891 and the family were back together at 54 Carr Lane, Kingston upon Hull with the exception of Frank who was at 21 Prospect Place in Ashton-under Lyne working as a Warehouse Apprentice in a Glove Department.

In 1910 Frank married Emily May BULLEN in Ashton and the following year they were together at Brooklyn, Wood Moor Lane, Davenport in Stockport living with one servant. Frank is designated as a Commercial Traveller. In 1913 their first child Joan Adelaide was born in Stockport, followed in 1919 by a son Frank Bryan who was born in Helen Bay, Newtownards in Northern Ireland with father Frank still being a Commercial Traveller.

In the 1939 Register Frank and Emily are living at The Croft, Wrigleys Lane in Formby with daughter Joan.

Frank was unfortunately bedridden for the last 10 years of his life. He died on 24 March 1958 when he was living at Oakmead, Horsham Road, Beare Green, Dorking still recorded as being a Commercial Traveller.

Frank had only one employer for the whole of his life which was S & J Watts of Manchester, a very large and prosperous Haberdasher & Linen Wholesaler.

Watts Warehouse Manchester

Watts Warehouse

At its peak, Manchester's cotton industry controlled 65% of the world's trade, amounting to nearly a billion tonnes per year.  Although cotton manufacture only accounted for 18% of the work force (most manufacturing went on in the surrounding Lancashire towns) Manchester grew to become the commercial centre of the trade.  The dominant building was the warehouse for the display of finished goods.  Merchants competed with each other in the opulence of the buildings, employing some of the most famous architects in the country.  The Italian Palazzo style became dominant and the best example is the vast warehouse of S & J Watts, completed in 1856 (Travis & Magnall). The general outline resembles the Fondaco dei Turchi in Venice and each of its six floors is given a different style, ranging from Egyptian, through Italian and French Renaissance to Elizabethan, culminating with four great roof towers lit by rose windows.  A journalist of Freelance magazine commented in 1867, "I am not naturally of a sceptical or suspicious cast of mind. I have eaten sausages and kidney pudding without asking questions but when I was told that this was only a warehouse I felt that it was necessary to draw the line of credulity somewhere".  By a miracle it survived the Manchester blitz of December 1940, when the company's small force of fire fighters, led by Wilf Beckett, fought with sheets and blankets after the water supply failed.  It once more took direct hits in 1941 but Beckett and his band once again saved the day. He was later honoured at Buckingham Palace.  It was converted to the Britannia Hotel in 1980.

Ernest James HOOKINS (Tree G)

Ernest James HOOKINS was born on 26th August 1887 at 3 Bath Road in Mitcham but the address no longer seems to exist. He was the 6th of 11 children born to George HOOKINS and his wife Caroline (nee TRASH).

In the 1891 Census George was living as HOSKING at Bath Road with his parents + 5 of his siblings + his maternal grandfather and a lodger. In the 1901 Census the family is indexed as HOSKIN and are living at 6 Bath Road where Ernest is with his parents + 7 siblings and his maternal grandfather. However by 1911 Caroline had been widowed, but was still living at No 6 with Ernest and his 5 siblings, and Ernest's occupation was described as Grave Digger.

Two years later Ernest married Mary Ann BULL in Croydon and children were born to them in 1914 (Ernest James) and 1916 (Mary A).

Ernest enlisted in the Army Service Corps (K Company) on 4 January 1917 in Kingston when his address was still recorded as 6 Bath Road. His occupation at that time was a Packer and the Service No. allocated to him was 26088. A record has also been found of an Ernest J HOOKINS who was entitled to a Victory Medal 1919 and whose Regimental No was T/254810.

In 1923 the couple's 3rd child, Charles, was born, but, on 27 April 1929, Ernest's wife Mary Ann died and was buried in Church Road Cemetery in Merton.

St Mary's Walton-on-Thames

Ernest was left with 2 teenage children and the younger one born only 6 years before, but on 18 October 1930 he re-married, this time to Sarah Mary BROOKER at St Mary's Church Walton-on-Thames. At that time Ernest was a Packer in a Varnishing Works.

The couple had a son, Neville James, who was born on 11 October 1931 but sadly Ernest himself died on 18 August just 3 years later.

Ernest James HOOKINS

Emma Rebecca HOOKINS (Tree 2H)

Another Emma HOOKINS - this one born as Emma Rebecca FROST on 29 June 1872 to parents Robert Benjamin and Charlotte FROST.
She appears in her first Census in 1881 when she was living at 11 St Georges Mews in St Pancras with her parents and 3 younger siblings. By 1891 those siblings were now numbered at 4 and the family were at 5 Erskine Mews, St John in Hampstead.
Emma married George Joseph HOOKINS on 3 August 1896 at St Mary the Virgin Church which is believed to be in Hampstead - the marriage certificate copy I have is not easy to decipher. In May of the following year their first child, Ethel Ada Annie was born in Lonesome, Mitcham with Eva Florence Charlotte joining her 3 years later when born at 3 Rupert Terrace, London  Road in Mitcham.
In the 1901 Census Emma is recorded as Emily and living with her husband and 2 children at 5 Smith Terrace, St Peter & St Paul, Mitcham. Living next door was George's widowed mother and 3 of his siblings.

The 1911 Census brought yet another incorrect name transcription as the family name is recorded as HACKINS but Emma and George are at St Mawes Cottages, Fernlea Road in Mitcham with their 2 daughters and also a cou
ple of boarders.
George died on 3 August 1939 at the age of 70 so the 1939 Register shows Emma living as a widow at 42 Fernlea Road in Mitcham along with the widowed Amelia FROST and a lodger.
Emma was 75 years old when she died on 7 February 1948 and five days later she was buried in the Victoria/London Road Cemetery in Mitcham.

Emma HOOKINS (Tree 4A)

Emma was born between 1852 and 1855. The date is unclear at present due to variant spellings of her surname. She was born in St James Westminster and her father was known to be John CANE and her mother Anne.
In the 1861 Census Emma was aged 6 and was living with her parents and 2 siblings at Noel Street in Westminster. Ten years later in the 1871 Census she is at her parents' home at 31 Stanley Street in St Georges Hanover Square where there were also 3 other siblings + 3 visitors and Emma's own 3 month old daughter, also called Emma. In the same month as the Census took place Emma married William HOOKINS at Eccleston Square Chapel in St Georges Hanover Square where Harriet, one of Emma's sisters was a witness.
At the end of the following year Emma's second daughter, Kate Emmeline, was born at 107 Stanley Street, followed by William Edward who was born there in 1875, Louisa Ann in 1877 and Florence Harriet in 1879.
By the time of the 1881 Census only Louisa was missing from the family as she was with her maternal grandparents at 14 Winch Street. The remainder of her family were together at 57 Motley Street in Battersea and Eliza, one of William's sisters, was also there.
Child No. 6, Walter Sidney, was born at 510 Wandsworth Road in Clapham at the end of that year, followed by Albert Frederick in 1884 at 150 Heath Road, Clapham, but by the time of Daisy Beatrice's birth in 1886 the family had moved to Gillingham in Kent at 9 Duncan Terrace. Ellen Mabel (1888) and Sidney Arthur (1889) were also born in Kent in an area of Gillingham called Brompton. Percy George came along at the beginning of 1891, born in the same house as his sister Daisy was born 5 years previously!
By 1891 the family were at 9 Station Road in Gillingham, although Kate was a servant at 631 Wandsworth Road back in Clapham and young Emma was also in Clapham with her married paternal aunt Louise TOURNER and family.
In the 1901 Census the family is indexed as HOSKINS and were living at the London, Chatham & Dover Railway Station in the High Street in Rochester. Three more of the family were no longer with them. Florence had apparently died in 1898, William had married the following year, and the whereabouts of Louisa is unknown although she does appear in the next Census.
Emma's husband, William, was then to die in 1907 shortly before his 61st birthday and in 1911 the widowed Emma was living at 377 High Street in Rochester with her two youngest, Percy and Sidney, Daisy, the returning Louisa and a servant.
Emma herself died at the age of 70 in 1921 having borne 11 children and moved to countless addresses.

Emma HOOKINS (Tree 2L)

Emma belongs to one of the much smaller Trees in the HOOKINS collection which consists of only 17 people but which has so far resisted attempts to be conclusively joined to another larger Tree.
She was born on 20 May 1840, the daughter of Mark and Sarah PESKETT, and was baptised at St Peter & St Paul Church in Croydon (a venue used for a number of HOOKINS baptisms and burials over the years) on 14 Jun 1840.
At the time of the 1851 Census she was living in West Side, Mitcham with her parents and 5 siblings. By 1861 the family was living on the High Street in Mitcham. Emma's father was there together with Emma's married brother, wife and 2 children. Mother Sarah was not, however, present although Emma's father is not described as a Widower and a quick search of deaths does not show that Sarah had died.
Emma married James HOOKINS on 1 October 1865 at Croydon Parish Church although her first child, Emma Mary, had been born in 1863 as PESKETT. Other children followed: William in 1865 and Mary Ann in 1869 and, by 1871, the whole family were living together at 3 Smiths Place, Mitcham by which time Emma Mary was using the HOOKINS name.
The next 10 years produced 3 more children: Elizabeth in 1873, Louisa Jane in 1875 and James Henry in 1880. By 1881 the family, with the exception of eldest daughter Emma Mary, were living at Crews Alley in Mitcham, and mother Emma was registered partially blind. Unfortunately her youngest son James died later that same year at the age of just 1 year.
By 1891 the remainder of the family had moved to 1 The Terrace in Mitcham but, by 1901, only Elizabeth remains at home. Emma's husband James died in 1904 and in the 1911 Census, Emma, now totally blind, is living with Elizabeth at 1 Grove Road. She is also recorded as having had 7 children so it seems that one had been born and then died between Census returns and is not yet in my records of the family.
Emma died on 28 April 1918 at Grove Road and was buried in the same cemetery as her husband at Church Road in Merton.

Ellen Jane HOOKINS (Tree M)

Ellen Jane is one of those people whom I have had difficulty in keeping a track of. She is elusive in some Census records, has interchanged the usage of her Christian names, and has called herself HOOKINS at one point when she clearly wasn't!
She was born in the September quarter of 1867 at St James, Tregony near Truro and christened in the village church of St Cuby with Tregony. Her father was Reginald Hewis SNELL and her mother Elizabeth. She appears in the 1871 Census where the family name has been recorded as SUELL and surprisingly during her 4 years of life she is shown to be already 6 years old! She is living with her parents and 4 siblings - 1 older and 3 younger - at 46 Fore Street, Tregony. I am however unable to locate the family so far in the 1881 Census.
In the June quarter of 1885 Ellen married Joseph KNOWLES in the St Austell Registration District and by the time of the 1891 Census she is living as Jane with her husband, who was a Tanner, and 2 children - Philip 5 and William H 3. Their address was at Bosillion Road, Grampound. Here she is recorded as being 23 years of age which now coincides with her birth year.
By the time of the next Census 10 years later, Ellen, now called Jane, is recorded as being just 9 years older at 32, has taken the HOOKINS name although not yet married to 43 year old James HOOKINS, and they are living at 1 Willow Plot in Plymouth along with Lucy, aged 6, William, aged 5, James, aged 1 and Helmit, aged 14, who is the William H recorded in the previous Census when she was still with Joseph. Further investigation reveals that Lucy has both the HOOKINS and KNOWLES name against her birth registration, William had been born in Stonehouse in in 1896 (and is sometimes known by his 2nd name Reginald! - Ellen had also signed the birth registration as J HOOKINGS when she registered him as Reginald William!), James Timothy had been born in 1900 at 1 Willow Plot, and Helmit was born as William Elmot KNOWLES in 1888. All of them however are recorded as HOOKINS for the Census. Ellen Jane's other son Philip was with his grandfather at this stage. It also transpires that James and Ellen had another child James who was born in 1898 and died the same year.
The following year on 5th July 1902 she legally became HOOKINS at Devonport Register Office. She was married in the name of KNOWLES although her father's name was erroneously entered as Reginald KNOWLES instead of SNELL!
On 24th October 1903 their first legitimate child, James, was born at 2 Willow Plot, so they must have moved next door as other children, Harry (Henry) and Violet Mabel were subsequently born there in 1905 and 1907 respectively although Violet was sadly due to die the year after her birth in 1908.
In 1911 the Census lists Ellen Jane as Janey and she is living at 1 Cambridge Street, Plymouth with husband James and Henry, John and Philip but later that year Ellen Jane died. This left widower James with Henry (5), Reginald (16), James (11), John (8) and Philip (25). Helmit had already married by 1911 and was again using the KNOWLES surname.
James married again early in 1914 to Elizabeth Ann DWYER whose 42 year old husband had died in 1908. He had been a Plumber in the Royal Navy and, at the time of the 1901 Census they had 4 children aged between 4 and 14. James had been a Private in the Royal Marines and it was quite possible that the 2 families knew each other quite well.
So Ellen/Jane/Janey SNELL/SUELL/KNOWLES/HOOKINGS/HOOKINS was quite a challenge although some issues still remain unresolved as yet.

Eliza HOOKINS (Tree A)

Eliza HOOKINS was my paternal great, great grandmother and was born as Elizabeth SANDY in 1829 to parents William and Mary SANDY. She was baptised in St John the Baptist Church in Pawlett, Somerset.

In the 1841 Census she was living with her parents, one older, and three younger siblings in Pawlett where her father was a Thatcher. Ten years later in 1851 the family was still in Pawlett and Eliza was there with her parents and three younger siblings, two of whom had been born since the previous Census.

In the September quarter of 1854 she married Samuel HOOKINS who also presumably lived in Pawlett as the wedding Banns were read there. It turns out that a child had been born earlier that same year who took Eliza's surname of SANDY. His name was James and he was baptised the following year in the same church as his parents' marriage although his surname is recorded as HOOKINGS.

My great grandfather, William, was born in 1857 followed by Mary Ann in 1858 and Walter in 1859, all in Pawlett, and in the 1861 Census the complete family were together in the same village.

By the 1871 Census Anna Maria (1862), Elizabeth (1863), Fanny (1864), Jesse (1867) and Frederick Edward (1868) had all been born. However tragedy had hit the family before the Census took place as Eliza's husband Samuel died on 13 February 1870 at a time when Eliza was already pregnant with their 10th child. The cause of death for Samuel was from a lung inflammation possibly as a result of his work as a brickyard labourer with the brick dust often affecting the unprotected workforce.
Eliza's 10th child was appropriately named Samuel after her husband and was born later that same year, so in the Census Eliza was living in Pawlett as a widow with 9 of her children, her eldest having left home for work as an indoor servant at a local farm.

In that same Census a Frederick SHUTE was living as a boarder with Eliza CROSSMAN apparently next door to Eliza as it was the previous entry on the Census form. The entry before that was South Farm where Eliza's son James was working so he was in close proximity to the family.

1874 was another black year for Eliza as 3 of her children died - Elizabeth at 11, Frederick at 5, and her husband's namesake and youngest child Samuel at 4. It seems quite likely that next door neighbour Frederick SHUTE was of particular help to Eliza and her family after her husband's death and the loss of her children, because in 1877 they married.

By the time of the 1881 Census Frederick and Eliza were therefore living together with just one of Eliza's surviving children - her youngest Jesse. Walter had moved to a brickworks in South Wales, William had married and sister Fanny was living with him and his wife and Mother-in-Law. Mary appears to have married too.

Puriton Road Cottages, Pawlett

Before the 1891 Census came along, two more children, Fanny and her first-born James had died, leaving Eliza with just 5 of her 10 children living. Frederick SHUTE was then living at Puriton Road, Pawlett next door to William and his family. Eliza's details appear below those of husband Frederick as his wife but unfortunately the Census Enumerator omitted to include her name on the form!! - so of course she will not appear on any Census index!  Their neighbour on the other side was a 46 year old Jesse SANDY and his wife, possibly a younger sibling of Eliza, and the occupants of this row of houses therefore seem to have been related. These houses are still occupied and the HOOKINS family is remembered in one of them in the form of a brick which came form the local brickworks being incorporated in improvements carried out there, as well as a time capsule being buried including the HOOKINS Family Tree.

In 1901 Frederick and Eliza's address is shown as 2 Barton Cottages in Pawlett. The following year Frederick died and was buried in Pawlett Churchyard. At the end of 1903 Eliza also passed away.

Edwin Alfred HOOKINS (Tree D)

Edwin Alfred HOOKINS was the son of John and Charlotte HOOKINS and his mother's biography was listed on the blog in October last year. Edwin was born on 27 February 1863 at 123 Grove Street in Camden Town and was the youngest of the 5 children.
Eight years later in the 1871 Census where he and his family are indexed as HORKINS (!!), he was living at Caroline Place in Pancras with his parents and 2 siblings. One other sibling is thought to have died before Edwin was born.
By 1881 he was at 20 Caroline Street in St Pancras with his parents + his married sister Charlotte and her daughter. His occupation at his stage was a Van Guard.

Bayham Street, Camden Town

In 1885, indexed as HOSKINS, he married Jessie JEFFERY in Pancras and at the beginning of the following year their first child, Jessie Charlotte was born at Bayham Street in Camden Town.

50 Camden Street, Camden Town

Their second child, Edwin John, was born at 36 Preston Street, Kentish Town, followed by Jeffery Charles in 1889 at 50 Camden Street, Camden Town which is situated only one street away from where Jessie Charlotte was born. Edwin Alfred still had the same job as Carman. Unfortunately young Jessie Charlotte, at 4 years of age, was to die the following year.




By 1891 Edwin Alfred was living at 25 Caroline Street, Camden Town with his wife and Edwin and Jeffery and in October of that year John Henry was born at that address, followed by William Carl in September 1895 at 37 Caroline Street, Ellen Elizabeth in 1898 in Camden Town and Harry Frederick in Tottenham in 1900.

31 Elizabeth Road, Tottenham

In the 1901 Census there was an error by the Census Enumerator who, instead of entering the HOOKINS surname on the Census form for the Head of the Household, inserted ditto marks. Consequently the whole of this family was indexed under the name of the next door neighbour listed above them who was MUNN - not the first name you think of when you're trying to find a HOOKINS family!! But indeed Edwin and Jessie were there at 31 Elizabeth Road in Tottenham with all of their 6 surviving children and Edwin was listed as a Bus Horse Keeper.

26 Elizabeth Road, Tottenham

By 1911 all the family had moved down the road to number 26 - they did move around a lot this family! - although John, who would have been 19 by this stage, was not with the family and his whereabouts at that time to date are unknown.
However the family seems to have stayed put after that as Edwin Alfred died there on 28 February 1925. Jessie was to following him in 1932 when she died at the Middlesex Hospital in Tottenham on 31 January.

Edith Anna HOOKINS (Tree 3Q)

Shelton Place, Heavitree, Exeter

Edith Anna HOOKINS was born 18 December 1853 at Shelton Place, Heavitree, Exeter. She was the eldest of five children born to Henry Lethbridge HOOKINS and his wife Mary Ann Brand HOOKINS (formerly COCKERAM).

3 Lower Summerlands, Exeter

By the time of the 1861 Census two other siblings, both brothers, had arrived and the family were living at 3 Lower Summerlands in Exeter.

12 Mont le Grand, Heavitree, Exeter

By 1871 the 17 year old Edith had been without her mother for 2 years as she had died at the age of 40 at 12 Mont le Grand, Heavitree, Exeter where the family were still living and which now in addition included a 10 year old brother and 6 year old sister. They were probably the reason why also at the house was Margaret COCKERAM, the sister of Edith's mother, as the other two brothers were no longer at home.



By 1881 just Edith remained at home with her youngest sister, their father and their aunt. Home was now Belvoir House in Alphington, Exeter and Edith is described as a 25 year old Governess possibly supporting her father who was a Classical Tutor.
By 1891 the family had decamped to London and were living at Loretto House in Hornsey Lane in Islington but had also now been joined by Edith's maternal grandmother Sarah COCKERAM and four teenage students and two servants were also present at the property. Both 30 year old Edith and her 24 year old sister have "School" as their occupation so they were probably involved in some capacity with the running of the establishment as a young governess was also employed to look after the students and she also had the same occupational title. Interestingly the four students had quite widespread birthplaces in Monmouthshire, Yorkshire and two from Devon. Edith's father is recorded as being a Classical and Mathematics Tutor.
In 1899 Edith's father died at Loretto House and it was Edith's responsibility to register his death although she omitted to record his second Christian name.

Christ's Hospital School, West Horsham

I have not yet discovered where Edith was in 1901 but by 1911 she had become a School Matron at Christ's Hospital School in West Horsham which had originally been a school in London (until 1902) and which was the name of the school where one of her brothers had been a pupil when he was absent from the family home in the 1871 Census. Currently the school is rated as excellent by the Independent Schools Inspectorate and gives an impressive impression on its website.

67 Loughborough Park, Brixton

Edith died on 6 February 1932 of bronchial pneumonia at 67 Loughborough Park, Brixton at the age of 80 although her name was recorded as Edith Ann. She s recorded as a Spinster and former School Matron.

Clara Elizabeth HOOKINS (Tree 3Q)

Clara Elizabeth HOOKINS was believed to have been born on 7th January 1849 at 5 Church Row, Hackney to Frederick and Maria HOLLAND, Frederick being a Wheelwright. Her birth was registered as Elizabeth Clara HOLLAND. The 1851 Census shows her still living at Church Row with her parents and 4 older sisters. During the next 10 years 4 more children arrived of whom only 1 was a brother for her and by the time of the 1861 Census 2 children were no longer at home and the remaining family were living at Grand Surrey Docks in Rotherhithe.

St Mary Magdalene Church Southwark

On 13 June 1868 Clara married Henry Adolphus HOOKINS - who was an Accountant - at St Mary Magdalene Church in Southwark.

25 Reverdy Road Bermondsey

On 28th March the following year their first child was born - Clara Emily - at 1 Nile Terrace, Old Kent Road, Camberwell and the family is living there at the time of the 1871 Census although are indexed as HOKIN. Further children were born in 1872 and 1877. Henry Edward arrived on 6 June 1872 at 25 Reverdy Road in Bermondsey and Arthur Ernest on 8 January 1877 at 92 Sumner Road Peckham.



By the time of the 1881 Census the family were still at Sumner Road although the surname is indexed as HOOKENS and Henry is recorded by his second name Edward. Two of Henry (senior's) were also living there. Later that year on 6th July their fourth and last child - Edith Violet was born again at Sumner Road and by 1891 all the family were present at their new address of 23 Castle Street, Black Horse Yard, St Martin-in-the-Fields. Just to add to the fun for future family historians as far as the children are concerned, Clara is listed by her second name Emily, Henry by his second name Edward, and Edith by her second name Violet whilst Arthur somehow clung on to his first name!
By 1901 Henry (as Edward!) had left the family home and is recorded as married with 2 children (although it seems that the marriage did not take place until 1908!!). Clara had married and was living with her husband and 2 children. The remainder of the family were at 31 Northumberland Park in Tottenham.
By 1911 Edith had also got married and just Arthur remained at home with his parents who were now at 172 High Road, Wood Green although the Census records that the 3 other children who had married were all still living at this point.
Clara Elizabeth's husband Henry died in March 2012 at 172 High Road followed by Clara herself 2 years later on 20th September 1914 at the same place.

Charlotte HOOKINS (Tree D)

Charlotte was the daughter of Robert Hammond BAKER and Charlotte WHITEHEAD. She was baptised on 28th May 1826 in Mitcham and her parents seem to have married on the same date in the following year in Wimbledon.

 Charlotte married John HOOKINS on 6th October 1844 in St Marylebone Parish Church.




Their first child, Charlotte was born in August of the following year at 5 George Street, Kentish Town followed by Ann in April 1848 at 34 Ferdinand Street, Hampstead Road, Kentish Town. By the time of the 1851 Census the family were living at 23 Caroline Street, Camden Town.
Two years later in 1853 John Henry was born at 26 Goldington Street, Somers Town which was situated it seems adjacent to Kings Cross Station which had only been built a year or two before. Their next child Edward Richard was also born there in September 1857 but seems to have died the following year.
So in 1861 the remaining family, with the exception of daughter Charlotte, were living at 123 Grove Street, St Pancras, just a stone's throw from the River Thames. John and Charlotte's youngest child Edwin Alfred was born in February 1863 at 123 Grove Street and by the time of the 1871 Census daughter Charlotte is also back home with the family, which is now at Caroline Street, although by then Ann was living elsewhere.
By 1881 John and Charlotte were at 20 Caroline Street although Edwin is the only child at home now. Also with them is their grandson Herbert SCOTT, the son of daughter Charlotte, who had married William SCOTT at All Saints Camden in October 1876.
By 1891 John and Charlotte had moved up the road to 37 Caroline Street. Daughter Charlotte is with them with 2 of her children and John's sister Helen is also resident there. Their presence could have been through mother Charlotte's declining health as she died at 37 Caroline Street on 21st April 1893 aged 67 years. One of the causes of death was a dilated heart. The informant at death was her daughter-in-law Jessie who had married Edwin in 1885 and whose address was also declared as 37 Caroline Street although by 1891 they were living at No. 25.
After Charlotte's death, her husband John lasted only 8 months, as he died on 9th December that same year aged 71.

Charlotte HOOKINS (Tree M)

Charlotte was a daughter of George and Mary FARMER and although apparently born in Kings Brompton in 1830 or 1831 she was baptised 4 or 5 miles away in Upton on 18 Sep 1831. Ages provided in Census returns indicate a possible birth year from 1830-34 but the baptism narrows it down to one of the 2 years mentioned.
10 years later she was living with her parents and 4 siblings at Withy Outlet Cottage in Upton so perhaps it was necessary to move after Charlotte's birth. By 1851 Charlotte was living as a lodger at the home of Sarah HEARD and family at Ridge Cottage, Brompton Regis and her future husband William was also lodging there as HOOKINGS.

Charlotte and William (again as HOOKINGS) were married at the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish Church of Brompton Regis with William's occupation being described as Farm Labourer.







Their first child, Mary was born at the beginning of the following year in the Williton Registration District, followed by Samuel who was born on Christmas Day in the same year. Then came Elizabeth in 1855, Harriet in 1859 and all 4 were baptised in the church at Brompton Regis and all recorded as HOOKINGS. In the 1861 Census the whole family were living at Great Smallmoor in Kings Brompton.
Further children were born, all baptised as HOOKINGS, - Ellen in 1863, although she died the following year, Lucy in 1865, John in 1867, and Rosa in 1870.
In 1871 most surviving children were living with their parents at Smallmoor, which is described as being in Bury near Dulverton and just south of Brompton Regis. The exceptions were Samuel who was living elsewhere as an Indoor Farm Servant and Elizabeth was elsewhere as a Servant.
The next decade saw the births of Henry in 1873 and Frederick John in 1875. There is however a mystery about Frederick as no birth record nor baptism record can be found for him. A record has been found of Henry's and Frederick's school admission in 1879 where William's name is given as father of both and Frederick's birth has been recorded as 19 December in 1875. Henry's name appears above Frederick's in the register but his birth date has been changed from 31 October 1873 (which would fall in line with the quarterly birth index) to read 29 Oct 1875 (just 2 months before Frederick's birth!!) A further twist occurs later in the 1891 Census where Frederick's link to William is stated to be "grandson"!!! so that leads our thinking down another path although no birth entry of a Frederick could be found locally with any surname to identify his parentage.
In the 1881 Census the family are at last called HOOKINS and just 4 children remain at home. By this time both Samuel and Elizabeth had married and moved away from the family home and Lucy was living elsewhere as a General Servant. Lucy's future husband, William COWLIN, was however living with the HOOKINS family.
By 1891 only Henry and Frederick (as grandson) were living with their parents who were now at Somerset Terrace, Treborough.
Evidently Lucy and her new husband moved to South Wales as they are found with their family at 21 Machen View in Risca in the 1901 Census. Charlotte is with them as a widow and as William died there in 1900, with his son-in-law registering the death, presumably he and Charlotte moved to Wales along with their daughter and family.
However tragedy seems to have struck the family with Lucy dying in 1903 and with her we seem to lose sight of Charlotte too because no death has been found for her as yet nor her presence with her daughter's family in the 1911 Census or anywhere else for that matter. So another mystery which needs solving at some point!

Charlotte HOOKINS (Tree 3Q)

Charlotte was born on 17 December 1821 at London City Road, St Lukes, Middlesex, a daughter of Charles and Ann SKINNER and at the time of her birth her father was recorded as a Bricklayer. She was not baptised until 11 July 1827 which was at the same time as her brother Charles at St Leonard's Southwark.

St Mary's Church Lambeth

Charlotte married William HOOKINS on 13 June 1841 and by the time of the Census taken in the same year the couple were living at Charlotte's parent's home at Galway Street, St Lukes in Finsbury. Also living at the property at that time were Charlotte's siblings - Sarah who was 2 years older than Charlotte, Charles who was 4 years younger, James 11 years younger and Jane 13 years younger. However Charlotte's mother was not present at this Census and could be the Ann SKINNER who died in the September quarter of 1839 in St Lukes.








In April 1842 the couple's first child, Ann, was born, possibly named after Charlotte's mother. At that time Charlotte and William were living at 57 Allerton Street, Hoxton New Town. Their second child, William, followed a year later when they were living at 218 White Cross Street, St Lukes. Two years later child number 3, Charles, arrived when they were at 2 Fountain Court, St Clement Danes.

154 Strand

1849 was a year of both joy and great sadness for the family. They were living at 154 Strand, St Mary le Strand in London which was only a few doors from Somerset House. In the March quarter the couple's fourth child, Charlotte, was born but later in the year all 3 previous children died - Ann had scarlet fever and William Phthisis. Worse was to follow when their remaining child Charlotte died in the early part of 1850 of pneumonia.



Later in 1850 child number 5, Robert, came along and in the Census which took place the following year William and Charlotte were living at Vine Street, Lambeth with their son.

In Jun 1852 the sixth child, Elizabeth Ann was born at 53 New Gloucester Street, Hoxton New Town, followed by Henry George in East London in 1854 although he died of pneumonia and measles in 1855. Charles was born in July 1856 when the family were at 7 Primrose Street, Bishopsgate although he too died a year later when they were at 55 Moneyer Street in Hoxton New Town.

Child number nine, Alfred, was born in January 1859 in Hoxton New Town and by the 1861 Census William and Charlotte were living at 55 Moneyer Street with the 3 children remaining from the 9 births since 1842. But tragedy had not yet completely left the family as the youngest child, Alfred, died in 1863.

William and Charlotte were then able to hopefully enjoy several years with their 2 remaining children, but in 1869, when the couple were in their late forties, William then died and by 1871 Charlotte had moved to Primrose Street, Newington and was with her 2 children together with a 2 year old visitor called Rose HYNDE.

By 1881 Charlotte had moved out of London and was living with her married daughter Elizabeth, Elizabeth's husband and their son at 52 Coventry Road, Warwick St Nicholas. Charlotte's remaining child, Robert, had however remained in London although he too had died by 1886, leaving Charlotte with just one of her nine children surviving. Charlotte remained with Elizabeth and her family as they moved by 1891 to 4 Church Street, Warwick and by 1901 to 10 Alexander Terrace, Black Boy Road in Exeter by which time Elizabeth had 4 children.

Charlotte died at Alexander Terrace on 21 Nov 1905 of senile decay and chronic bronchial catarrh at the age of 83. What a difficult life but I hope that the last 20 odd years spent with her daughter's growing family would have been some comfort after the constant decimation of her own family.

Charles Lethbridge HOOKINS (Tree 3Q)

3 Lower Summerlands Exeter

Charles Lethbridge HOOKINS was the fourth of five children born to Henry Lethbridge HOOKINS and Mary Ann Brand HOOKINS (formerly COCKERAM). He was born on 19th January 1861 at 3 Lower Summerlands Place, Exeter although when his mother registered the birth about 6 weeks later the second Christian name was not included so perhaps this was added at his baptism which I have not yet discovered. Later that year the 1861 Census took place and Charles is living at 3 Lower Summerlands Place with his parents and 2 siblings. Before Charles' birth one brother had already died in infancy.

12 Mont le Grand Exeter

In 1868 tragedy hit the family as, after suffering for a period of 2 years with phthisis, Charles' mother died at the age of 40 leaving Henry with 4 children aged between 4 and 15. She died at 12 Mont le Grand, Exeter where Henry was still living with 3 of his children including Charles in the 1881 Census. Henry's wife's sister was also at the property having presumably stepped in to care for the family.



By 1881 the family was living at Belvoir House, Alphington, Exeter although Charles was no longer living at home. He was found living at 92 Sumner Road, Camberwell with the family of Henry HOOKINS (indexed as HOOKENS) who is stated to be Charles' brother but is in fact his cousin. Charles' brother Arthur is also there, again classed as a brother to Henry, and both Arthur and Charles are working as Clerks at a Printer's.

All Saints Hatcham

48 Hatcham Park Road Lewisham

On 26th October 1889 Charles married Amelia SWEET at All Saints Hatcham in London. Prior to their marriage Charles' address is stated to have been 48 Hatcham Park Road, Lewisham and by this time he worked as a book-keeper.

43 Hunsdon Road Greenwich

By 1891 the couple were living at 43 Hunsdon Road Greenwich and Charles was employed as a Commerce Clerk. Unfortunately the marriage ended in divorce on 26th October 1896 following frequent abuse by Charles towards his wife both verbally and physically as well as leaving Amelia without money. In additional he seems to have committed adultery with a certain woman "at divers places" in 1894.

98 Gordon Road Peckham

Charles died on 19th March 1901 at 98 Gordon Road, Peckham when he was the Assistant Secretary of a Public Company. Interestingly the informant at his death registration is stated to be his brother-in-law who had the same surname as the woman with whom he committed adultery although there appears to be no record of a marriage!

Charles HOOKINS (Tree 3Q)

Holy Trinity Church Exeter

Charles HOOKINS was one of 8 children born to John HOOKINS and his wife Ann (nee SOUTHEY). Charles was christened at Holy Trinity Exeter along with a brother, Robert, and a sister Frances. Robert was older than Charles by 2 years and Frances by 3 years. The church ceased to be a place of worship in the mid 1900s.
Charles' father was a schoolmaster which was the profession Charles himself would eventually take up but most of his career happened far from his native home.

Elm House, Brockley, Somerset

In the 1841 Census the family is recorded as HOSKINS. They were living in what appeared to be rather grand surroundings in Elm House, Brockley and 6 of the children were present. The two remaining sisters Fanny (Frances) and Lucy were pupils at a school in Yatton being recorded as living there as HOOKINGS.
Charles' father John was however to die in 1848 from heart disease at the age of 41.







By 1851 Charles' mother is living in Westbury on Trym as an Annuitant with two of her children and three of her sisters each of whom are living on their investments and they are able to employ a ladies' maid. But Charles is not with them as he has presumably emigrated to Australia in the interim period. On 29 October 1854 he marries Martha Ann MOORE at St Laurence C of E Church in Sydney. At about the same time he begins his Australian teaching career in the village of Berkeley near Wollongong before later moving on to Wollongong itself and subsequently to Albany.

Example of Emu Casket

By 1872 Charles is the headmaster at Albury Model Public School and later he moves on to become an Inspector of Schools , a post which he occupied for 10 years. In 1893 he was given a complimentary picnic by teachers and friends to mark his retirement. 120 people boarded "Dayspring" at Circular Bay in Sydney and enjoyed visits to various points of interest. Charles was presented with a gold watch suitably inscribed and Martha with a fully chased emu casket.

In 1894, 18 months after his retirement Charles died in Parramatta at his home which he had named "Brockley" after his childhood home. His obituary stated that he was one who had made thousands of friends young and old throughout the district and whose genial face would be missed very much by those who had the privilege of close acquaintanceship with him. It also indicated that he had to retire from his position as Inspector of Schools due to ill health in the form of an enlargement of the liver. His health was reasoned to have been seriously affected by considerable losses he had sustained financially especially concerning Abigail's Bank.

Charles HOOKINS (Tree A)

Brompton Ralph Parish Church

Charles HOOKINS was the last of 13 children born to William HOOKINS and his wife Anne (nee KNOWLES).

Brompton Ralph Parish Church interior

He was baptised in Brompton Ralph Parish Church on 4th Jan 1818 at which time his father and mother were aged 52 and 45 respectively.






In the 1841 Census Charles was living as HOOKINGS as a Servant in Kittisford, Wellington, Somerset with the family of John CAPE.
On 20th June that year he married Charlotte PALMER, again in the name of HOOKINGS, at Wilton Parish Church in Taunton. Their first son was born just 3 months later in Langford Budville but unfortunately died in 1843. 3 more children were born in Langford Budville before the next Census in 1851, 2 of which were registered in the HOOKINGS name, but again 1 of the children died when only 1 year old.
So by the time of the 1851 Census Charles and Charlotte were still living in Langford Budville, which was Charlotte's birthplace, with 2 of their surviving children. By the 1861 Census a further 3 children had been born and 4 of the 5 surviving children were with them at Heathfield Cottage, Langford Budville. The family name is again recorded as HOOKINGS and Charles is said to be an Agricultural Labourer.
The HOOKINGS name is maintained in the 1871 Census when Charles and Charlotte are living at Harpsford Cottage, Langford Budville with their youngest daughter Maria. In both the 1881 and 1891 Censuses husband and wife are living together but with none of their children now with them at Rockwell Green near Wellington. Charles died there on 23rd April 1895 aged 73 and Charlotte appears to have died in 1906 aged 81 and still being recorded in the HOOKINGS name.

Catherine (or Caroline) HOOKINS Tree A

Some people are difficult to follow in Family History because their names change. Sometimes this is because of bad handwriting in records or because the transcribers have made an error. So you get mis-spellings of names (and our surname bears particular evidence of that!). Also because of the problems of illiteracy in the earlier days of records sometimes details are mis-heard and entered incorrectly unknown to the provider of the information as they were unable to verify it in its written form.

Brompton Ralph Parish Church

Catherine SLADE married James HOOKINS a Shoemaker, on 12 April 1860 at the Parish Church in Brompton Ralph and the marriage was witnessed by a John SLADE (who could be an older brother of Caatherine) and Jane HOOKINS who presumably is James' younger sister of that name.

Brompton Ralph Parish Church

However Catherine seems to have been born as Caroline SLADE in 1839 in Elworthy, Somerset and the 1841 Census informs us that she is the daughter of James SLADE, a carpenter, and his wife Sophia where she is living at Cross Gate in Elworthy with her parents and 5 siblings, one of whom is 5 year old Charles. Caroline is the youngest at 1 as is detailed as "Carline".
By 1851 Catherine, as she was now, was living with just her brother Charles in Brompton Ralph. Charles appears to be only 14 (although Census transcribers have recorded it as 44!) and is a Gatekeeper but is also recorded as the Head of this "family unit". Catherine's mother, now it seems aged 53, is living at Bicknoller with John SLADE and his family, and presumably he is the brother present at Catherine's marriage.
By 1861, now married, James and Catherine are living in Brompton Ralph with their 1 year old daughter Louisa (later found to be Mary Louisa!!). 10 years later they are living at Parks, Brompton Ralph. Catherine is now described as a Dressmaker and she and James have added Adelaide Caroline to their family. Sadly in addition they had also had a son Francis James who was born in February 1870 but died 8 months later.
In the 1881 Census their address is described as Parks Cottage. Catherine remains as a Dressmaker and she and James have now added Mabel to their family who is living with them and her elder sister Adelaide. Mary Louisa is by this time a Servant in Williton.
Catherine changes to Caroline for the 1891 Census, still a Dressmaker and still at Park Cottage with James and the 2 remaining youngest children. She is still Caroline when they appear in the 1901 Census a short distance away from Parks Cottage as James is now not only a Shoemaker but also the Innkeeper at The Carpenter's Arms. With James and Caroline is their married daughter, now Mary Louisa WILLIAMS, and there is also a Servant living with them.

177 Hambrough Road Southall

A year later James died aged 69 and was buried in Brompton Ralph churchyard beside the church it which they had married 43 years before. So by the time of the 1911 Census Caroline was living with her married daughter, now Mabel Annie COPPEN at 177 Hambrough Road, Southall. Mabel was an Assistant to a Professor of Chemistry at Imperial College of Science & Technology.



                                                         
Catherine seems to have continued to live in London because this is where she died, recorded as Caroline, in 1924 in Uxbridge.