By the time of the first recorded Census in 1841 Henry had already been married for over 7 years. His bride was Maria SNOOK and their marriage took place on 9 October 1833 at the same church in which Henry had been baptised 29 years earlier.
Before that Census 4 children had been born to the couple. Anne was baptised on 3 March 1834 at Brompton Ralph as was her brother James on 9 October 1836 ( a third anniversary gift!). After this the family appear to have moved to Crowcombe as son William was baptised there on 17 March 1838 about a month after his birth, and George's baptism followed on 28 March 1841 just 23 days after his birth. The whole family were together at Leigh in Crowcombe for the 1841 Census which took place in June.
Their next child Charles was born on 2 September 1843 and baptised at the beginning of October at Crowcombe. Sadly, however, their eldest child Anne unfortunately died accidentally when she was just 10 years old in 1844. The death record is difficult to decipher but seems to read "accidentally burnt".
Then came Ann in 1846, named no doubt after the daughter they had lost just 2 years before, and John was born in 1849 and baptised at Crowcombe on 5 August.So by 1851 all the remaining children were living at Crowcombe with their parents. The following year they welcomed twins Mary and Sarah although Mary was to die one year later. Thomas then came in 1855 but again tragedy struck as Charles died before his 14th birthday.
By 1861 the HOOKINS family were spreading their wings as sons William and James had emigrated to Australia, and as George is not recorded in that Census, he must also have gone at some point because he married there in 1862 and he died there in 1930. John was also not with the family as he was a Workboy at a nearby farm.
In 1863 daughter Ann at the age of 17 had an illegitimate child Charles and by the time of the 1871 Census Charles was the only person remaining at the family home with Henry and Maria because his mother appears to be working as a Cook in Westbury on Trym, his Aunt Sarah was a servant in Lydeard St Lawrence, and Uncle Thomas an Indoor Servant at Kilton. His Uncle John has not yet been found in 1871.
By 1881 Henry and Maria's daughter Mary, who had been working as a Servant in Taunton 10 years before, was now back in the family home with her elderly parents. They could both have been suffering from declining health as Henry was to die in 1885 followed by Maria in 1889. Both were buried in the Churchyard at Crowcombe.
