Henry James HOOKINS was born on 1st October 1893 in the village of Pawlett, which is just north of Bridgwater on the A38. He was the 9th of 11 children born to William HOOKINS and his wife Susan (nee MASONS) - my great grandparents - and he was baptised at the local church on 29 Oct 1893.
Thereafter his first appearance in official documentation is the 1901 Census when he was living at the family home of 3 Common Cottages in Pawlett with his parents + 5 siblings as 2 siblings had already died, my grandfather was living with the family of his mother's sister in Huntspill, and 2 other siblings were working and living elsewhere.
By 1911 Henry was lodging at Prospect Cottage in North Petherton at the home of Arthur J BROWN and family, working locally as an Assistant Milkman and Groom.
He enlisted in the Army on 20th October 1914 and served in the 6th Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment No. 40220.
He was shot in his left arm whilst serving in France and was discharged due to his wounds on 29 May 1917. He was evacuated from France on HMS Asturias.
HMS Asturias
A letter to his mother indicates that he was transferred to the 3rd Western General Hospital in Newport Monmouthshire. He also perhaps later served with 2nd Battalion of 1st Regiment of Gloucestershire Hussars No 2580.
Henry married Naomi Agnes Constance KING in 1920 at St John's Church in Bridgwater.
St John's Church Bridgwater
Henry James HOOKINS & Naomi Agnes Constance KING Wedding
Their only son William Ewart was born in July of the following year at Edward Street in Bridgwater.
The next public record is the 1939 Register where we find Henry and Naomi living at the home of Naomi's parents at 16 Edward Street Bridgwater. There is also a hidden entry which probably relates to son William as he is not found anywhere else and children's names were often blanked out. At this stage Henry was described as a Clay Tempurer at a Brick and Tile works.
Brickworkers - Henry thought to be seated right
Sadly a few years later in 1943 Naomi passed away whilst in hospital in Weston-super-Mare.
Henry was to marry again in 1947 to Gwendoline GILLINGHAM (where he is indexed as HOSKINS) and they had 1 son together.
Henry died on 27th December 1977 in Bristol.
