Genealogy Chat

Hi, Everyone seems really helpful on her, I wondered if anyone has any ideas. I have come to the end with my G Grandfather James Hawkins born 14/12/1870 died 17/11/1947. His father was Henry Andrew Hawkins an Engine Driver. I was told that he was born in Strood Kent. I know he married Rosa Twyman in 1917 but that is all I can find. I have his grave photo in Sheffield and his marriage cert I can't find him on any census and no IGI for him. Can anyone shead any light on this puzzle. many many thanks Zoe :)

Hi Zoe - The first thing would be to check the birth indexes and find his birth - which may or may not be in Kent!! Once you have his birth certificate (and since you already have his fathers name and occupation it will be a double check that you have the right certificate) his mothers name, place of birth etc you will have more to work with. It is also possible that he was married before his marriage to Rosa - 47 was quite late to marry. Victoria

Hi Victoria, I have ordered all certs for dec 1870 and march 1871 in case they were late registering him anywhere in England. They al came back wrong. It say he was a bachelor does this mean he was never married or could he have been divorced. Thanks for your help Zoe

Hi Suzanne, I can't find any ref to James ever being born never mind with his father Henry so any ideas you have would be great. Thanks in advance Zoe

Hi Zoe Can I ask where you got his date of birth from (was it on his death cert?) Suzanne

Batchelor SHOULD mean he hadn't been married before - but one can never be sure!! It is possible he wasn't registered so it would be a matter of having to check the parish records - starting with Stroud, since this is where you were told he was born and working out. Mind you, I know of someone who, when she applied for a copy of her 17 year old son's birth certificate found they had been celebrating his birthday, not just on the wrong day - but the wrong month!!! And that was in the 1980/90s, when these things matter. A hundred years and more ago..... Pity James doesn't have a second given name. Have you found a death for Henry Andrew? Is it possible he left a will? Victoria

Hi Suzanne, On his grave 17/11/1947 is says died aged 77 and his marriage cert says 1917 aged 47 and my nan has a birthday book which says 'my beloved father James Hawkins 14/12/1870 - 17/11/1947' It all ads up apart from he can't be found. Zoe

No sorry can't find a death for Henry Andrew Hawkins either. This is driving me mad. Thanks again everyone Zoe

Zoe James Henry J barnstaple 5b 488 March 1871 1871 census Elizabeth Hawkins abt 1841 Barnstaple, Devon, England Wife Barnstaple Devon Henry S Hawkins abt 1848 Barnstaple, Devon, England Head Barnstaple Devon James H J Hawkins abt 1871 Barnstaple, Devon, England Son Barnstaple Devon Dad is a printer but this may have changed later Sue

Three James Hawkins born c1869 with father Henry: 1881: 121 & 123 Hoxton St, Shoreditch, London, England >>>Hy. Hawkins abt 1834 Shoreditch, Middlesex, England Head Mary Ann Hawkins abt 1837 Shoreditch, Middlesex, England Wife Mary Ann Hawkins abt 1858 Shoreditch, Middlesex, England Daughter Eliza Hawkins abt 1860 Shoreditch, Middlesex, England Daughter Thomas Hawkins abt 1863 Shoreditch, Middlesex, England Son Annie Hawkins abt 1865 Shoreditch, Middlesex, England Daughter Rosina Hawkins abt 1867 Shoreditch, Middlesex, England Daughter >>>James Hawkins abt 1869 Shoreditch, Middlesex, England Son Harriet Hawkins abt 1870 Shoreditch, Middlesex, England Daughter Arthur Hawkins abt 1873 Shoreditch, Middlesex, England Son Ernest Hawkins abt 1875 Shoreditch, Middlesex, England Son 3 Hope Avenue (Lower Ham Rd), Kingston On Thames, Surrey, England >>>Henry Hawkins abt 1845 Deptford, Kent, England Head Eliza Hawkins abt 1846 Newbury, Berkshire, England Wife Henry Hawkins abt 1865 Abbington, Berkshire, England Son >>>James Hawkins abt 1869 Windsor, Berkshire, England Son Elizh. Hawkins abt 1871 Kingston, Surrey, England Daughter Caroline Hawkins abt 1873 Kingston, Surrey, England Daughter Kate Hawkins abt 1876 Kingston, Surrey, England Daughter George Hawkins abt 1878 Kingston, Surrey, England Son Eliza Hawkins abt 1880 Kingston, Surrey, England Daughter Jane Hawkins abt 1880 Kingston, Surrey, England Daughter 8 Brunswick Rd, Bromley St Leonard, London, England >>>Henry Hawkins abt 1843 Berkshire, England Head Sarah Hawkins abt 1851 Millwall, Middlesex, England Wife Sarah Hawkins abt 1862 Millwall, Middlesex, England Daughter Rosina Hawkins abt 1866 Millwall, Middlesex, England Daughter Henry Hawkins abt 1868 Poplar, Middlesex, England Son >>>James Hawkins abt 1872 Bromley, Middlesex, England Son Frederick Hawkins abt 1875 Bromley, Middlesex, England Son Emily Hawkins abt 1881 Bromley, Middlesex, England Daughter Thought it was worth a shot! Suzanne

You might try wading through the Medway CityArk images - Parish Registers (i.e. Christenings, not births; Marriages; Burials, not deaths): Strood, St. Francis of Assisi baptisms 1941-1967 (P150E) (in progress) Strood, St. Mary the Virgin baptisms 1869-1993 and marriages 1869-1955 (P150D) Strood, St. Nicholas of Myra CMB 1565-1977 (P150B) If you decided to do so and have any trouble (the site isn't always user-friendly), I can paste up a doc of how-to-use that I devised a while ago. Christine

Zoe This is a toughie, isn't it! The first thought that hit my nasty suspicious mind is that maybe James was illegitimate, in which case he might have been registered with a different name, or alternatively, invented 'Henry' as a father for respectability on his marriage cert. Its possible he was born with another surname and his mother later married a Henry Hawkins, so James' dad is really a stepdad. But if you can't find him on the census to get a birthplace, and with relatively common first and second names this is a difficult one to crack. nell

Hi Guys, Yeah this is a tough one, thanks for all your replies it keeps me hoping something with pop up. The 3 James found born 1869 might be worth following on the census years so I will do that. Probably done it already I have searched for this man for a few years now. The one from Middlesex looks ok though as he was one of 4 boys. Any other ideas would be much appreciated too. Thanks again Zoe :)