From Transcripts of Parish registers of St Giles Church, Willenhall by P. Galloway found on:
http://www.wolverhamptonarchives.dial.pipex.com/stgiles.htm
Notes from Alison Francis::
In 1858, Solomon and his family camped in Learmonth, near Ballaarat (as it was then spelt) whilst waiting for
their house to be built. It was not long afterwards that Learmonth was surveyed and they discovered they were
living in the cemetery. Caroline was born there. How many people can say they were born in a cemetery?
The following incident, as recorded by The Ballarat Star on 5 Apr 1861 occurred:
"BULLOCKS KILLED BY LIGHTNING. - On Wednesday evening, at half-past 5 o'clock, during a heavy
thunderstorm, four bullocks, the property of William Hunter and Thos. Banfield, carriers on the road, were
struck dead by lightning, and a fifth bullock was so much injured as to be rendered unfit for further work. The
bullocks had just been unyoked, and were at the time of the catastrophe feeding on the reserve between the
township and the lake, close to the house of Mr. Solomon Hawker. The effect of the shock was felt in Mr.
Hawker's residence, where a boy was knocked down, also a woman in an adjoining tent. From an inspection
of the locality a few minutes afterwards, it appeared that the electrical fluid had cut up the ground ‘where the
bullocks fell in a remarkable manner,' some five or six deep furrows, each from 2ft. to 4ft. long, being visible
between the carcases of the bullocks, which all lay within 3ft. of each other. A subscription to assist the
carriers to replace their bullocks was speedily commenced, the loss being a very heavy one to them."
Solomon and Caroline followed their sons to Nathalia, it is thought in the 1890's.
More About Solomon Francis Hawker:
Arrived Australia: Jan 1857, On board vessel "Appleton"
Cause of Death: heat apoplexy
Medical Information: Died at his son Harry's (David) residence.
Occupation: Bef. 1857, Stonemason
Residence: 1851, Bishops Cleeve, Gloucestershire, England10
Notes from Alison Francis:
Arrived Australia: Jan 1857, On board vessel "Appleton"
Baptism: 23 Dec 1821, St. Sampson, Cricklade, Wiltshire, England
Residence: 1851, Bishops Cleeve, Gloucestershire, England
Named in Sarah Haddon's will (nee Sarah Lockley). See information on Sarah Lockley.
Information provided by Cynthia Bean (nee Hawker) on 13 March 2002 by email to Graham George Hawker
"Acouple of amendments and additions if you want them.
William Hawker (b17.01.1849) Miles Simmons married Sarah ?Unknown.
Miles died before Emma married William Hawker.
Sarah Simmons married John Jones.George Hawker bapt. 6 October 1823. Taken from the Church Register Glos.RO
Hannah James (George's wife) bapt. 16 April 1824. From IGI and supplied by Joss White a
descent of John James.George and Hannah married 23 Dec. 1844. Have a copy of the marriage certificate.
George Lane - Miner - married Charlotte Sterry at Holy Trinity Drybrook on 28.01.1872. Both
resided at Bilson, Glos. George's Father was John Lane (deceased) Labourer. Charlotte's
Father John Sterry - labourer.
Have a copy of the marriage certificate.George Lane died 19 September 1883, aged 42 of Apoplesy Paralysis. Occ. Coalminer
Made one or two other discoveries, but haven't checked them out yet. Such as Hannah
Hawker re-married when she was in her mid-60's. "
Information sent by email from Cynthia Bean to Graham George Hawker on 13 March 2002:
"Acouple of amendments and additions if you want them.
William Hawker (b17.01.1849) Miles Simmons married Sarah ?Unknown.
Miles died before Emma married William Hawker.
Sarah Simmons married John Jones.George Hawker bapt. 6 October 1823. Taken from the Church Register Glos.RO
Hannah James (George's wife) bapt. 16 April 1824. From IGI and supplied by Joss White a
descent of John James.George and Hannah married 23 Dec. 1844. Have a copy of the marriage certificate.
George Lane - Miner - married Charlotte Sterry at Holy Trinity Drybrook on 28.01.1872. Both
resided at Bilson, Glos. George's Father was John Lane (deceased) Labourer. Charlotte's
Father John Sterry - labourer.
Have a copy of the marriage certificate.George Lane died 19 September 1883, aged 42 of Apoplesy Paralysis. Occ. Coalminer
Made one or two other discoveries, but haven't checked them out yet. Such as Hannah
Hawker re-married when she was in her mid-60's. "
Cynthia Bean states that "William Hawker born the 17 January, 1849 at 9 Sherborne Place, Cheltenham. I have a copy of his birth certificate, now.. Parents: George Hawker -Groom- Mother Hannah Hawker, formerly James.
On the copy of the 1851 Census, supplied by the Gloucestershire F.H.S William age 2 was
living at 1 Oriel Place, Cheltenham. On the 1871 Census - copy supplied by Gloucester City
library - William an iron miner - was living with his parents, brother and sister a 9 The Plump,
(Mitcheldean) East Dean. By the 1881 Census he was married to Sarah Preece, and they had
2 children. I am waiting for a reply from the Records Office, hopefully with the marriage date of
Sarah and William. "Received an email from Cynthia Bean on 13 February 2002 as follows:
"This morning I received the marriage lines of William Hawker and Sarah Priest - that is the way
it is spelt on the Certificate. (Preece on Amos's birth certificate). They were married on 28
September 1876 at The Parish Church of St. Mark, Gloucester. William is shown as a
Widower, and Miner. Sarah a Spinster. Their address was New Street, but........I have
discovered two St. Mark's in Gloucester. One in Church Road, West Cheltenham and one at
Kingsholm, Gloucester.Now I look for William's first marriage. I wonder if the Rhoda Hawker who appears on the
1881 Census was his child? Living with the Jones/Simmons family. "Dwelling:
Census Place: (Westbury On Severn) East Dean, Gloucester, England
Source: FHL Film 1341609 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 2524 Folio 15 Page 4
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
John JONES M 36 M Eastdean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Head
Occ: Iron Stone Miner
Sarah JONES M 47 F Eastdean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Wife
Daniel SIMMONS U 18 M Eastdean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Wife Son
Occ: Coal Miner
Lucy S. SIMMONS U 21 F Eastdean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Domestic Servant
Moses SIMMONS U 16 M Eastdean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Iron Miner
Rhoda HAWKER U 8 F Eastdean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Grand Daur
Occ: Scholar
Emma JONES U 4 F Eastdean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Daur
Occ: ScholarThe GRO index shows a William Hawker marrying an Emma Simmons in Westbury on Severn in the September Quarter of 1871, reference 6a 405.
An email from Cynthia Bean to Graham Hawker on 24 February 2002 states:
"A second certificate for William Hawker. Age 23 , a miner (Iron mine) he married Emma
Simmons, age 19 in the Register Office, on 21 August 1871.That came as a suprise, as few did that in the 1800's. His parents were Geroge and Hannah
Hawker. Hers were Miles Simmons (deceased) and Sarah Jones. I don't know when Miles
died or Sarah remarried.William and Emma had a daughter in the Dec. Qtr of 1872. I presume, that was when Emma
died. Rhoda Emma was brought up by the Simmons family (as on the 1881 Census) Haven't
yet been able to find a copy of the 1891. Rhoda also was married in 1893, but again I don't
know who to."
Baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Drybrook, Gloucestershire.
(Source Cynthia Hawker Bean, Hawker family genealogy forum, genealogy.com, 14MAR2002
Information from Cynthia Bean
| © 2019 Graham G Hawker | Privacy Policy |