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For Marie Celeste:
Thanks. If you've read my responses to Reggie you'll know some of the stuff I've managed to garner. I have an instinctive feeling that Jas Hen had something to hide - maybe a bit melodramatic but.... From the arithmetic it suggests that he left Vic shortly after the birth of his 13th child and headed for the NSW gold fields never to return Malmsbury. Interestingly, it also seems that Rosanna remarried before James's demise. One source in Oz suggested that he may have been a transportee and invented his back story - not uncommon obviously. It would be interesting to know whether he continued to dodge about with his birthplace in subsequent official doc's. Does your nom-de-plume suggest that you are stalled in a windless sea?

Incidentally, just to add to the muddy mix: on Kez's marriage cert her dad is recorded as JAMES POPE. I'd love to have sight of the Ashill and/or Winship, Som parish records too.

Thanks Reggie,
Perhaps I should go deeper in my Kez/Jas scenario. To begin at the end: I'm researching Harry and have been for several years. I have received a great deal of data from the Australian end but how, when and why his grandad arrived in Oz is shrouded in mystery. I have his (James Henry Hawker) marriage cert., I also have the birth cert of his son George. On one, James Henry Hawker gave his birthplace as "Devonshire" on another as "Cornwall". I have the Death cert of James Henry Hawker: Forbes Hosp 1894. "20 years in the Colony of NSW" "married but details unknown" Age 57 yrs. It all sorta ties in BUT....
Kezia had a 'base' child, baptised in 1838 name: JAMES HAWKER FROOME! (He was one of 2 Keziah (sic) base brats)!. I have the Death Cert of "an infant", no parents shown, named, "JAMES HAWKER 1yr 2mths" who died in the Chard Union exactly 14 mths after Kezia's baby was born. The man she latterly married was a Chardian. Was the infant Keziah's base-born? That's why I need to have sight of the Unions register for that specific period. That no relevant James Froom or James Hawker appears in 1841 or subsequent Censi seems to be a positive straw in the wind, don't you think? Look forward to more- hopefully. Regards Ted.

1841 census


Person: HAWKER, Kasiah Address: Him Plot, Thorncombe

HAWKER, James M 50 1791 Devon VIEW
HAWKER, Kasiah F 25 1816 VIEW
BRIDDLE, William M 5 1836 VIEW
HAWKER, Mary F 0 (6 months) 1841

BUT,..........................................

Name: James Hawker
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 1838
Christening Place: THORNCOMBE NEAR AXMINSTER, DORSET, ENGLAND
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name:
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Kezia Froome
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C16054-1
System Origin: England-VR
GS Film number: 1239251

I wonder where he was in 1841/51........IF he didn't die in infancy

They didn't marry until 1841...................

There is no male child with them in 1851

So the puzzle is in proving that James (Henry) Hawker born c1838 is the son of James Hawker and Kezia Frome (Froom)?

This appears to be the birth of his father:

Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922

Name: George Hawker
Father's Name: James Hawker
Mother's Name: Rosanna Calcutt
Birth Place: Harcourt, Victoria
Registration Year: 1862
Registration Place: Victoria
Registration number: 1291


and his parent's marriage:


Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1950

Name: George Hawker
Spouse Name: Mary Ann Garlian Anderson
Marriage Place: Victoria
Registration Place: Victoria
Registration Year: 1883
Registration number: 154x1886

Some background to him, gives his parents

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Hawker

Seems there was a son...................

1871 census


Person: HAWKER, Kezia Address: Fore Street Alley, Thorncombe

HAWKER, James Head M 78 1793 Dorset VIEW
HAWKER, Kezia Wife F 57 1814 Somerset VIEW
HAWKER, Adam Son M 19 1852 Dorset VIEW
HAWKER, William J Grandson M 3 1868 Dorset VIEW
STANTON, Jabez Lodger M 17 1854 Dorset

And, of course, any illegitimate son of one of her daughters would carry the name Hawker..................

Not sure how a record from 1838/9 will help.....................in view of when Kezia married

Marriages Mar 1841 (>99%)

Frome Kezia Chard 10 555
Hawker James Chard 10 555

Which of Kezia's sons was reputedly the grandfather of this man?

IF she had sons, of course.

1851 census shows only daughters.................

1851 census


Person: HAWKER, Keziah Address: Lower Park Of Fore Street, Thorncombe


HAWKER, James Head Married M 56 1795 Farm Labourer
Thorncombe, Dorset VIEW
HAWKER, Keziah Wife Married F 39 1812 Wife
Ashill, Somerset VIEW
HAWKER, Mary Ann Daughter Scholar F 10 1841 Scholar
Thorncombe, Dorset VIEW
HAWKER, Grace Daughter Scholar F 7 1844 Scholar
Thorncombe, Dorset VIEW
HAWKER, Honour Daughter Scholar F 4 1847 Scholar
Thorncombe, Dorset VIEW
HAWKER, Christian Daughter Scholar F 2 1849
Thorncombe, Dorset

This probable ancestor of mine (KEZIA of Ashill, Som. circa 1815) has long been accepted by many as being the g-grandmother of Harry Hawker the great Australian aviator. I have always questioned this assertion. I think I'm close to so doing evidentially. The one missing piece in the puzzle rests within the Inmate Registers of the Chard Union 1838/9.
Somerset Archives records for this Union begin much later. Can anyone suggest another possible source?
Ted :-)