Edward Hodgkins (cir 1780-1854)

The Hodgkins family were a Gypsy family who travelled around the counties of Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire.

Our earliest known Hodgkins ancestor was Edward Hodgkins who was born in Haselor in Warwickshire in the 1780s. We can't be too sure about his birth date due to the great variance in ages recorded for him:

1821 census, age 41
1841 census, age 45 (in other words he was 45-49)
1851 census, age 78, born Haselor, Warwickshire
1854 death certificate age 72

Based on these dates he was born sometime between 1773 and 1796, however as he married in 1801 the latter years can obviously be ruled out and he was probably born between 1773 and 1783.

The first evidence of Edward Hodgkins is his marriage to Penelope Archer in Stratford-upon-Avon on 26th July 1801.

The Hodgkins family in the 1821 census at Tanworth, Warwickshire

At the baptisms of his sons, Riley in 1814, and Samuel in 1817 he described himself as a vendor of crockery and earthenware respectively.

Fortunately the 1821 census remains for Edward and Penelope Hodgkins and it shows that they were living in Tanworth in Warwickshire and that at the time they had eight sons and one daughter. Later census returns for the children show they were born in a different location almost every time:

Charles born cir 1804 in Henley in Arden, Warwickshire
Thomas born cir 1805 in Tanworth, Warwickshire
Edward born cir 1808 in Studley, Warwickshire
Joseph born cir 1812 in Feckenham, Worcestershire
Riley born cir 1814 in Rowington, Warwickshire
Samuel born cir 1817 in Lillington, Warwickshire
Maria born cir 1819 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire

Penelope Hodgkins died aged 58 in Tanworth on 16th January 1839 from consumption (i.e. tuberculosis). Later that same year Edward remarried, marrying Hannah Maria Powell, who was 20 to 30 years younger than Edward.

1841 census

The 1841 census provides the first direct evidence that Edward was a Gypsy. It shows Edward and Hannah Hodgkins living in tents at Lineholt Common, near Ombersley in Worcestershire. Edward's occupation is given as tinker, and Edward and Hannah share the tents with another Hodgkins family, headed by Benjamin and Elizabeth age 35. Benjamin is a tinker too and presumably is a younger brother or cousin of Edward.

1851 census

The 1851 census shows Edward and Hannah Maria Hodgkins living in Bewdley, Worcestershire.

Edward died from bronchitis at Tanworth on 24th November 1854.

If you would like to find out more about the Hodgkins family then there is a good article on the Gypsy Genealogy website called "Life of Riley" and the Romany Genes website is also a very good resource.