How to trace Thomas Hawkins of Kings Lynn??? Died 1789 born ?1720ish

[Kylie B]

I am trying to trace Thomas Hawkins- any advice would be wonderful please!!

Thomas appears to have been born around 1720-1724 I think.
This is based on the baptism of the first child I have found to him on June 19th at South Lynn- parents Thomas and Sarah Hawkins.

Thomas and Sarah have further children I have found-
1746 Thomas
1747 Sarah
1749 Elizabeth
1750 Jane
1752 Thomas Abel
1754 Sarah
1756 Samuel
1757 Elizabeth
1759 Mary

Most were baptised at St Margarets Lynn.

Richard and Thomas were bought apprenticeships by their father into London guilds in 1758 and 1764 respectively- these papers describe Thomas as a wine merchant of Kings Lynn.

Thomas died in 1789- his will mentions his wife Sarah, his surviving children, the children of his deceased brother John Hawkins of Walsoken (children were Daniel and Elizabeth). No other relatives mentioned.

I have found a will of a Daniel Hawkins on Emneth who died in 1760 which mentions his kinsmen Thomas Hawkins and John Hawkins and also John's daughter Elizabeth, so presumably another sibling to Thomas and John.

Sarah Hawkins- Thomas's widow died in 1792- her will mentions her surviving children and her female grandchildren. No mention of siblings or other relatives on her side.

I have not yet found a marriage for Thomas and Sarah- presumably around 1742 based on Richards birth in 1744........??

And I have not found births for Thomas, nor his siblings John and Daniel??

I am wondering where to go now to try and find out where Thomas came from? Who his wife Sarah was?

I suspect......that Thomas is the son of Richard Hawkins and Mary Abel who married at St Nicholas Kings Lynn in 1721. THis is based on Thomas naming his first son Richard, giving another son Thomas the middle name of Abel, but I have not found any proof of this connection.

Richard and May had 3 children I have been able to find- Abel, Jane and Mary. Abel had business dealings with his father and died in 1761- his will mentions his 3 children (Richard, Elizabeth and Rose), his business partner Gavin Hamilton and Gavins brother, who married Abel's sister (Robert Hamilton MD).

Richard Hawkins Snr died in London in 1765 and I have not been able to find a will that might help with family connections. Mary nee Abel died in 1755- no other information.

Any help or suggestions please?!?!?!?!?!
Kylie

[LizzieL]

It may just be a transcriber error, but on Familysearch, the baptism of Thomas (28 May 1746 at St Margaret's Lynn), says that the father was Thomas Jr Hawkins. This might imply that Thomas (the father) also had a father called Thomas who was still alive at the time of the baptism.

[LizzieL]

There is the burial of a William at St Margarets, Lynn on 25 Aug 1724, son of Richard. I can't find a baptism, so possibly died before he could be baptised, so guess his birth not too long before the burial date.

Richard and Mary married 8 Oct 1721
Children: Mary bapt 8 July 1722,
(poss William born abt Aug 1724)
Abel bapt 10 Sep 1727
Jane 26 Jul 1730

If William is Richard and Mary's child, the gaps for Thomas to fit in seem a bit late.
I would guess Thomas himself served an apprenticeship, so would only be free to marry when released, so birth year unlikely to be later than 1722.

[LizzieL]

It may just be a transcriber error, but on Familysearch, the baptism of Thomas (28 May 1746 at St Margaret's Lynn), says that the father was Thomas Jr Hawkins. This might imply that Thomas (the father) also had a father called Thomas who was still alive at the time of the baptism.

Ancestry has a burial for a Thomas Hawkins on 12 Mar 1746 at All saints South Lynn - no age given. But it's a few weeks before baby Thomas's baptism. Could Thomas (Jr) still be known as junior even if his his father had passed away a couple of months earlier?

[LizzieL]

Could be connected as you mentioned Walsoken
From Ancestry:
Thomas Hawkins buried at Walsoken on 14 Mar 1786, parents Daniel and Judith.
No age given, but the fact that it lists parents implies infant or young child.

[trish1120]

Have a look around on FreeREG;
Thomas/Sarahs Childrens Baptisms are there + 1 extra
GEORGE, 3 Oct 1762 St Margaret, Kings Lynn

DANIEL Hawkins Married Judith NIXON, 19 October 1780, Emneth, Norfolk (F/S.Org)

Daniel was Buried, 13 Jan 1811 Walsoken age 53
Judith 1 July 1810 age 58
2 Childrens Burials are there also, John and Thomas both 1786
(FreeREG)

MARY Hawkins, Wife of RICHARD, was Buried 16 Oct 1755, All Saints, South Lynn
Notes, Mary W. Mr Richard Hawkins
(FreeREG)

[Kylie B]

Hi everyone
Thanks for all those tips-

The baptism of Thomas in 1746 is a mistranscription- the original actually names the child as Thomas Jnr, not the father.

Daniel who married Judith Nixon is the son of John Hawkins, apparently brother of Thomas and Daniel.

Thank you for the burial of William Hawkins in 1722- I have assumed given the gaps between the children I have found for Richard and Mary that there must be some others. So that still leaves the gap in the later 1720's, but as you say Thomas would surely have been born in the early 20's. I have no idea of the ages of Thomas's possible siblings John and Daniel.

Can anyone see burials for John (pre 1789) and Daniel (1760) Hawkins? If we had ages, that might help....

My other thought was whether Thomas (and possibly John and Daniel) might be children of Richard Hawkins from an earlier marriage. He was born around 1689, so marrying Mary in 1721 would have made him 32.....??Late for a first marriage??

And does anyone know if there are apprenticeship registers or records that would show Thomas taking an apprenticeship as a wine merchant???

Thanks again!

[Kylie B]

We've found Thomas's marriage!!!!! Thanks to the wonderful help of a rootchatter on the London board- thank you!!

He married in St Martin in the Fields, London in 1738 to Sarah Dailley. He may have been a widower at the time- there are 2 records and one says widower, the other says batchelor.

So the first child I have for them in Norfolk is Richard baptised in 1744.....were there others that I haven't seen?

Were there trade directories for that time or other records (rates, taxes, something?) that would show when Thomas moved to Norfolk?? I am wondering whether he moved to Norfolk immediately after his marriage, or not until 1744? And was he from Norfolk originally or London??

If anyone has any advice on how to find out where Thomas was living pre 1738 and between 1738-1744 I would really appreciate it.

And given he married in 1738- whether he was a widower or not- that would mean he was presumably born in 1717 or earlier, which seems to rule him out as a child of Richard Hawkins and Mary Abel......

Kylie

[amondg]

Gaywood Loke Road, Post Mill.
Royal Fire Insurance documents show owned by Thomas Hawkins 1775 and Thomas Abel Hawkins again in 1780.
Doesn't help with finding family but fills in a few details.
By business dealings with his father and Gavin Hamilton. are you referring to ownership of 2 boats, the William and Susannah 1755 and Charming Sally 1759, ref: national Maritime Museum.