Edwin Henry HOOKER (1883 - ????)

[James18]

Okay, now this is looking like a major brick wall - mainly as I suspect it involves lying about the mother's name on a birth certificate. If anyone can solve this one I'd be hugely impressed!

Edwin Henry Hooker was born 20/11/1883 in Knowle Hill, Egham, Surrey - his parents are given as Henry Hooker and Maria Hooker, formerly Wright. Henry registered the birth. The problem with this information is that Maria was admitted to Woking Asylum on 26/05/1881 and died there on 08/11/1916. She appears as a patient there on the 1891, 1901 and 1911 census returns. I am not aware of her having ever been released, and I strongly doubt she gave birth to a son in Egham in 1883 despite being incarcerated in Woking in 1881 and 1891. I mean, it is possible, but also very unlikely.

Henry & Maria had five (other) children, all of whom are accounted for with census and BMD records:

Harry (1872 - 1944) b. Colnbrook, Bucks d. Woking, Surrey
Minnie Maria (1874 - 1964) b. Colnbrook, Bucks d. Woking, Surrey
Edith Annie (1876 - 1906) b. Colnbrook, Bucks d. Woking, Surrey
Albert (1878 - 1959) b. Colnbrook, Bucks d. Weybridge, Surrey
Janet (1880 - 1943) b. Chertsey, Surrey d. Ealing, Middlesex

The four younger children were baptized together at Longcross, Surrey on 16/04/1893.

Curiously, despite Edwin being registered as the son of Henry & Maria, he seems to have been 'forgotten' after 1891. He can not be found on later census records, he was not baptized in 1893 - despite being the youngest - and by the time of the 1911 census, Henry has only recorded five children from his marriage; four living, one deceased (Edith). You wouldn't just forget your youngest son, would you?

Edwin Henry only makes two appearances: (1) his birth certificate, and (2) appearing alongside his family on the 1891 census. (His name has been mistranscribed, but that's him).

After that... he just disappears. Nothing. Nada. There are of course other Edwin Hookers, but the ones I've found I've discounted.

What happened to Edwin? Who was his mother? When, and as whom, did he die?

For a complete run-down of facts, theories and speculation you can read this thread.

[rosie99]

Don't forget that it as not unknown for women at that time to be put into asylums following the birth of children. Nowadays we call it post natal depression in those days it was a mental illness.  OH has one in his tree that  was admitted after the birth of a child and died there a few decades later

Rosie

[James18]

Hi Rosie,

Thanks for that, and yes, doesn't surprise me. Both Maria and her daughter Edith died in Woking Asylum, and they were both being 'treated' for Mania, so make of that what you will.

However, Edwin was born 2 1/2 years after his 'mother' was admitted, so this leaves me sceptical.

[jann]

Hi,

Two questions

Have you seen the PR for the 1893 baptisms?  PRs occasionally have additional notes.

Have you considered the possibility that, despite the birth registration, Henry was not Edwin Henry's biological father?  Henry may have accepted responsibility to protect Maria.

Jann

[rosie99]

Have you seen the PR for the 1893 baptisms?  PRs occasionally have additional notes.

The only additional notes are that Minnie, Edith & Albert are 'Adult'

[rosie99]

Henry has only recorded five children from his marriage; four living, one deceased (Edith). You wouldn't just forget your youngest son, would you?

Have you checked who filled in the form 

[James18]

Henry has only recorded five children from his marriage; four living, one deceased (Edith). You wouldn't just forget your youngest son, would you?

Have you checked who filled in the form 

It's signed Harry Hooker, which could be either of them, but is more likely the son. Do you think he would have lied? Possible, I suppose.

As for Henry not being Edwin's father... it's possible, of course, but if he knew he wasn't the real father and was only doing it to save Maria the scandal of giving birth to a bastard, why would Edwin have been living with Henry's family in 1891? He still has the same name he was registered with, and is recorded as 'son'.

[Deirdre784]

Could it be the other way (ie Edwin is Henry's son with another woman) and for some reason he then went to live with her / her family after the 1891 census.

It could explain the 1911 entry as from the actual marriage there would have only been the 5 children.

[James18]

Could it be the other way (ie Edwin is Henry's son with another woman) and for some reason he then went to live with her / her family after the 1891 census.

It could explain the 1911 entry as from the actual marriage there would have only been the 5 children.

That is very plausible, Deirdre, and something I've considered; unfortunately, outside of Henry's housekeeper Matilda Doe - accounted for across all census records, and never with Edwin after 1891 - there are no leads as to who this mystery woman may have been. It would indeed explain why Edwin is not included as one of Henry & Maria's children on the 1911 census, but having trawled through every Edwin Henry of any surname, I can find no one born c1883 who would be a plausible suspect.

At present my conclusion would be that Edwin either changed his name completely, in which case we will likely never find him, or died at sea/somewhere abroad, in which case poor record-keeping may also mean we'll never find the truth.

If anyone can find even the faintest shred of evidence as to what happened to Edwin, I would be fascinated to know. Sadly, from what I and others have seen, the trail goes ice cold after the 1891 census. I have not even been able to find a baptism for him.