{"id":6531,"date":"2023-01-15T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-15T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.karenandjon.co.uk\/blog\/?p=6531"},"modified":"2024-08-16T17:56:53","modified_gmt":"2024-08-16T16:56:53","slug":"james-hodkinson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hweb.uk\/?p=6531","title":{"rendered":"James Hodkinson"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>15 Minute, 54 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n
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James Hodkinson<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

1845 – 1899
2nd Great-Grandfather<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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James Hodkinson from Northwich, Cheshire is a 2nd Great Grandfather on my Dad’s side of the family. Thankfully, this branch seems to have remained local so a little easier to research. The family knew they ran a pub in Northwich that disappeared down a salt mine (no-one died thankfully!) and my great-grandma was born there before moving to Barrow-in-Furness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve been lucky enough to have some family photos passed onto me to look after. One brilliant find amongst the info passed down was the Holford Family Bible which included a folded papers recording the births of James & Ann’s children plus those of the aunts\/uncles on Ann’s side of the family. This must have been passed onto Ann and in turn, onto either Elizabeth or Harriet. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We know little about the family apart from what can be pieced together from information online. Like his father, James initially was a Rock Salt Miner – Salt Mining being one of the main industries in the area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time of his marriage, his occupation is recorded as a Boilermaker – there is a record of a James’ of the same age serving his apprentice in this industry, but there’s not enough info to determine if this is “our” James Hodkinson. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

James Hodkinson Snr took over as Licensee of The Townshend Arms in 1869 and the Hodkinson’s ran this pub until James Hodkinson Jnr’s death in 1899. With the inn came land and James also ran a smallholding as a market gardener.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was a noted angler and one of the founder members of the Townshend Arms Angling Society in 1885 and appointed Treasurer. From newspaper articles, it looks as though at least two of James Jnr’s son-in-laws were also anglers which may be how they met their wives! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

James’ certainly kept himself busy; he was also a member of the Northwich Homing Club and trained homing pigeons – his most famous win coming on 30th June 1891 when one won the Cherbourg race with an average velocity of 1554 yards\/minute (his other pigeons were also highly placed in this race as well).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In one of Colin Lynch’s books on Northwich, he mentions when the Brunner Free Library opened in 1885, a large procession took place with many local business people taking part. James Hodkinson was one of them. Will try and get hold of a copy of his book. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excerpt:  \"Mr James Hodkinson, Market Gardener of the Townshends Arms, Wincham next followed with a lorry on which was displayed a grand show of plants of bright bloom, as well as several classes of garden produce\"<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
The market gardener connection may well be the reason how John Wilson Muddiman met our great-grandmother – Elizabeth Ann Hodkinson – John Wilson Muddiman was an established market gardener in Barrow-in-Furness.  Chances are he went to work for James Hodkinson or another Market Gardener locally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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1845 – Birth of James Hodkinson<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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James Hodkinson was born on 31st May 1845 in Witton-cum-Twambrooks (Northwich as it’s now known). He was the only known son of James Hodkinson and Betty\/Elizabeth Kennerley. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He had 3 older sisters (Harriet, and 2 younger sisters (although likely two of his older sisters both died in infancy).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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James was baptised on 23rd August 1845 at Davenham.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The family were living in Witton and his fathers occupation was a Rockgatherer<\/p>\n<\/div>
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1851 Census<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Witton Brow, Wincham, Cheshire<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Names<\/strong><\/td>Age<\/strong><\/td>Relation to Head<\/strong><\/td>Occupation<\/strong><\/td>Where Born<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
James HODKINSON<\/td>38<\/td>Head<\/td>Rock Salt Miner<\/td>Wincham, Cheshire<\/td><\/tr>
Betsey HODKINSON<\/td>38<\/td>Wife<\/td>–<\/td>Davenham, Cheshire<\/td><\/tr>
Harriet HODKINSON<\/td>16<\/td>Daur <\/td>–<\/td>Wincham, Cheshire<\/td><\/tr>
James HODKINSON<\/td>5<\/td>Son<\/td>–<\/td>Witton, Cheshire<\/td><\/tr>
Ann GLEAVE<\/td>5<\/td>Visitor<\/td>–<\/td>Witton, Cheshire<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Unsure if there is a family connection with Ann Gleave – she also appears with the family on the 1861 Census.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Source Citation<\/strong>
Ancestry.com. 1851 England Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.  Class: HO107; Piece: 2165; Folio: 299; Page: 25; GSU roll: 87148-87149
https:\/\/www.ancestry.co.uk\/imageviewer\/collections\/8860\/images\/CHSHO107_2165_2165-0445<\/a><\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
1861 Census<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Rock Salt Mine, Wincham, Cheshire<\/h4>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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James & Elizabeth\/Betsey’s widowed older daughter is living next door (she married a John Hodgkinson).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Name<\/strong><\/td>Relation to Head<\/strong><\/td>Marital Status<\/strong><\/td>Age<\/strong><\/td>Occupation<\/strong><\/td>Place of Birth<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
James HODGKINSON<\/td>Head<\/td>Mar<\/td>49<\/td>Miner (Rock Salt)<\/td>Witton, Cheshire<\/td><\/tr>
Elizabeth HODGKINSON<\/td>Wife<\/td>Mar<\/td>48<\/td>–<\/td>Davenham, Cheshire<\/td><\/tr>
James HODGKINSON<\/td>Son<\/td>Unm<\/td>15<\/td>Miner (Rock Salt)<\/td>Wincham, Cheshire<\/td><\/tr>
Elizabeth HODGKINSON<\/td>Daur<\/td>Unm<\/td>10<\/td>Scholar<\/td>Wincham, Cheshire<\/td><\/tr>
Sarah A HODGKINSON<\/td>Daur<\/td>Unm<\/td>5<\/td>Scholar<\/td>Wincham, Cheshire<\/td><\/tr>
Ann GLEAVE<\/td>NK<\/td>Unm<\/td>15<\/td>NK<\/td>Witton, Cheshire<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Source Citation<\/strong>
Class: RG9; Piece: 2603; Folio: 15; Page: 26; GSU roll: 542997
https:\/\/www.ancestry.co.uk\/discoveryui-content\/view\/24254197:8767<\/a><\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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1866 – Marriage to Ann Holford<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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James Hodkinson married Ann Holford at Lostock Gralam on 14th October 1866.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Witnesses were Elizabeth Holford (Ann’s sister) and her future husband, Charles Forster.<\/p>\n\n\n
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James and Ann had six children over 15 years.  Their eldest son, James, was 15 when Harriet, was born.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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1869 – Licensee – Townshend Arms, Wincham<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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James’ parents (James & Elizabeth Hodkinson) took over as licensees of the Townshend Arms in Wincham in 1869. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When James Snr died in 1872, his wife, Elizabeth took over and following her death, James took over the running of the pub until his death in 1899.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is likely that James was involved in helping to run the pub whilst his parents ran the pub as neither could read or write.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More info on The Townshend Arms is at the bottom of this Blog entry.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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1870 – Birth of son, John George Hodkinson<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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James George Hodkinson was born on 5th July 1870 in Wincham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He married Louisa Anderson on 25th December 1891 (same day\/church as his sister, Mary, married Jesse Poole) and they had at least seven children together, including a set of twins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Children of James George & Louisa Hodkinson<\/h4>\n\n\n\n