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Note: The Hodgkins family were a Gypsy family who travelled around the counties of Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire. In 2011 they featured on the Tracey Emin episode of Who Do You Think You Are in the U.K. The earliest known Hodgkins ancestor who we have some details on is Edward Hodgkins (1781-1854). The 1821 census lists Edward's age as 41 so he was born in about 1780 and the 1851 census gives his birthplace as Haselorin Warwickshire. From his second marriage to Hannah Maria Powell we know that his father was Edward Hodgkins, who was a brazier. Based on that infomation the most likely baptism for Edward is the baptism of Edward son of Edward and Mary Hodgskis on 30th December 1781 at St. Nicholas Church, Alcester. One feature of reseaching the Hodgkins family is that the family name was spelt in many different ways. Edward Hodgkins married Penelope Archer in Stratford-upon-Avon on 26th July 1801. The Hodgkins family in the 1821 census at Tanworth, Warwickshire 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.
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