| I must be honest and say that Alfred's brothers and sisters did not really inerest me initially, and in any case my father handed to me a document which was so intriguing as to make it the focus of my attention for several weeks. You see, I had decided, and Barbara was all for it, to actually trace my family back in time if I could, to see where we came from, to discover who my ancestors were and, if possible, what they did. The document which my father handed to me was Alfred's Marriage Certificate relating to his second wife. I looked at the details, and their was my first clue, the name of Alfred's father, James Grocott Hawkins, occupation; potter's fireman. We were in business!.....but first, Alfred..... Alfred was living at 26, Victoria Street, Northwood, when my father was born in 1916, and they later moved to 38, Rose Street, which brought my father and mother together, she lived at no. 84. Alfred was a boilerman and worked at most of the local pits, he was also a professional gardener. He was in the Territorial Army and was one of the first to go when the war broke out. He was wounded and returned home to recover before returning to the battle, it was 1916, the year of my father's birth, so perhaps I should be thanking an unknown German for my very existence. Alfred married Gertrude Walker in 1911, at which time he was living at 71, Victoria Street, Northwood. They were married at the Holy Trinity Church, as were Stanley Hawkins and Clara Jane Goodwin, my parents. They eventually went to live in Barry Avenue, where Gertrude died. When Alfred married for the second time, he moved from Barry Avenue to live with his new wife at Whatmore Street in Smallthorne. Alfred himself died in 1960 and I wondered where he was buried and if there was a headstone. My father couldn't remember, so, armed with the date of his death, Barbara managed to find from the council exactly where he was buried. There was no stone, so no inscription, but we were in for a shock, because from the council we had the occupants of the grave. They were, in order of interment:- Gertrude Hawkins, Elsie May Hawkins, Alfred Hawkins. Something else of interest....Both Gertrude and Elsie May's funerals were "private"..? Well, when we started on our journey we said firstly that we would only continue if we could prove that we always had the right family, and, secondly, that we would not judge, just record. For that reason I shall make no comment on the occupants of the grave, except to say that it was a surprise, to say the least. Did my father know? I decided not to ask, out of respect. That old inner tube was revealing forgotten mysteries already...... |
| From Inner Tube to Shoemakers....Part 2.... |