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Hodson William Richard and family

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rachel GH
  • Start date Start date
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Rachel GH

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Very interested in William Richard, my great great grandfather who was born in Northampton in 1861 but moved to Birmingham around the 1880's, changing his name from Whiteman to Hodson in the process. He was married to Emma Amelia Hodson (formerly Clarke). I know lots about their children (my grandfather and great aunts) but very little about them.

They seem to have gone under the radar as I can't seem to track them down in the census. I know they were in Richard Street in 1893.

My Granddad and Great Aunts were great Brummies. My Great Aunts were great cyclists in the 1920's and I am just about to send the Birmingham CTC loads of old cycling archive material about them, did 104 miles from Brum to Chelteham in 1927 in under 12 hrs, that's going some in knickerbockers even with dropped handlebars!

Any info. on the Hodsons (or why they might have changed from Whiteman) very much appreciated.

Rachel
 
Re: William Richard Hodson and family

1901 3 Bk 58 Cromwell street,Nechells
William hodson age 39 b. Northampton Brasswork factory labourer
Emma age 39 b. Worcester
Lydia,13 William 11, Albert 8, Grace 2, Frederick 3 months
all born birmingham
 
Re: William Richard Hodson and family

in 1891 census there is an emma a hodson (married but no husband present on the form) aged 29 seamstress shop born worcester
also daughter eliza m aged 2 and son william j aged 6 mths.
they were living at 44 cherrywood rd bordesley birmingham. could this be them?

chris

william may be the visitor at the "gernant" family in bham in 1891. it says he is married and born 1861. it does say born birmingham but just ditto so may not have been correct. looks hopeful anyway.
 
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Re: William Richard Hodson and family

Well this is just evidence of what I already knew, Brummies will help anyone. Thank you so much for this, I don't know why I couldn't find them in the 1901 census I was going round in circles. This is interesting as Albert's birth certificate from 1893 shows them as living at the Salford Works in Richard Street in Birmingham and I am trying to establish what that was, have done a post in factories.

I am now on the trail of when their mother, Emma, died, as then Aunt Clara a canemaker from Balsall Heath brought them up, I can see her in the 1901 census, but don't know what happened to Willaim Richard after Emmaa died, he doesn't seem to be in any family photos and isn't mentioned in the huge pile of correspondence I have between them all.

The 1891 lot look like them suspect Lydia transcribed as Eliza and William is definitely Bill and they had links with Bordesley.

Thanks again for your help.

Rachel
 
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Re: William Richard Hodson and family

I am still going....I have now got back to 1831/2 and am looking for my great great grandfather's (Joseph Whiteman's) birth record, he is listed in the 1861 census as being born in Walsall but apart from that I don't know much, I am also looking for when he died as the only death index entry which seems to fit gives him as dying in March 1866 in Northampton 3b which is where they were but this means both the mother and father died which may explain why my great grandfather ended up with a different name (Hodson) as they would then have been an orphan family of 4 in Northampton. Feel a trip to Northampton Records office coming on...I can't believe that both my great grandfather's parents died so young if they did. I have sent for Felicia's their mother's death certificate from 1867 which might throw some light on what happened.

Can anyone suggest where I might start looking for Joseph Whiteman's baptism record of 1831/2 in Walsall? His parents are given as Thomas and Mary Whiteman, I am trying to connect the Whitemans to the Hodsons to understand if the children were given to a relative but I am beginning to think they were either in the care of the parish or split up in some way as the other children apart from my great great grandfather, William and his sister, Clara, seem to disappear completely.

Then the whole thing happens again when my great granny Emma, dies in 1903 in Aston and her children including my granddad end up with my great grandfather's sister, Clara - crikey!

Any advice appreciated as I am getting a bit dizzy.

Thanks.

Rachel:stressed:
 
Re: William Richard Hodson and family

The 1871 has in Dallington,Northants
Joseph Whiteman age 39 b. Walsall Bricklayer(the index says 29 but original 39)
Pheby age 29 wife b. Bradden, Warks(it is now Northants)or could it be Brandon as they married Coventry
William age 9 born Northants,son

Joseph Whiteman married Pheby Freeman in Coventry Sept1867
reference 6d 512
 
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Re: William Richard Hodson and family

1881 Wigginton ,Stafford
Joseph hodson age 49 b. Walsall Bricklayer
Phoebe age 39 wife b. Brandon Warks
Edith Handley age 8 months nurse child

1891 Spring gardens, gungate street,Tamworth
Joseph hodson age 59 b. Walsall Bricklayer
Phoebe age 49 b. Brandon Tailoress
 
Re: William Richard Hodson and family

Hi Rachel GH :) I have a Edith Gertrude HODSON b 18th April 1910
married Arthur Howell in B,ham 1938,
This is a "branch" line of family so not fully researched (yet) so if you
have an active interest/linkage,, contact anytime, We will comparison & dig deeper,
Thanks & best regards JohnY :cool:
 
Re: William Richard Hodson and family

1881 Blews Street,Birmingham
William Tennant age 24
Fanny Tennant age 24 b. Wrighton(Ryton on Dunsmore)
Anne E age 5
William age 2
Joseph age 1
Clara age 3 months
William hodson age 20 b. Northampton brother in law

William Tennant married Fanny Hodson 5th july 1875 St. Phillips
it would appear the whole family changed their name she is Fanny Whiteman in 1861.
 
Re: William Richard Hodson and family

1891 Essex Street, birmingham

William Tennant age 33
Fanny age 33
Ann 14,William 12,Joseph 11 George 8,
Clara 6 (their first daughter named Clara died in 1884 age 3)
Thomas 4, Fanny 3,Phoebe 1,Sara 4 months
William Hodson age 30 ,married,vistor, Engine drivers printer

The entry is incorrect because it states all born birmingham.
 
Re: William Richard Hodson and family

How helpful is this! Thank you so much.

Now I begin to see what is happening here I think, Joseph's first wife, Felicia, died btwn Apr-Jun 1867 and then according to what you have found he is marrying again in September in Coventry, I also believe that Felicia had another child called Joseph who died aged 1 yr just before she did, so child dies, mother dies, father remarries within a couple of months, don't think that would have gone down a storm with the in laws do you? And what about Felicia's children who all seem to have left with the exception of my poor old great granddad William.

The name change is narrowing now to between 1861 when they were still Whitemans and the 1881 census, I think the key lies with Felicia's death, I am awaiting her death certificate. We still don't know why they chose Hodson but we're getting closer I think.

Thank you so much Alberta for finding Fanny Hodson I looked at the Tennants for ages and the connection was staring me in the face. I am now being to wonder why great granddad was always shacked up at his sister in law's when his poor old wife was up the road in Bordesley Green with the kids, I am hoping it's so he could get to work easily!

You've done so much work for me, this is great.

Rachel:grinsmile:
 
Re: William Richard Hodson and family

You may like to look into the death of Joseph Hodson
December 1914 Tamworth age 82 making his birthdate 1832.
reference 6b 468
The certificate may have interesting info.
 
Re: William Richard Hodson and family

It would appear that thomas kept the name Whiteman

1881 132 Market Street,Northampton
Thomas Whiteman age 25? b. birmingham
Elizabeth age 25
Joseph age 1

1891 Chapel Row Northampton
Thomas whiteman age 36 b. birmingham
Elizabeth age 36
Joseph 11,Frederick 9.Arthur 5.Ernest 11months
daughter Frances age 6
 
Re: William Richard Hodson and family

I have made contact with my mother's cousin's who is one of William Richard's grandchildren and she has sent me a fantastic letter despite being in her 80's, she has told me that William was declared bankrupt and that this played a part in the surname change, she has also told me how very hard it was for her father and the other children and how they all had to work sewing on buttons (which I can well believe as I inherited the button box which has literally hundreds and hundreds of buttons in it) for a pittance. She has also told me all about what her father and my grandfather did in the Great War and the 2nd WW.

I now believe that William Richard died whilst living with my granddad and grandma so now searching for his death.

My son who is nearly 10 is finding this really interesting which is what it's all about really. We might get to the bottom of Hodson eventually could well be something to do with 'hods' and carrying bricks as they were all bricklayers!

Thanks again for your help everyone.

Rachel
 
Re: William Richard Hodson and family

Felt quite sad when I finally got Felicia Hodson's death certificate, she died of a haemorrage during childbirth (very common I know) which means she lost a baby the year before and then died herself having another one and poor old Joseph was present at the death.

What a life, all those children and dead at 33.

Keep thinking about the fact that there were Hodson's near where she lived in Shropshire originally, must investigate further.

I am after Joseph's death certificate now although he lives to the ripe old age of 82 I think.

Rachel
 
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