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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Kent => Topic started by: Ohanlon on Sunday 08 April 12 03:52 BST (UK)
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Sgt Matson Hawkes C Company of the 1st Battalion Madras Artillery died in Madras January 1859 (b. 1811 wingham, Kent).
I cannot locate any English Census for him in either 1841 & 1851. Neither is there anything for his wife Elizabeth Matson (nee Johnstone of London b. abt 1813) or their son John William b. 1836. I have searched long and hard and have concluded I must be doing something wrong...............?
John William sailed to Tasmania in 1845 under the guardianship of his Uncle William Keeler Hawkes. His mother had died by this time and his father was away (?) serving in India.
I am particularly interested in the 'missing years' of young John William before he went to Tasmania. Is the loack of Census information because he was in India with his father and mother? Were Sergeants permitted to take family out to India .................
It is clear he was in touch with his father afterwards as Matson referred to JW's possible whereabouts in his will filed for probate in 1862.
If anyone can share any inofrmation on any member of the family - I would be most grateful.
Many thanks .....
James
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hi,,have you seen this before? or is this a member of your family/
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/KENT-ENG/1999-04/0923115674
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Yes, I have and did write to Val but the email was returned.
I have managed to assemble quite a great deal of information on young John William, post arrival in Tasmania and his eventual settling in New Zealand etc, but it is the missing years before he went there that interest me. The possibility of an Indian connection is intriguing but may not deliver anything.
It is curious there is nothing to be found (as it seems .................?) in England on this family.
Here's hoping.......................
Thanks for your email.
James
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There is a fair chance that you'd find info on their time in India at the British Library. My reading of Researching Ancestors in the East India Company Armies suggests that wives and children were "taken on the strength" of their man's regiment. About 6% of recruits were married when they embarked for India; more married in India. At your man's time, he would have signed on for 12 years or Unlimited Service (which amounted to 18 years with an option to extend).
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Matson Hawks married
Elizabeth Ann Johnstone, 6 Apr 1835 at "Trinity" Church, Marylebone, Middlesex {London}. Both Single.
Matson Hawk
Burial Date: 20 Jan 1859
Bellary, Madras, India
Death Date: 19 Jan 1859
Age: 45
Birth Date: 1814. Marriage and Death. familysearch.org
Bellary was a large millitary station for both British and Indian Regiments
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Many thanks Graham and Barry - most helpful.
James
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Don't know if this is any help to you but where I live in Beccles in Suffolk there is a tombstone with the following inscription. "Sacred to the Loving memory of William Milnes only son of W. Hawkes Johnstone of Madras India. Born Bandalore, India, 23rd September 1870, died Beccles 22nd May 1888. Peace and rest thine, Pain and grief mine.
I pass this stone quite often and as a small child got told off for sitting on it as to me it made a wonderful horse. I've never forgotten that incident and am reminded of it when I pass (now in my 60's) so thought I'd try and find out more about him.
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Dear Rosemary,
Thank you very much for thinking of my post concerning Matson Hawkes. Potentially, your news could have been cataclysmic as I have now closed my research, having gathered, I believe, all available information about him and his family - the book (The Sum of Us) has been printed and circulated to all members of the family and various genealogical archives. In the process of my research, with the help of many others (some had to be paid) I have built up a remarkable history surrounding dear old Matson. I always thought it strange there is no record of any more offspring attributed to him in India - he was after all so young. Your email initially made me gasp with surprise but with some further research I have to say there is no direct link to him by Wm. Milnes Johnstone or his father Wm. Hawkes Johnstone - Again, thank you very much for your kindness and thoughtfulness - whilst Matson may well be languishing in an unmarked grave in a dilapidated ruined cemetery in Bellary, Madras - certainly he is remembered, for the moment.
Kind regards, James
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A copy of Matson Hawks' will is viewable on FindMyPast: "my only son John William Hawks, Franklyn Village South Australia". There is also a detailed inventory of his estate on the preceding pages
Link for subscribers
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=bl%2fbind%2fl-ag-34-40-119%2f00259&parentid=bl%2fbind%2fl-ag-34-40%2f19320
"Hawkes" in this transcription http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=bl%2fbind%2fl-ag-34-30-21%2f00015&parentid=bl%2fbind%2fl-ag-34%2f38&highlights=%22%22
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Dear Rosemary,
Thank you very much for thinking of my post concerning Matson Hawkes. Potentially, your news could have been cataclysmic as I have now closed my research, having gathered, I believe, all available information about him and his family - the book (The Sum of Us) has been printed and circulated to all members of the family and various genealogical archives. In the process of my research, with the help of many others (some had to be paid) I have built up a remarkable history surrounding dear old Matson. I always thought it strange there is no record of any more offspring attributed to him in India - he was after all so young. Your email initially made me gasp with surprise but with some further research I have to say there is no direct link to him by Wm. Milnes Johnstone or his father Wm. Hawkes Johnstone - Again, thank you very much for your kindness and thoughtfulness - whilst Matson may well be languishing in an unmarked grave in a dilapidated ruined cemetery in Bellary, Madras - certainly he is remembered, for the moment.
Kind regards, James
Hi James
Thank you for your response. I was only googling the guy I found here in Beccles and your thread was the only thing that came up anything like. May be related there somewhere through another line. I'd love to find out what this young chap from India was doing here in a little country town. He died so young and no mention of a mother.
Kind Regards
Rosemary
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Rosemary
A bit of background from the India records: William Milnes Johnstone's father William Hawkes Johnstone was a station master on the Madras Railway. His mother Evelina Rose Thain married WHJ in Salem, India in 1867. WHJ was born in 1843 at Ootacamund, the illegitimate son of Major Thomas John Milnes Johnstone and Sutchiny, a native woman.
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Rosemary
A bit of background from the India records: William Milnes Johnstone's father William Hawkes Johnstone was a station master on the Madras Railway. His mother Evelina Rose Thain married WHJ in Salem, India in 1867. WHJ was born in 1843 at Ootacamund, the illegitimate son of Major Thomas John Milnes Johnstone and Sutchiny, a native woman.
Thank you for that. If ever you turn up anything else I'd be grateful if you could pass it on to me as I'd love to know more about this young chap I sat on all those years ago.
Kind Regards
Rosemary
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Might this be why there is no mention of his mother on William Milne's Johnstone's tombstone -
death on familysearch site for an Eveline Rose Johnstone on 27/07/1872 in Bangalore, Madras aged 23 ???
Confirmation on FIBIS site - gives her as "wife of Mr WH Johnstone Madras Railway".
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death on familysearch site for an Eveline Rose Johnstone on 27/07/1872
She died of confluent smallpox. The next entry on the burial register is a 5 month-old child of the same name, same cause of death, who died on 10 August 1872.
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Aww what a shame :'(
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Dear James
I have just come across this thread & am very interested in learning more about Matson Hawkes - he was my Great Great Grandfather - I would be very interested in purchasing a copy of your book (The Sum of Us) if you could point me in the direction of where I could obtain a copy please.
I am also trying to find more on when & how his son John William Hawkes came to New Zealand from Tasmania & also where he married Mary Barnett who was born in Ireland.
Kind Regards
Maureen