Hello,
I'm hoping that someone might be able to help me with this gentleman that I'm researching for a book I'm writing about my home town of Weymouth.
The definite sighting that I have of him is in the 1861 census for Melcombe Regis (Weymouth), Dorset, where he's listed as a florist at 3 Bond Street, it looks like it says he's married?, but no sign of a wife anywhere.He also employs 1 man and 1 boy (I think that's what it says)
The rest of the information comes from adverts that he's put in local Dorset papers, and articles about him helping local societies.
Robert t Hawkins (would it be Tinker?)
This is an odd one, as on Ancestry the bit says Tinker or Hawkins, but it says that about quite a few of the Hawkins births around that time in Urchfont, why would they do that? He always lists himself as Robert T Hawkins.
B 1828 Urchfont Wiltshire.
Possible moved to Weymouth in 1852? Started business in 1859? (This info taken from snippets of adverts and articles about him in the papers.)
All the following at Weymouth.;-
1864 5th May Hawkins advert ,new gardens at Belfield.
1864 23rd Jun .new plant nursery near Gloucester hotel. Garden at Belfield completed.
1864 7th Jul, advert, new plant nursery.
1864 14th Jul ,New plant nursery Gloucester street.Belfield completed.
1864 1st Sep Floral fete.
1864 15th Sep floral and fruiut show
1864 10th Dec decorated drama room
1865 30th nov decorated the rooms for dramatic society
1865 2nd Dec invited in council meeting to describe plans for the gardens
1866 6th Feb advert 3 Bond Street, Gloucester street nursery.
1866 13th Feb , advert seven years of public support (1859?)
1866 18th Feb current reduction in prices? Shops at 3 Bond Street, and Gloucester street. (problems with the business?)
1866 11th Sep Hawkins floral show
I can't find him before the 1861 census, or after the 1861 census? His address in Bond Street in the 1871 census is listed as empty....as of yet I've not found a death for him either, and unless I know his wife's name ,his marriage either.
I.m looking for a bankruptcy around that later date also, but no luck so far. The man just seems to disappear into thin air, not a single mention of him in the local papers, or whats happened to him.
All very frustrating!But I'm hoping that some of the super sloops on here might think of other ideas to finding him.
Thanks,
Sue