lost link

[KGarrad]

Do you not have your father's birth certificate?!

That would be essential if you want to find his parent's names!

[Lenhoppy]

Hi
No I do not have my fathers birth certificate as I am now aged 86 years it is long gone but I do now know all his details
Incidentally Just out of curiosity I googled my name " Hopkin Family,Norfolk" and much to my surprise two other people had just contacted each other who where related  to myself and my ancestor's,unfortunately It was dated 10 years ago so I have no idea how to contact them

[candrjm]

A possibility?

There is this marriage between a Francis Hopkin and Ann Prior in Downham in 1751

County of Norfolk Downham Market
Church of St Edmund At
Marriage Date 20th Oct 1751

Groom's name Francis HOPKIN
   
Brides name    Ann PRIOR

File Ref Number   10064

link to original record which shows that Ann Prior was from Fordham

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12375-41807-9?cc=1416598&wc=92BP-ZJ7:29489701,29373001,29814701

it looks like this couple had a son Francis Hopkin baptised in Fordham in 1754

County of Norfolk
St Mary Ats fordham
   
Baptism Date   14th Dec 1754
name    Francis
Sex   Male
Fathers name   Francis Hopkin
Mothers name   Anne Hopkin

File ref Number   12145

It could be that this Francis married Sarah Hammond in 1778 in Denver

Denver, Fordham and Downham are all in close proximity

[candrjm]

Len, just in case you don't have this information:

William Hopkin's 2nd wife Mary Hanes, mother of George Hammond Hopkin born c1832, was a widow when she married William in 1831. I think she  may have been born Mary Smithee and married John Hanes in 1817. It's possible that they had a daughter Mary Smythee Haynes who married William's son  Abraham Hopkin (born c1815 Denver) in 1837. (If this is correct then they would have been step brother and sister). Mary (widow of William, he died in 1839) is shown on the 1841 census aged 44, living with Abraham and Mary Hopkin and family.

Link for marriage of Abraham & Mary Hopkin (nee Haynes/Hanes)

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12652-6180-40?cc=1416598&wc=92B5-DPV:29473001,29373001,29586501

if you look at the marriage cert you will see that Mary was a minor and her guardian was William Hopkin who was also a witness to the marriage



Marriage for John & Mary Hanes (nee Smithee)


Name:    John Hanes
Spouse's Name:   Mary Smithee
Event Date:    27 Oct 1817
Event Place:    Emneth, Norfolk, England

[candrjm]

In the Bury & Norwich Post, & East Anglian: Or, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Cambridge, and Ely Intelligencer  Newspaper edition dated 2nd January 1839 there is the death recorded for Mr William Hopkin (Farmer) it states that he died suddenly on Monday last and was from Denver Sluice.

Maybe Aunt Marion was right about your ancestors being quite well off!!! (Generally Ag Labourers didn't have their deaths recorded in the paper) It might be worth looking to see if he left a will.



Link to Len's other post:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=699564.0

[The Yokel]

Yes he did leave a Will, available here
http://www.norfolksources.norfolk.gov.uk/DserveNS/

Mentions wife Mary and children Francis Hopkin, Abraham Hopkin, William Hopkin, John Seyer(?) Hopkin and Geotge Hammond Hopkin.

[Lenhoppy]

Thank you guys I do not how you can do it
It leaves me a lot to digest
Regards
Len

[zpk24]

Hi Len
I have found your message rather belatedly but have the following info for you :

John Prior Hopkin was born in Denver, Norfolk on 2 May 1827 and died 3 July 1883 in Kensington, London.  He was the first of three John Prior Hopkins, the last of whom was my grandfather.