It has been an interesting month, I have been contacted by two people, each offering help – a rare pleasure indeed.  One of them has most kindly offered her information regarding Robert Hooker.  We have yet to compare notes, but with that in mind I thought I’d better put together in one place all that I know about him. 

1. Birth – I have been unable to find any concrete evidence of his birth.  I have assumed for convenience  that he was born about the same time as his future wife (Elizabeth Cleaver b. 1794). His parents therefore have not been identified.

2. Marriage –  he married Elizabeth Cleaver in 1812.

3. Children –   these are the children I have been able to find so far –  

1813 – Elizabeth,  1815 – William Henry,  1818 – Christiana,  1821 – James, 1823 – Robert, 1825 – Sarah Ann.

There is also a Robert Hooker who died in 1813, who could have been their firstborn, but I cannot find a birth entrance for him, just a death notice.

3. Occupation – the fascinating thing about Robert is that he seems to have had 2 distinct occupations ie hairdresser and mathematical instrument maker (with a third one of Book clasp maker on one of the children’s birth notices). I thought at first I must have two different Robert Hookers, but if I look at his son James (my ancestor),his birth notice records Robert as a hairdresser whereas James’ marriage certificate records him as a mathematical instrument maker.  Robert seems to have alternated between the two with no discernible pattern – perhaps it depended upon the availability of work.

4. Death – I have not as yet found proof of Robert’s death, though I have 5 possibilities in mind.  Of those, I think I can discount 3, as they are all after 1841 and I think he was dead by then.  I can find no record of him in the 1841 census, but I did find an Elizabeth Hooker living in the St Lukes Workhouse in 1841, so she may well have been left destitute.  If he died earlier (I have 2 possibilities, 1824, and 1832) then the family may have been in dire straits.  In fact, I have found likely death notices for the last 2 children, who both died in the workhouse (Sarah Ann in 1827 & Robert in 1830) – neither of them appear in the 1841 census. 

I notice in my previous post on Robert I have raised various other questions – to some of which I have found answers, while others are still awaiting investigation.  I will deal with them in my next post.