Hawker, Mrs Mary

Gender: Female

Percy Grainger visited Mrs Mary Hawker at Broad Campden on 17 November 1907 when she sang The Drummer Boy and The Spotty Cow. He returned to Broad Campden on 4 April 1908 when she sang Green Bushes, Lord Bateman and The Poaching Song. On that date Mr Hawker sang him William Taylor.

The only Mr Hawker living in Broad Campden in the 1901 Census was John Hawker, an agricultural labourer born in Grafton, Beckford about 1834. In 1841 he was living with his parents, William and Elizabeth Hawker, in Beckford. William was working as an agricultural labourer and they had three other children, Robert, born about 1829, Mary born about 1831 and George born about 1838. By 1851 John Hawker had left home and was working as a farm labourer and living in the house of John Nind, a farmer of 100 acres employing four labourers in Dumbleton. John Hawker married Ann Spiers in the Winchcombe registration district at the end of 1857. Ann had been born in Ashton Under Hill. In 1861 they were living in Beckford with two children, Mary Ann born about 1858 and Charles born about 1860, both born in Dumbleton. By 1871 John and Ann Hawker were living in Grafton near Pershore with four more sons, William born about 1863, Hubert born about 1865, Arthur born about 1867 and Martin born about 1868, all born in Grafton. John and Ann were both working as farm labourers. By 1881 they had moved to Badsey where John Hawker was working as a shepherd and his son, Arthur, was working as a ploughboy. They had another three sons, Edwin born about 1871, Joseph born about 1875, both born in Grafton, and Frank born about 1877 in Saintbury and two daughters, Faith Ada born 1879 and Laura, born about 1881 in Cow Honeybourne. By 1891 they had moved to Lapstone Cottage, Broad Campden where John continued working as a shepherd and his son, Frank, was working as a ploughboy. By 1901 John and Ann Hawker were living in Broad Campden where John continued to work as an agricultural labourer. The only child still at home was Laura Hawker. By 1911 as old age pensioners they had moved back to Grafton. By then they had 11 children all still living.

John Hawker’s children

John Hawker’s son Martin Hawker married and in 1891 was living in Charlton, Pershore where he was working as a market gardener’s labourer and living with his wife, Jane, and children Beatrice born in Pershore about 1887, Arthur born about 1889 and Ernest born about 1890. Another child, Percy had been born in about 1889 but was not at home on the day of the census. In 1911 they were still living in Chorlton and by then had a lodger.

John’s daughter Faith Ada Hawker married Frederick William Trapp, a labourer from Dumbleton, the son of an engine driver, in Dumbleton on 1 May 1901. By 1911 they were living at 1 Midland Cottages, Ashchurch, where Frederick was working as a watchman at the Midland Railway Stores Provender Co. They had two children, Frederic born 19 March 1901 and Irene born 31 December 1908, both born in Ashchurch. They had also had another child who had died. Frederick and Faith had another son, Wilfred born 3 October 1915. During World War I Frederick William Trapp enlisted as a private in 11th Royal Berkshire Regiment on 8 December 1915 whilst living at 15, Northfield Road, Tuffley, Gloucester and working as a labourer. He was 5 ft 6 ¾ inches tall and weighed 160 pounds. He was posted to 834 Artizan Coy Labour Corps on13 August 1918 and was still there on 12 March 1919. He was sent back to the UK for demobilisation on 15 March 1919 when he was stated to have suffered a stiff right wrist with inability to close fingers properly.

Mrs Mary Hawker

Mary Hawker was not the wife of John Hawker but he did have a sister, Mary, and a daughter, Mary Ann, although if they were unmarried they would have been Misses Hawker.

Notes by Carol Davies July 2015