The
Elizabeth Hawksley/Oaksley
who married Edward Johnson in 1853 is without a shadow of doubt a daughter of
George and Sarah Hawksley, in spite of her
father’s name being given as Charles in her marriage certificate. Exhaustive research, both negative and
positive, including a comparison of original signatures in three marriage
registers, in two of which she was a witness, leads to this conclusion. In addition, Elizabeth Hawksley’s two illegitimate children, Caroline and
Mary, both feature in the story of Edward Johnson and his children.
George was baptised at South Wingfield, 18 February 1789, a son of Robert Hawksley and Dorothy (formerly Shaw).
He (X) was a framework knitter and married Sarah Turner (a daughter of Elizabeth Turner, baptised 11 November 1792) at South Wingfield 8 October 1810 after banns - though none are in the banns book! They were both of the parish. The witnesses were Ellen Platts and William Waker.
In 1841, in Church Street, South Wingfield, George Hawksley was aged 49 and a stockinger. With him were Sarah aged 48, William aged 28, a stockinger, Elizabeth aged 20, a stockinger, Keziar aged 13, a stockinger, Moses aged 12, a stockinger, Caroline aged 5 and Mary aged 2. All were born in Derbyshire.
George was buried 22 December 1846 at South Wingfield, aged 57.
In 1851, at South Wingfield, Sarah Hawksley was head and a widow aged 60. With her were her daughter, Elizabeth, unmarried, aged 32, a framework knitter, her son Aaron, unmarried and aged 23, a coal miner, her granddaughter, Caroline aged 15, a framework knitter, and her granddaughter Mary, aged 12. All were born in South Wingfield. There was also a lodger, Henry Bingham, unmarried, aged 28, a framework knitter and born at Nottingham.
Sarah Hawksley was buried 8 November 1855 at South Wingfield, aged 66. She died at Shirland, and was probably living with her daughter and son-in-law, Ellen and Samuel Coape.
George and Sarah’s children, all baptised at South Wingfield, were:
Posted October 2016