Hamilton

Here is a photo taken of my family back in 1967. Dad was booked to do some shows on the P&O cruise liner Orsova. I have cut the photo down somewhat because of the size…my sister Julie is actually standing beside me.

In the photo is: My Dad, George Reynolds Reid (George Raymond), Mum June (Hopkins) Reid and me, Wendy, aged five. Photo is taken at Circular Quay Sydney 1967…

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My Great Grandfather, Patrick Hopkins, was born 1883 at Bellingen, a small village in Northern NSW. His birth, for some reason, appears not to have been registered as there is no official birth certificate for him, however, his year of birth is later given on his marriage certificate along with the place of his birth.

Patrick was the fourth child born to Edward Hopkins, a labourer, and Margaret Owen. Edward Hopkins was born in 1858 in Sydney, Margaret Owen was born at Macleay River northern NSW in 1866 to William Owen and Ellen Bohen (married 1859 Sydney).

Patrick was born into what was to be quite a large family, which was common in those times. The family lived and worked around the region of northern NSW with the children being born in such towns as Bowraville, Bellingen, Macleay River, Missabotte, Macksville and Nambucca. This region of NSW at that time was primarily a timber cutting/logging industry and agricultural region. Given that Edward stated on his children’s birth certificates that he was a ‘labourer’ it is highly likely that he was employed in the logging industry and on farms. Work in that field was plentiful during that time and would have been a necessity for Edward to support his and wife and large family.

Edward and Margaret were married on the 7th June 1878 at Macleay River, at the time of their marriage they were very young with Edward being 20 and Margaret, incredibly, just 12 years old. On the birth certificate of her daughter, Ruby Agnes from 1901, Margaret’s age was listed as ‘38′ which would place her year of birth as 1863 however Margaret’s birth is recorded as being at Macleay River in 1866. That much is certain. Obviously three years was added onto Margaret’s age in order for her to marry - it was relatively easy to do this back in those days before official proof of age was required; my guess is that there was a good chance she was pregnant pre-marriage with son Edward. However here are all the children listed in order of birth:

1) Edward -1879, 2) John James -1880, 3) Mary Ellen - 1882, 4) Patrick - 1883, 5) Peter H - 1887, 6) Francis - 1890, 7)James A - 1894 Macksville, Joseph - 1897 Bowraville, 9) Bertie P - 1899 Bowraville, 10) Ruby Agnes - 17th November 1901 at Missabotte. (It is from the information on her birth certificate that I have recorded this information on the family), 11) Pearlie I - 1904 at Bowraville.

Margaret also lost three babies at birth and early infancy; Francis - born/died Bowraville 1885, Margaret - born/died at Nambucca 1891, Pearlie E - born/died 1896.

Given the large number of births it is unusual that no twins were ever born.

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As I have posted some info regarding Reid, Reynolds and Hopkins recently I hope to expand on those names very soon. I hit one of those brick walls that we all run into in this pastime. I don’t have too much data on my Dad’s side (Reid, Reynolds) so I splashed out and ordered some birth and marriage certs from the NSW Registry of BDM’s. They should be arriving pretty soon. I’m particularly excited about this because I will be able to learn who his great grandparents were and their birthdates will sit at around the 1850’s. No matter how long you do this there are always nice little surprises around the corner!.

I’m also looking for to fill out the gaps in my Mum’s Hopkins side (here paternal grandfather) and have ordered a birth certificate for her grandfather’s sister. It seems her grandfather’s, Patrick Hopkins, birth was not registered which was not uncommon in those days. Anyway, her birth cert will tell me what I need to know, and hopefully, will list all her siblings as well. I once wrote them all down back in the days when I sat in the library pouring over the microfiche machine but I seem to have misplaced that one very piece of writing that I need.

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