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Here's hoping for some kind soul to take pity.

Following the recent death of my Mum, I was contacted by one of her first cousin’s and a bit of family mystery has arisen, I’m now on behalf of Mum’s cousin looking for info on a lady we believe to be her grandmother.

Agnes Hodgekins (unusual surname) born circa 1883, Warwickshire possibly in Catherine de Barnes. Married a Walter Banks (later a showman at The Spanish City in Whitley Bay) in 1906.

Trying to track down any info which will give the names of Agnes’s parents and siblings, where she was living in 1891 and 1901 and if possible some info on Walter Banks? The mystery is how the family suddenly moves from the Midlands to Geordieland, was Walter originally from the North East?

Fingers crossed!

Steve

Have you looked for Agnes's marriage cert which would give you her father's name and occupation to make it easier to find her on the census?

Have you got the marriage cert o see if she was a widow ( i.e. Hodgekins was not her maiden name ?)
Not seeing a birth in that name

Did you have this?

1911 England Census
Name: Agnes Banks
Age in 1911: 29
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1882
Relation to Head: Wife
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Sollihull, Warwickshire, England
Civil Parish: Birmingham
County/Island: Warwickshire
Country: England
Street Address: 2 Back 38 Tenby St North Bham
Marital Status: Married
Registration District: Birmingham

Walter Banks 28
Agnes Banks 29
Walter Banks 7
Eric Cecil Banks 2
Leslie Banks 11/12
Agnes Flora Banks 3 5/1

Jan

From freebmd:

Marriages Mar 1906 (>99%)

Banks Walter Birmingham 6d 147
Hodgekins Agnes Birmingham 6d 147

Is this them in 1911?

1911 England Census
about Walter Banks Name: Walter Banks
Age in 1911: 28
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1883
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: United States
Civil Parish: Birmingham
County/Island: Warwickshire
Country: England
Street Address: 2 Back 38 Tenby St North Bham
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Silver Smiths Packer & Engine Dr??
Registration District: Birmingham
Registration District Number: 384
Sub-registration District: St George
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Piece: 18065
Household Members: Name Age
Walter Banks 28
Agnes Banks 29
Walter Banks 7
Eric Cecil Banks 2
Leslie Banks 11/12
Agnes Flora Banks 3 5/12


Married 6 years, 4 children but oldest is 7. Note Walter was born in America.

?

1901 England Census
Name: Agnes Hodgkins
Age: 19
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1882
Relation: Visitor
Gender: Female
Where born: Solihull

Civil Parish: Aston Manor
Ecclesiastical parish: Lozells St Silas
County/Island: Warwickshire

Registration District: Aston
Sub-registration District: Aston Manor

Richard Adams 62
Elizabeth Adams 57
Nellie Adams 27
Ruth Adams 16
Edith Adams 7
Arthur Adams 20
William Adams 18
Thomas James 27
Agnes Hodgkins 19

Potty

To be honest I can't really be paying out for certs and Mum's cousin is an OAP so I was just hoping that someone may have access to a record or two that may help. I'm trying as a favour to a relative, if it doesn't come to anything, then at least I can say I tried!

Steve

1911 for reference

Agnes Banks
Age in 1911:29
Estimated Birth Year:abt 1882
Birth Place:Sollihull, Warwickshire, England
Civil Parish:Birmingham
County/Island:Warwickshire
Street Address:2 Back 38 Tenby St North Bham


Walter Banks 28
Agnes Banks 29
Walter Banks 7
Eric Cecil Banks 2
Leslie Banks 11/12
Agnes Flora Banks 3 5/12


says married 6 years

Were any children born after 1911? Seems there may have been and MMN given as Hodgekins:


Births Mar 1913 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Banks Doris M Hodgekins Aston 6d 851 Scan available - click to view


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Births Jun 1915 (>99%)
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Banks Alfred S Hodgekins Aston 6d 832 Scan available - click to view


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Births Jun 1920 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Banks Herbert S Hodgekins Tynemouth 10b 526

891 England Census
Name: Agnes Hodgkins
Age: 8
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1883
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: Warren Hodgkins
Mother's Name: Elizabeth Hodgkins
Gender: Female
Where born: Cathein the Barnes, Warwickshire, England

Civil Parish: Meriden
Ecclesiastical parish: Meriden
Town: Meriden
County/Island: Warwickshiree

Registration District: Meriden
Sub-registration District: Meriden

Warren Hodgkins 33
Elizabeth Hodgkins 29
Willie Hodgkins 9
Agnes Hodgkins 8
Florence A Hodgkins 6
George Hodgkins 5
Ellen E Hodgkins 2
Hebert Hodgkins 9/12

Blimey!

Walter Banks an American, that may well fit in with the profession description on his son's Herbert Stanley Banks birth cert in 1920, it reads "Showman" which is avery American description.

Thanks all!

Steve

A possible relative?


1911 England Census
Name:William Hodgekins
Age in 1911:29
Estimated Birth Year:abt 1882
Relation to Head:Head
Birth Place:Catherine De Barnes
Civil Parish:Meriden
County/Island:Warwickshire
Country:England
Street Address:Meriden Nr Coventry
Marital Status:Married

William Hodgekins 29
Ellen Elizabeth Hodgekins 27
William Warran Hodgekins 2

William in 1901, living in Meriden, POB Hampden in Arden, which is close to Catherine-de-Barnes:

Elizabeth Hodgekins 38
William Hodgekins 19
George Hodgekins 15
Ellen Hodgekins 13
Bertie Hodgekins 12
Gerty Hodgekins 9
Ernest Hodgekins 7
Violet Hodgekins 4
Daily Hodgekins 4

I wonder if this could be Agnes's birth (there is also one for a William Hodgkins in 1882, Meriden):


Births Jun 1883 (>99%)

HODGKINS Agnes Meriden 6d 459

I think this is the family in 1891:


Name:Agnes Hodgkins
Age:8
Estimated Birth Year:abt 1883
Relation:Daughter
Father's Name:Warren Hodgkins
Mother's Name:Elizabeth Hodgkins
Gender:Female
Where born:Cathein the Barnes, Warwickshire, England
CIvil Parish:Meriden

Warren Hodgkins 33 - chimney sweep
Elizabeth Hodgkins 29
Willie Hodgkins 9
Agnes Hodgkins 8
Florence A Hodgkins 6
George Hodgkins 5
Ellen E Hodgkins 2
Hebert Hodgkins 9/12

Edit: just noticed Jan has already posted this!

Ellen from the 1891 seems to have been registered as Hodgekins:


Name:
Ellen Elizabeth Hodgekins

Date of Registration:
Jul-Aug-Sep 1888

Registration District:
Meriden

Inferred County:
Warwickshire

Volume:
6d

Page:
426

Warren seems to have died young:

Warwickshire, England, Burials, 1813-1910

Warren Hodgekins

Birth Year: abt 1860
Parish:Meriden
Burial Date:5 Aug 1897
Burial Age:37

Images says died at Coventry, Warwickhire Hospital

Given Warren's occupation, could this be his marriage? He just made his mark so wouldn't have known that the name was wrong:


Birmingham, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1937
about Warren Hodgkiss
:
Warren Hodgkiss - Chimney sweep, Moor Street
Birth Year: abt 1860
Marriage Date:27 Jun 1881
Marriage Age:21
Marriage Place:Birmingham, St Martin, Warwickshire, England
Spouse:Elizabeth Wilson, Milk Street
Spouse Marriage Age:20
Father: William Hodgkiss - Tinker
Spouse's Father: Thomas Wilson, Labourer

1861 England Census
Warren Hodgkinson
Age:2 Weeks
Estimated Birth Year:abt 1861
Relation:Grandson
Mother's Name:Rosanah Hodkinson there is nothing on the image to indicate that she is his mother
Where born:Wyken, Warwickshire, England
Civil Parish:Wyken

Catherine Hodgkinson 60 Widow, POB NK
Catherine Hodkinson 25 unmarried POB NK
Rosanah Hodkinson 23 unmarried POB NK
Warren Hodgkinson 2 Weeks

All shown as Gypsies which would tie up with fathers occupation on marriage