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Richard Hawkins and Elizabeth Cockerell/Shaffer © According to records held by others in relation to the Hawkins family, Richard was born in Brightling, Sussex, in 1782, and that he was the son of Thomas Hawkins and Mary Balcomb. The Parish Register of St Bartholomew, in Burwash, shows Richard was baptized there on the 30th June, 17821. Brightling is both a rural parish and a village wholly within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is famed for its wide reaching views of the highly wooded and undulating countryside. The village is roughly 3km south of Burwash, and in common with many Wealden settlements, the main village has always been very small with many hamlets and scattered farms. The name 'Brightling' is said to be derived from the settlement of Britas people. There are no known pre-historic finds in the parish, but early man certainly was in the area, clearing the land farming and making iron. However, by the early Middle Ages the area had reverted back to dense woodland, and much of the current settlement pattern dates back to the Saxon period, when the area was again cleared for agriculture. The parish church, dedicated to St Thomas-à-Becket, is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The structure today dates from the 12th Century onwards and consists of a tower, and 14th Century nave, north aisle, chancel and north chapel. At the west end is a timber built Gallery which houses a working barrel organ installed in 1820. The tower houses a peal of eight bells which are regularly rung. Brightling is famous for its collection of follies, which were all built by John 'Mad Jack' Fuller in the early 19th Century: the Needle, an obelisk over 20m high was built on the second highest point in East Sussex and was erected around 1810; the Sugar Loaf, apparently built to win a bet that Mad Jack made whilst in London; the Tower or Watch Tower, built by Fuller in the middle of a field, it is 10.6m high and 3.7m in diameter; the Temple or Rotunda, built in the grounds of Brightling Park perhaps to add a classical element to the gardens; and the Observatory, now a private residence was completed in 1810. It was furnished with all the equipment of the time including a Camera Obscura. During his lifetime Jack also arranged for the building of his own tomb, in the shape of a Pyramid, in the churchyard of St Thomas-à-Becket at Brightling. Jack died in 1834 and it was said that he was buried inside the tomb sitting at a table, complete with bottle of wine at hand and wearing a top hat, with broken glass strewn across the floor to stop the Devil's footsteps! Sadly the story regarding his burial was proven to be untrue when it was necessary to enter the tomb to carry out restoration work many years later, he is indeed buried under the pyramid, but in the conventional manner2. No mention of Richard or his parents has been located which would reveal their lifestyle or movements. However, it is assumed like many people of this era that they were engaged in a rural occupation of some description. It is thought Richard may have married twice and both wives may well have been called Elizabeth, (Cockerell / Shaffer) however, to-date no marriage has been located for Richard marrying either. However, records do indicate Richard and an Elizabeth had at least three children, all born in Burwash: Thomas 1803; Eliza 1805; and William Rudlan 1807, he first married Mary Bishop 1826, and second he married Ann Quaif 1832. Until marriage records are located it is supposition that Elizabeth Cockerell is the mother. A Baptism for an Elizabeth Cockerell 1st August 1784 in the Non-Conformist & Non-Parochial Registers of Framlington Norfolk, the daughter of Nathaniel & Elizabeth. A search of records has also located a Baptism for an Elizabeth Sheather in Etchingham 23rd March, 1780, the daughter of James & Ann. Neither Baptism has been confirmed, nor documentation sighted. However, family information and Census records suggest Elizabeth Cockerell was born in Norfolk, in addition it is known that many of the Hawkins family were Non-Parochial Presbyterians. The 1841 Census3 has Richard and Elizabeth living in Bell Alley, Burwash, Sussex. Richard is recorded as age 55, and his occupation is given as an Agricultural Labourer, his wife Elizabeth’s age is given as 60, the record indicates they were both born in Sussex. Richard and Elizabeth are mentioned as still living in Burwash, Sussex, on an 1848 Immigration List4, when their son William and his family immigrated to Australia. In the 1851 Census3, Richard and Elizabeth are found living in Village, Old Row, Burwash. This record shows Richard as a 69year old Turner, Elizabeth is now 76years old, Richard is recorded as born Brightling, Sussex, and Elizabeth at St Peters, Norfolk. The age difference between the two Censuses can be explained as in the 1841 Census the ages of people over 15years old were usually rounded up or down to the nearest 5 years. As well as the age differences, the occupation listed does raise some doubt, although again the difference could be explained as the Enumerator, or even Richard, putting Agricultural Labourer because he worked on the land, the most convincing bit of information which indicates this is the correct couple is his birthplace, listed as Brightling, which we know is correct. Elizabeth is thought to have died in Burwash, at the age of 83 and was buried in the Parish Churchyard on the 7th July, 1859. To-date, no record has been sighted. According to the 1861 Census3, Richard is still living in Burwash in the Town Toll Gate House. He is recorded as a Widow, 79years old, his birthplace as Brightling, and his occupation a Chair Maker. With him is his Housekeeper, Sarah Pettit. Records indicate Richard died at the age of 82 in Burwash and was buried in the Parish Churchyard on 25th April, 1865. Again, to-date no record has been sighted. References: 1. Parish Baptism Record via LDS Film 2. UK Censuses via Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk 3. Brightling in East Sussex http://brightling.east-sussex.co.uk/ 4. Passenger List Emperor Immigration Board 1848 via Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk
Other Sources: Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk FindMyPast https://www.findmypast.co.uk/ Open Domesday Book http://domesdaymap.co.uk/ Owen Gibbins http://www.gibbins.gen.nz/ Sussex Village Net http://sussex.villagenet.co.uk/ Weald, The - People, History and Genealogy http://www.thesussexweald.org/
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