HOOPER OF TROWBRIDGE

 

The parish register entry for the marriage of Thomas Hooper and Ann Clifford describes Ann as a spinster. However, the banns register states that she was a widow. The marriage of Phillip Clifford and Ann May, spinster, on 18 July 1779, is recorded in the Trowbridge parish registers. Phillip Clifford was buried at Trowbridge on 9 August 1791. Thomas and Ann’s son James Hooper had a son called James May Hooper, baptised in 1832, whose middle name gives some support to Ann’s maiden surname being May.[1]

 

Ann (May) (Clifford) Hooper’s burial entry shows that she was born about 1760. She seems to have been the Ann baptised on 27 April 1760 at Semington, daughter of Francis and Sarah May. A clue to her parentage is that the marriage of James Rawlings and Sarah Clifford on 20 September 1802 at Trowbridge was witnessed by a Francis May. The bride was evidently Sarah, daughter of Phillip and Ann (May) Clifford, who was baptised on 16 November 1783 at Trowbridge. It may be noted that the marriages of Richard and Elizabeth (Hooper) Dalmer and William and Maria (Hooper) Stockwell were both witnessed by a James Rawlings.

 

The Thomas Hooper married at Trowbridge in 1792 may be the one who was baptised at Trowbridge in 1751, son of John and Martha Hooper. However, there was also a Thomas Hooper baptised at Melksham in 1751 and one baptised at Holt in 1747, both places being close to Trowbridge, and further investigation would be needed to establish the connection.

 

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HOOPER

 

THOMAS HOOPER of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, cloth dresser, married on 18 February 1792 at Trowbridge, ANN (MAY) CLIFFORD,[2] daughter of Francis and Sarah (Brownjohn) May and widow of Phillip Clifford. Ann was baptised on 27 April 1760 at Semington[3] and buried on 13 October 1815 at Trowbridge.[4]

 

Children of Thomas and Ann (May) (Clifford) Hooper:

i                  JAMES HOOPER of Portsea, Hampshire, sergeant in the Royal Marines, b Trowbridge,[5] bap 25 Dec 1792, Trowbridge,[6] d 25 Feb 1855;[7] m(1)             ;[8] m(2) 22 Mar 1829, Portsea, MARIA HEMBERY.[9]

ii                 ELIZABETH HOOPER, b Trowbridge,[10] bap 18 Mar 1795, Trowbridge,[11] d 12 Oct 1853, Leeds;[12] m 19 May 1812, Trowbridge, RICHARD DALMER[13] (see here).

iii                MARIA HOOPER, b Trowbridge,[14] bap 9 Apr 1798, Trowbridge,[15] d 22 May 1854, Trowbridge;[16] m 8 Sep 1818, Trowbridge, WILLIAM STOCKWELL.[17]



[1] St Thomas, Portsmouth, parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[2] Trowbridge parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).

[3] Semington parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).

[4] Trowbridge parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).

[5] 1851 census returns, Portsea (National Archives, HO 107/1659, fol. 139).

[6] Trowbridge parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).

[7] Portsea Cemetery registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[8] James is described as a widower in the entry for his marriage to Maria Hembery. A James Hooper, bachelor, married Catherine Toup at Portsmouth in 1814 and a James Hooper, bachelor, married Ann Russell at Portsmouth in 1817. In both cases the bridegroom is stated to be of the Royal Marines.

[9] Portsea parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[10] 1851 census returns, Leeds (National Archives, HO 107/2321, fol. 134).

[11] Trowbridge parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).

[12] Death certificate. Her burial entry in the Leeds General Cemetery registers (https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/520402) states that she was born at “[        ] Bridge” and was a daughter of “Thomas & Elizth Hooper”, the parental occupation being cloth dresser. The mother’s name appears to be an error.

[13] Trowbridge parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).

[14] 1851 census returns, Trowbridge (National Archives, HO 107/1840, fol. 427).

[15] Trowbridge parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).

[16] Death certificate.

[17] Trowbridge parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).