Horace Stanley Douglas Hopkins (1905 - 1965)

Born 27 Mar 1905 in Walthamstow, Essex, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Ena Emily Beasley — married 23 Jul 1932 in Leyton, Essex

Descendants

Died 24 Jan 1965 at age 59 in Walthamstow, Essex, England, United Kingdom

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Biography for both Horace Stanley Douglas Hopkins and his wife Ena Emily Beasley

HORACE STANLEY DOUGLAS HOPKINS was the final child of Edward and Martha and was born on 27th Mar 1905 at 4 Downsfield Road in Walthamstow ^[1]. He was christened at St Michael and All Saints in Walthamstow on 23rd May of the same year ^[2] and on the 1911 census he is still living at his birthplace ^[3]. Like his father and grandfather he trained as a gilder and also worked as a carpenter and joiner ^[4]. He was living at 23 Verulam Avenue in Walthamstow with his parents at the time of his marriage to ENA EMILY BEASLEY on 23rd Jul 1932 at St Paul’s in Leyton and Ena was living at 175 Essex Road, Leyton ^[5]. Ena was born on 7 December 1906 at 17 Chestnut Walk, Walthamstow, Essex ^[6] round the corner from where her parents ran a coffee house. She was christened on 6th Jan 1907 at St Mary, Walthamstow ^[7]. At the time of the 1911 census she was living in the coffee house at 775 & 777 Lea Bridge Road, Leyton with her parents ^[8]. She helped out with cooking in the coffee house where she first met Horace. By 1937 the couple had moved to 33 Evelyn Road in Walthamstow and Horace is described as a carpenter ^[9]. When the Second World War broke out he volunteered, but was refused as they needed carpenters to remain in London and he chose instead to serve in the fire brigade which he also served in for many years after the war had finished ^[10]. Horace is living at 159 Shernhall Street, Walthamstow at the time of the 1939 register and Horace is described as a general foreman and a carpenter and joiner ^[11]. Ena had been evacuated out to 121 Mill Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire with their daughter ^[12]. She didn’t stay there very long and soon moved back to join Hodge in Walthamstow. During the Second World War whilst living at the same address they were forced to rebuild their house twice after it had been bombed, the first time on 19 March 1941 and the second time on 3 February 1944 ^[13]. Ena took a job later as a dinner lady ^[14]. Horace was a heavy smoker which took its toll and he died on 24th Jan 1965 as a result of lung cancer at Connaught Hospital ^[15]. He was cremated at the City of London Cemetery ^[16]. In his will he left £941 to his widow, Ena ^[17]. Ena continued to live in Shernhall Street until 1971 when she moved with her daughter Joan's family to 72 The Charter Road, Woodford Green, Essex ^[18]. She was only about 5' tall and in later life had white hair, although this was originally dark brown. She remained fit until into her 90s but following a series of strokes was moved to Highams Court, 1 Friars Close, Chingford, Essex for specialist care. She died on 9 January 2001 after suffering yet another stroke whilst staying at Highams Court ^[19]. She was cremated at the City of London Cemetery, Manor Park ^[20]. I (Gary Taylor) was always very close to my ‘nan’ and she always said that I reminded her of Hodge. Horace and Ena’s only child was Joan Elizabeth Hopkins.

Sources

1. ↑ Certified Copy of an Entry of Birth for Horace Stanley Douglas Hopkins, 27 March 1905. Application Number COL724420. General Register Office
2. ↑ Baptism of Horace Stanley Douglas Hopkins, 23 May 1905. St Michael and All Saints, Walthamstow, Essex Parish Register
3. ↑ 1911 Census Return for Walthamstow, Essex, PRO RG14/9679, Registration District 188, Sub District 10, Enumeration District 5
4. ↑ Personal Knowledge
5. ↑ Certified Copy of an Entry of Marriage for Horace Stanley Douglas Hopkins and Ena Emily Beasley, 25 July 1932. Application Number COL724420. General Register Office
6. ↑ Certified Copy of an Entry of Birth for Ena Emily Beasley 7 December 1906. Application Number COL724420. General Register Office
7. ↑ Baptism of Ena Emily Beasley, 6 January 1907. St Mary, Walthamstow, Essex Parish Register
8. ↑ 1911 Census Return for Walthamstow, Essex, PRO RG14/9702, Registration District 188, Sub District 10, Enumeration District 28
9. ↑ Information obtained from their daughter, Joan’s, birth certificate
10. ↑ Personal knowledge
11. ↑ 1939 Register, TNA RG101/1143G/011/6 Letter Code CDPS
12. ↑ 1939 Register, TNA RG101/6117E/011/22
13. ↑ These dates have been taken from a book at my father’s house
14. ↑ Personal knowledge
15. ↑ Certified Copy of an Entry of Death for Horace Stanley Douglas Hopkins, 24 Jan 1965. Application Number COL724420. General Register Office
16. ↑ Personal knowledge
17. ↑ Probate for Horace Stanley Douglas Hopkins, 23 March 1965, London. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar
18. ↑ Personal knowledge
19. ↑ Certified Copy of an Entry of Death for Ena Emily Hopkins 9 January 2001. Application Number COL724420. General Register Office
20. ↑ Personal knowledge

• census records
• Birth Certificate full information: West Ham 1905 Walthamstow County of Essex 453 Twenty Seventh March 1905 4 Downsfield Road Walthamstow U.D., Horace Stanley Douglas, Boy, Edward James Hopkins, Martha Hopkins formerly Brown, Baskets Traveller, E.J. Hopkins father 4 Downsfield Road Walthamstow, Ninth May 1905
• Marriage Certificate full information: 1932, the Parish Church, St Paul's Leyton, Essex, 100, July 25th 1932, Horace Stanley Douglas Hopkins, 27, Bachelor, Joiner, 44 Carnarvon Road St Paul's, Edward James Hopkins, Art Decorator, Ena Emily Beasley, 25, Spinster, Cook, 175 Essex Road St Paul's, Henry Beasley, Restaurant Proprietor, banns, Witnesses: Henry Beasley, Edward James Hopkins
• Death Certificate full information: Essex South Western, 1965, Walthamstow, County of Essex, 280, Twenty fourth January 1965 Connaught Hospital Walthamstow, Horace Stanley Douglas Hopkins, male, 59 years, of 159 Shernhall Street Walthamstow Carpenter and ?, Ia Broncho Pneumonia Ib Carcinoma Bronchus Certified by C L Crawford M.B., E.E. Hopkins Widow of deceased 159 Shernhall Street E17, Twenty fifth January.