“By the turn of the Eighteenth century, the Champion family had moved to Brean Down Farm and it was from this home, after considerable negotiation, that Ethel became the second wife of Jesse Hawkings in 1902 and took on what must have been the difficult task of bringing some form of organization to the Hawkings household.” From the Hawkings Family book
The Hawkings boys went on the ferry to school. Uphill was a busy port right back to Roman times. The road from Uphill to Weston was quite late. Too much sand in the way.
The family did cream teas for people coming across the ferry.
Modern video of property
Ernest was the third of Jesse and Annie’s children to be born at Northam Farm in 1893. He attended the Burnham National School, and maybe a time at Uphill School (travelling across the ferry to get to school from Brean Down after the family moved from Northam in 1906). He… Continue reading
Ethel was born in 1877 at Horse Croft Farm Bratton Westbury Wilts. Father Edward Champion, mother Martha Board. 1881 Census. Edward and Martha are at Horse Croft Farm with Ivor age 5, Stanley age 2 and Maurice age 7months. There is a nursemaid called Eliza aged 13. A visitor called… Continue reading
The Champion and Hawkings families are only recorded as living at the farm for a short amount of time towards the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries up to the tragic death of Jesse Hawkings on the farm in 1917, the farm is important in the memories of… Continue reading
Tim was born at Northam Farm. He went to New Zealand after the first world war and met Iris and they were married in 1927. Tim was at home when his father died, and talked about the incident at the inquest. He then went to the war, joining the Worcester… Continue reading
Born 1848 at East Brent, one of 9 children. Parents were John and Maria. Extracts from Denis Hawkings book “Edward Champion was born in 1847 and married Martha Board on 11th March 1875. Martha was born in 1850 at East Brent. It appears that the family had arrived at Lympsham… Continue reading