John Robert Watkin

John Robert was the son of John Robert Watkin and Elizabeth Watkin (née Hawes). His father John Robert was born in 1859 in Whaplode, Holbeach, Lincolnshire, the son of Edward Watkin, an agricultural labourer, and his wife Sarah. His mother Elizabeth was born in King's Lynn, Norfolk, in 1858 (bap. St John the Evangelist September 1858), the daughter of Benjamin Hawes, a brush maker, and his wife Elizabeth. John and Elizabeth were married at Boston St Botolph in March 1878, both were twenty years old. They had seven children, two of whom died in childhood: Ellen Priscilla b. 1879, Maud Flaxmore b. 1881 d. 1886, John Robert b. 1884, Edward b. 1886 d. 1893, Walter, Gertrude b. 1892 and Bessie b. 1894. All the children were born in Boston. The family was recorded in Boston on the 1881-1901 Census. However, by 1911 John and Elizabeth had moved to Awsworth and were living on Main Street with their youngest daughters Gertrude, a laundry worker, and Bessie, a hosiery winder. Their eldest daughter, Ellen, had married Charles Henry Skinner in 1898 and although they were living in Boston in 1901 they too were now living in Awsworth (Crown Street) with their three children; another child had died in infancy. The youngest son, Walter, was a cowman at Main Farm, Awsworth. John Robert jnr. had married Margaret Scully (b. Ilkeston, Derbyshire, December 1887), the daughter of Martin and Sarah Scully, in 1908 (reg. Basford). John and Margaret had three children, one of whom died in infancy: Kathleen b. Awsworth 1909 (J/A/S), John b. 1913 and Ivy L. b. 1914 d. 1915. The two youngest children were born in Yorkshire (reg. Hemsworth). In 1911 John, a coal miner, his wife and their daughter Kathleen (1) were living at 16 Cambridge Street, South Elmsall, Yorkshire. They later lived at 205 Grimethorpe Street, South Elmsall. Following her husband's death, Margaret was awarded a pension of 22 shillings and 11 pence a week commencing 26 November 1917. The amount was increased to 35 shillings and three pence on 11 October 1918. John's parents continued to live on Main Street, Awsworth, until their deaths. Elizabeth died in 1920 and her husband in February 1921; both were buried in Awsworth St Peter's churchyard. John's widow probably married Fred Green, a miner/hewer, in 1920 and in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled they were living in South Elmsall. Margaret probably died in 1946 (reg. Sheffield).