| Child of William HODGE and ? Henry HODGE B: 1834/35 - d: 14.8.1903 aged 69 years The First Marriage M: ? - 1st marriage Jane Wallace Henry HODGE m: 27.4.1861 - 2st marriage Elizabeth Woolridge (nee Heard) Henry HODGE was born 1834/35 at either Milton Abbot or Lifton, district Tavistock, Devonshire. Census records vary. His father was William, mother unknown. It is safe to assume that William was a farm labourer. His death certificate in 1903 gives his age as 71 years. It is presumed Henry (like his father William) began working life on the land. He had no schooling, as noted on various certificates. Henry HODGE married Jane Wallace, date unknown, and their 1st child, Amelia, was born 17 January 1853 at Lifton Downs, Devon. Sometime after Amelia's birth Henry took his young family to Alternun and it was there a son, Samuel, was born in early 1855. Daughter Mary was born also at Alternun about 1859. By 1860 the family was living at Upton, Linkenhorne. From these fact we can see despite his country heritage, Henry left the land and turned to mining in Cornwall. A farm hand in the mid 19th century had to work long hours for very little money, so like many others at that time Henry went to the Cornish mines, which were at the peak of production. 1860 Typhoid Although Cornwall didn't suffer as much as the rest of the country, plague's of cholera and typhoid took their toll. In the mid 1800's the demand for labourers was greatly increased and small cottages and single rooms became greatly overcrowded through lack of accommodation, with the natural consequence of fever being increased. Both Jane HODGE and John WOOLRIDGE caught typhoid - and both died. Jane's death certificate dated 14th February 1860 - cause of death: typhoid and pneumonia. Henry too contracted typhoid and was hospitalised, where according to family history, he developed a raging thirst and when no one bought him a drink, he managed to get out of bed and over to a jug of water. He drank copiously, returned to bed and slept for hours. That sleep marked the turning point and he subsequently made a full recovery. 1861 Henry HODGE marries Elizabeth (nee HEARD) WOOLRIDGE After the death of her husband, Elizabeth cared for the three HODGE children, and it isn't hard to picture the situation. On one hand Henry, now a widower with three small children, needing care while he worked, and on the other hand, Elizabeth a young widow with a baby. They indeed needed the support of each other. They married on 27 April 1861 in the Registers Office in Liskeard. Their eldest child Richard Henry HODGE was born 2 December 1862 at Tokenbury. Subsequent children were born at Tokenbury and Middlehill, Pensilva. Several of the children died in infancy. The average life span of a miner was 47 years, if he managed to survive the many accidents underground, and when he came to the surface he ended his days in an overcrowded cottage, spitting black dust and existing on a diet of potatoes and barley corn. Henry contracted the so called 'miner lung' and when his daughter Alice was christened in 1877, his occupation was listed as invalid. The bubble had burst and with his health ruined, Henry, with his growing family faced a bleak future, although by this time Mary, Amelia and Anna along with Richard, Kate and John were working - if indeed there was work to be found. 1871 Census: Parish S.IVE; District 6; Schedule 013 Position Marital Name in Family Status Age HODGE, HENRY Head M 37 HODGE, ELIZ Wife M 32 HODGE, SAMUEL Son U 16 HODGE, MARY Daughter - 11 HODGE, RICHD H Son - 8 HODGE, KATIE Daughter - 7 HODGE, JOHN Son - 4 HODGE, WM Son - 2 HODGE, HENRY Son - 9MO More info on above names: Approximate Birth HODGE, HENRY MINE LAB 1834 MILTON ABBOTT, Devonshire HODGE, ELIZ - 1839 LAWHITTON, Cornwall HODGE, SAMUEL MINER 1855 LEWANNICK, Cornwall HODGE, MARY - 1860 LINKINHORNE, Cornwall HODGE, RICHD H - 1863 S.IVE, Cornwall HODGE, KATIE - 1864 S.IVE, Cornwall HODGE, JOHN - 1867 S.IVE, Cornwall HODGE, WM - 1869 S.IVE, Cornwall HODGE, HENRY - 1871 S.IVE, Cornwall Submitted by Marie Stanaway (nee Hodge) Auckland, New Zealand |