Worgan (Parish Records)

by jhopkins , Friday, August 06, 2021, 03:53 (1239 days ago) @ sidtoomey01

Hi Sid

You are from across the ditch eh? I hope you are not in one of the affected areas - stay safe.

I think you have got a wee bit confused by the plethora of blokes called John Hopkins! Most of the women in our family in the Forest seemed to be called Sarah as well, so we produce quite a messy genealogy.

My Great Grandfather who emigrated from the FOD to NZ in 1860 was William Hopkins, born in Lydney in 1834 to Thomas and Sarah Hopkins (who seem to have lived mostly in Aylburton where Thomas was a labourer and small farmer). Thomas was born in Hewelsfield - I believe at that time the family lived in Hudnall's Wood. Thomas and Sarah did have a son John, but I am not aware of him migrating to NZ - half of Thomas and Sarah's children did migrate here, and the other half stayed in Britain so far as I know, including John.

As for the spelling "Hopkin" that you used - you have to go back a further generation to Thomas' father - my great great great grandfather Phillip (or Philip) to find the family name spelt the old way as Hopkin.

I have not been able to get further back in the Hopkin (Hopkins) line than Phillip because there is no birth record for him, but the family name seems to have been around Hewelsfield or the St Briavel parish for centuries. There are other Hopkins across the river in Llandogo, but I have yet to find a connection between us and them.

John