Henry Hooper 1802 - 1867

Henry was the third son of Thomas and Ann, born in Balham Surrey on 13th June 1802. He married Clarissa Dobson on 4th June 1822 in Saint Pancras, aged about 20. He also was a gardener, probably starting by working for his father Thomas in Balham. At some stage he moved north across the river to the Islington/Pentonville area. Was it at the time of his marriage? And how did he meet Clarissa if she was from the Saint Pancras area? We don't know, but whatever the reasons Henry stayed in the Pentonville area for the rest of his life, and all their children were born there.

In the 1841 census the family is living in Prospect Row, Pentonville. The  parents Henry and Clarissa, and six children, Mary Ann (14), Thomas(12) , Richard(10), Charles(7), William(5) and Emanuel (9 months).

In his later years Henry gave up gardening and at various times we see him as an undertaker, theatrical machinist, and house agent. There is more about these occupations later in the narrative on his son Richard.

Henry's wife Clarissa died aged 38 in 1843 shortly after giving birth to a baby daughter, Eliza Emma. Eliza was put into the care of someone in the Upper Tooting area, but sadly she died a few months later. We have yet to discover who was caring for Eliza, but it was in the area where her grandfather Thomas was living so possibly a relative. She could even have been in the care of the poor law union, because she died in the workhouse infirmary.

Henry died in 1867 after living for many years with his daughter Mary Ann and her husband George Wilson, in Winchester Street, Pentonville.