The first Hoopers to arrive in New Zealand were Charles and Amelia (nee Amelia Foote), who migrated in September 1859 on the ship Matoaka.
Charles was born in 1817 at Templecombe in Somerset, England. He helped with the family bakery business in his early years but then trained to be a teacher. He taught at Winchester Cathedral School, where he was the music and choir master. In 1846 he married Amelia Foote in Somerset, England.
In New Zealand, they settled in Auckland and Charles was appointed to teach the children of the militia stationed at Fort Britomart. Later he taught at Cowans Bay on the Mahurangi River. He then took up a Crown grant of 40 acres in Thompson Road south of Warkworth. He died in 21 October 1871 and is buried in the Anglican cemetery in Warkworth. Amelia moved to Auckland and lived next to her daughter Mary at Judges Bay, Parnell.
They had 5 children - Mary, Charles Francis (born Makarau 6 October 1848), Alfred (born 1850), Anna and Julia.
HIS SONS, CHARLES AND ALFRED - Second generation
Alfred's headstone.
Charles and Amelia's two sons, Charles and Alfred, produced charcoal under contract to the Auckland Gas Company.
Charles became an expert with the broadaxe - a heavy axe with an offset blade. He was reputed to be able to split a threepenny piece into fairly equal portions, just for fun. Charles married Clara Lavis Clinkard on 20 August 1874 and they had 14 children. Charles and Clara farmed at Makarau on Clara's family farm for the rest of their lives. After some years Alfred moved to there as well.
Charles was born in 1848, died 25 March 1934 in Makarau. Clara was born in Garsington, Oxfordshire 28 August 1859 to Thomas Clinkard (born Garsington 1824) and Ellen (born Cornbury, Oxfordshire 1827). Clara was the Makarau postmistress until just before her death on 29 May 1939. Alfred was born on 13 September 1850 and died on 26 May 1940. All are buried at Kaukapakapa cemetery.
Clara and Charles Hooper at their Makarau farm
Their house, with Charles on the verandah
CHARLES AND CLARA'S CHILDREN - Third Generation Charles and Clara had the following 14 children (approx birth year):
Henry Alfred (Harry)
Thomas William (Tom) 1876
Amelia Ellen (Millie) 1878
Charles Francis (Frank) 1880
Julia Annie (Annie) 1881
James Samuel (Jim) 1883
Alfred Edwin (Fred) 1884
Mary Margaret (May) 1885
Margaret Louisa 1887
Clara Ellen (Nellie) 1889
Albert George (Pat) 1891 *
Edith Rachel 1894
Ethel Lucy Jane 1896
Florence Mabel (Florrie) 1899
The family was musical with Thomas and Henry playing the violin, Charles the clarinet, Frank the cello and Nellie the piano.
Both Henry (1914 - 1923) and Charles (1929-1950) were local body representatives. Henry was an excellent man at working bullocks and had his own team at 14 years old.
* This website will concentrate on the descendants of Albert George (Pat) HOOPER
Three of the children of Clara and Charles - Edith, May and Florrie