I had a little trawl online for any other children of William, as Florence seems to be born here, this was his home town, and at that time he would have been recruited locally.

The Marines were in two localities, in Gosport, and at Eastney, on Portsea island. There is only one main church here, St Marys, and lots of chapels connected to it, and many non-conformists.

I search through every church for Florence Alices records, nothing, and what is suprising, not many William Hawkings around here.

In fact, only a few in the whole county. so I did a search locally for you William

very long shot....

WILLIAM ELI HAWKINS
Male Christening: 30 JUN 1837
Saint Marys, Portsea, Hampshire


Parents:
Father: ELI HAWKINS Mother: HARRIET CAROLINE ?

he is the only one around at the right time within 20 miles
on records transcribed...

so I had a search for children of William Hawkins at St Marys, baptism records.

4 williams got married, the rest are to young, except one born in 1845, but he went and died, lucikily for us, but not for him in 1851 (thank god for middle names)

so I found one other Hawkins child, with William as a father

GEORGE ALFRED HAWKINS Male
Christening: 10 APR 1870 Saint Marys, Portsea, Hampshire,

Parents: Father: WILLIAM HAWKINS Mother: HARRIET AMELIA

this would be too good to be true, so I looked for the Marriage record. problem...

WILLIAM HAWKINS Male
Spouse: HARRIET AMELIA CHAPPLE
Marriage: 21 FEB 1869 Saint Marys, Portsea, Hampshire,
Husband Age at Marriage: 24
Wife Age at Marriage: 20

He is ten years too young, ten years could be a typo error when it was transcribed, believe me I have seen the originals and the salt air here has not helped them, nor does some of the copperplate handwriting, which is very hard to read.

Ok, so prayers tonight that the idiot at the LDS could not read the script, will check ASAP, within a week if I can find time.

good news, no other local William alive of right age....

Only other hope is in Alton, 20 miles north of here.... I will hit the 1881 again to see if he is alive then

Dave Calladine, Portsmouth