Hawke's Farm, photographed by my uncle when it was re-thatched in March-April 1975.
Hawke’s Farm
Before Richard Hawke took over the Farm House, it was simply known as Alverton Farm and
remained so until he died. It then acquired the name Alverton House, Hawke's Farm.
Richard Hawke was born in 1817 at Perranuthnoe, christened 22nd October 1817,
son of Nicholas and Grace Hawke.. He had become a chandler.
Late in 1839, he married Rosetta Matthews.
Rosetta was christened 9th October 1809, daughter of James and Elizabeth Matthews, in Paul.
In 1841 they are living in Alverton Lane with Walter L Hawke, their 1 year old son.
At this time, the description Alverton Lane covered all houses not included in Alverton Terrace, extending as far as Alverton Farm,
which then was a part of Alverton House property.
By 1851, the Hawkes were a larger family, with a servant. Richard was now a Flour Store Keeper
They also had a daughter Jesse R. Hawke 5 years and son Cornelius R Hawke 4 years.
In 1861 Richard Hawke was a Bailiff and Store Keeper; Walter was now a Clerk in Flour Milling.
In 1864 Richard is described as a Miller at Alverton Farm.
In 1871 Richard Hawke is a Clerk in the Flour Trade, at Alverton Farm.
Richard Hawke died early in 1881, age 63.
In 1881 Rosetta Hawke continued, aged 71, in business as a Dairy farmer, with 3 staff.
The house is noted as being Hawke’s Farm, by the Penzance Enumerator, yet the Madron Enumerator still calls it Farm Cottage Alverton.
Rosetta Hawke remained a widow to the age of 97 she died late in 1907.
By 1891, Hawke’s Farm was occupied by John Michell Pearce [Farmer and manure merchant] and his family.
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As far as the story of a murder at Hawke’s Farm is concerned,
I can find nothing, least of all in records of executions over the period 1605-1900.
There was a triple murder with a gun in 1886 by one James Hawke who immediately shot himself,
but he was no relation and that took place in Marine Place, Penzance.
If there had been a murder in Hawke’s Farm, it would have been long ago, for there is nothing noted in newspapers.
By the way, how would you feel about living in the time of Henry VIII?
In 38 years, 72,000 executions took place of criminals, and that included those unfortunates who, in desperation,
stole a loaf of bread to feed their genuinely starving families, or those who expressed their feelings or opinions of those in office.
Housebreaking and setting fire to corn and other acts of vandalism attracted the same results into the 19th century.
Until 1832, it was a part of the norm to dissect executed persons to advance medical knowledge.
In Britain now, we have no real idea as to true general hardship and deprivation
(with some specific exceptions, it has to be said, and a great deal of those are self-inflicted).
I have heard that there was a murder in Penzance around 1740, but details are not forthcoming.
There was another 7th July 1845 at Rosevean Row, of widow Mrs Elizabeth Ruth Seaman,
she was struck on the head with an axe by her 61 year old lover Mr Benjamin Ellison.
There were murders in Newlyn, Drift and Ludgvan.
James Nicholls born Penzance 1827, committed suicide at Edgeware Road London,
after having murdered four of his children 15th April 1872.
Raymond Forward
