Francis Hocking was born in 1842, to William (a stone-cutter from Ladock, Cornwall) and Elizabeth (née Trudgeon?) Hocking. Records indicate that he was christened in his birthplace, Saint Enoder, on 14 September 1845. At the time of the 1851 census this Hocking household was made up of William (44), Elizabeth (39), Sophia (12), Francis (10), Susan (8), Amy (7), Richard (4) and William Jr (1). Living next door to them was another Hocking family, doubtless related: John (43, stone cutter from Ladock), Catherine (43, from Newlyn), Emma (9), John (7), Selina (7), Edward (1). All of the above children were born in Saint Enoder, Cornwall. Keep in mind that the ages given in census records and in passenger lists are not always in agreement, as is the case with what follows.

Francis Hocking’s family emigrated to Australia on the Victoria Regia (Captain Edward Charlton) which left Plymouth on 25 July 1855 and arrived in Port Adelaide ‘after a most tedious voyage of 110 days’ on 13 November 1855. Their names and ages are given in the passenger list as follows: William (44), Elizabeth (43), Susan (16), Sophia (14), Francis (13), Amy (10), Richard (8), William Jr (6) and James (2). Susan and Sophia, both listed separately from the rest of the family, are identified as servants.

Francis Hocking married Emily Louisa Francis (b. or bap. 6 January 1844), the daughter of Nicholas and Jane Ann (née Lanxon) Francis, on 29 March 1868 in St Mary’s Church, Port Wallaroo, South Australia. South Australian BDM records mention a Francis James Hocking, son of Francis Hocking, who died at Moonta at the age of 12 days on 31 May 1869. This is almost certainly the first child of Francis and Emily Louise. The birth of this child does not appear to have been registered. Another son, Frederick Francis (or vice versa) Bismarck, was born on 8 June 1871 when Francis was working in the nearby Moonta mines. He was living in Emperor Street, Thompson Estate, South Brisbane, when he died on 25 September 1934 and was buried in the Toowong Cemetery.

Later, after the family moved to Queensland, other children were born to them: Ernest Vivian (b. 7 June 1874; m. Dora Ethel Webber 20 August 1895), Amy Lanxon (b. 5 August 1876, Mount Perry), Frank Herbert (b. 11 April 1880; m. Annie Mary Raphael Walsh 20 August 1906; d. 26 August 1950), and Edith Clara (b. 22 July 1883; m. Walter John Barnacle 30 June 1904; d. 14 June 1928, buried in God’s Acre).

Francis Hocking, a bridge contractor, retired to Yeerongpilly and then to Russell Street, Rocklea, where he died on 5 August 1925. He was buried in the Cooper’s Plains Cemetery on the following day. The Reverend C Maitland of the Congregational Church conducted the service which was certified by D Cremin (undertaker) and witnessed by G Fabian and H Westerman.

Emily Louisa Hocking’s parents—Nicholas Francis, the son of Richard and Elizabeth (née Wellington) Francis, and Jane Lanxon, the daughter of Henry and Anne (née Higgs) Lanxon—were married at St Enoder, Cornwall, on 13 March 1828. Some years after the death of her mother on 25 January 1850, Jane’s father decided to emigrate to Australia with his surviving children. They left Plymouth on the Carnatic (Captain CR Suckling) on 24 January 1857 and arrived in Port Adelaide on 28 April 1857. In addition to Nicholas Sr (a farm labourer), the following Francis children were on board: Jane Ann (bap. 21 February 1832, servant), Amelia Catherine (bap. 13 December 1836, domestic servant), Nicholas John (bap. 29 April 1839), Louisa [= Emily Louisa] (bap. 8 January 1844, servant), Eliza (bap. 12 June 1845, domestic servant).

Emily Louisa Hocking died aged 93 at the residence of her daughter Amy in Alexander Street, Lota, on 21 June 1935. According to her death certificate her burial took place in the Bulimba Cemetery on 24 June 1935 in the presence of C Madden (undertaker), the Reverend JJ Taylor of the Church of England, and J Dibble and J Dunstan (witnesses). However, there is no entry for this burial in the BCC cemetery records. Moreover, the following funeral notice in the Courier Mail indicates clearly that the interment took place at God’s Acre, Cooper’s Plains:

HOCKING.—The Friends of Emily Louisa Hocking and Family, late of Rocklea, are invited to attend her Funeral, to move from the Funeral Parlour, 581 Stanley Street, South Brisbane, This (Monday) Afternoon, at 1 o’clock, to the Cooper’s Plains Cemetery.