Searching the 1841 England Census for occurrences of the “Hoodless” name reveals 186 results with a variety of similar spellings (Hoodlass, Headless, Hudlass, Hadless, Hoadless).
Across England, these 186 individuals are found in only nine counties. By far the highest concentration is in Lincolnshire, followed by Cumberland. This indicates that the oldest Hoodless roots lie in these two counties.
| County | Number |
| Cumberland | 46 |
| Durham | 5 |
| Lancashire | 2 |
| Lincolnshire | 112 |
| Middlesex | 7 |
| Nottinghamshire | 6 |
| Surrey | 1 |
| Westmorland | 1 |
| Yorkshire | 6 |
North Lincolnshire
The town of Barton on Humber and nearby Barrow on Humber have the highest concentration of the Hoodless name in the 1841 England Census. These two towns lie close to the Humber river estuary which separates Lincolnshire from Yorkshire. Barton on Humber is now the southern crossing point of the Humber Bridge the longest span suspension bridge in the UK, which opened in 1981.
Back in 1841 it was a market town serving the surrounding rural farmland. Strategically placed between the larger ports of Grimsby and Kingston Upon Hull, Barrow and Barton have a strong link to maritime industry and fisheries. A ropery or ropewalk was established in Barton in 1767 by William Hall for the manufacture of heavy duty ship rope and can still be visited today. Clay and chalk extraction developed in the 1800’s supporting local brick and cement making industries.
The spread of the Hoodless name bearers flows from a high concentration in the Barton area, south and east through the county. All are concentrated around the Lincolnshire Wolds in places such as Binbrook, Market Rasen, Middle Rasen, Ludford, Louth, South Reston, North Somercoates and Grainthorpe. See map below.
The Wolds are still protected as an Area of Natural Beauty where rolling hills and vales have been farmed for centuries – predominantly a rotation of sheep, barley, turnips and wheat – on a rich patchwork of pasture reclaimed from the marshes.
George Hoodless
This record details the attestation and discharge of George Hoodless who had joined the Royal Marines on 11th June 1859 at the age of 18 years.
He was 5ft 4 1/4 inches in height and he was from the Barton district in Lincolnshire. His hair is brown, eyes grey and he is of fair complexion. He embarked originally from North Lincolnshire and was signed up by Captain Fellowes in London along with two other North Lincolnshire lads, William Hill aged 20 also from Barton and George Haughton, 18 from Colby. George Hoodless was discharged on 21 December 1859 and paid £20. Such a short stint may indicate that he was unwell or not fit for purpose? His fellow Lincolnshire comrades eventually both deserted. Hill “ran” from barracks four years later in September 1863 and Haughton “ran” from the Centurion in June 1861.
George shows up in the 1841 England Census (below) as a 2 month old baby. His parents are William and Sarah Hoodless and he has four older siblings. The family are living in Barrow Upon Humber in the Barton District, one of the many families working the land there.
I wonder what made George take the leap away from farming and join the Royal Marines 18 years later? Did living so close to the Humber estuary across from the great port of Hull and all the ships moving up and down the coat create a desire for adventure in him? Why did it not work out for him? He only lasted 6 months before being paid off with £20. What did he do next? Did he make good use of this pay out? My plan is to find out!