James H. I. Hankin.

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21/5/1915

Lieut. James H. I. Hankins of the Hunts. Cyclist Battalion, it is officially notified is seconded for service with Army Cyclist Corps.  

From a local paper - 14/8/1914    Excitement at St. Ives.    A St. Ives on Monday and Tuesday, as the reservists went off, there were many pathetic scenes at the railway station.  The mobilisation of the Territorials added to the excitement.  The men showed eagerness to respond to the call.  Kit and luggage were sent off on Wednesday evening, and the men paraded on the Armoury shortly after 6 a.m. on Thursday.  A huge throng awaited them on Market Hill, where the St. Ives scouts had paraded their Bugle Band playing the Royal Salute.  Lieuts. G. L. Day and J. H.  Hankin were in command of the company, which numbered nearly 50 non-coms. and men.  In the Broadway nearly 100 scouts, who were encamped in the town, lined up, and as the Terriers passed through the line, their Bugle Band played the Royal Salute.  A halt was made on the awaits and when the men finally went off for Huntingdon they were cheered again and again.

Lt. [temp Capt.] J. H. I. Hankin to be Captain.  - He was one of a small number of officers from the H C B that received a promotion as reported in the London Gazette.  

From Battalion records = 21/5/1915    Lieut. James H. I. Hankin of the Hunts. Cyclist Battalion, it is officially notified is seconded for service with Army Cyclist Corps.

Family details thanks to Jonathan David Bobaljik - Who advises that he came from St. Ives, where he was born about 1888, the son of Mr and Mrs. H. I. Hankin.  His Hankin line (his mother's maiden name was Hankin) goes back to James Hankin (1767-1848) who moved to Cambridge by 1797. J. H. I. Hankin was the oldest (only) son of the only son of the oldest son of the oldest son of the "original" James Hankin. The first J. H. was a stationer (among other trades), and the oldest sons were printers and stationers down to Herbert Ingle Hankin (father of J. H. I.). Herbert Ingle Hankin appears to have been well to do. The family firm was J G Hankin & son and by then "Printers, Stationers, Publishers & Newsagents" and the store (at the Pavement, St. Ives) included a circulating library. Herbert Ingle Hankin was Mayor of St. Ives, 1898-1900, and appears in early directories with a variety of offices. by 1898, the family had a private residence "The Firs" on Needingworth Road, and no longer lived at the shop.  J.H.I. Hankin represents the only male branch of the family that I've been able to trace that remained in England, and his descendants (and those of his sister Gladys) if any, would also be our closest relatives there. Contact between the Canadian and English branches left off some generations ago, the last traceable contact I know of being money left by my gr-gr-grandfather (who followed his sons to Canada) to a "Mrs. Hankin" in Fenstanton, who I believe is Emma Louisa Hankin (née Wadsworth), the mother of J. H. I. Hankin.

If you can help with any data on this Huntingdonshire Cyclist please contact me at huntscycles@btinternet.com
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06/08/2009

 . . Martyn Smith