Ernest Arthur Hinxman 1898 – 1945

Born: 17 Sept 1898 at Devizes, Wiltshire, England

Parents: Alfred Hinxman 1866-1950 & Emma Agnes Oram 1865-1955

Siblings:  Alfred James Hinxman 1893-1915, Lily Edith Hinxman 1895-1996, and John Oram Hinxman 1897-1979

Married: Winifred Kate Butler 1899-1985 in 1922

Offspring: Descendants of Ernest and Winifred Hinxman

Died: 22 Dec 1945

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Youngest son of Alfred & Emma Agnes Hinxman (née Oram), born at Devizes in 1898. Educated at Bishop Wordsworth School, Salisbury, where he became Head Boy, football and cricket captain and had a fine athletic record.

In 1917 he joined the Wiltshire Yeomanry and when recommended for a commission, trained as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps.

On demobilisation he entered his father’s business – Messrs. F. Bird & Co. and soon greatly enlarged the wholesale side. He became a director of associated businesses – Messrs. R. Hinxman & Co. of Devizes, The Devizes Brick & Tile Co. and later of Messrs F. Bird & Co. (Salisbury) Ltd., when it became a limited company.

He retained his interest in sport and helped to found the Salisbury Corinthian Football Club which, from a cup-winning junior team, became one of the best-known amateur clubs in Wiltshire. He was an outstanding left-back, captained the team for many years and was chosen to play for Wiltshire on many occasions.

In the 1939 War he was on the R.A.F. Officer’s Reserve and was called up as a pilot officer. He trained as a rear-gunner in a Wellington bomber and took part in operations over Hamburg, Berlin and other cities. On one return flight, the bomber was badly damaged, a member of the crew fatally wounded and the plane crash landed just as the coast was reached. This is related by his friend FT./LT. R.C. Rivaz D.F.C. in the book “Tail Gunner Takes Over” – as by “Hinks”.

He was promoted to Ft./Lt. and acted as instructor at Sutton Bridge, Lincs, and other stations. His career was interrupted by lung trouble and after spending several months in hospital, he was invalided out and returned home. He was soon confined to bed and although his doctor arranged specialist treatment for him at University College Hospital, London and the Radcliffe Infirmary at Oxford, his health slowly deteriorated. He conducted the family business from his bedroom for over a year with all his old ability – almost to his last day.

He married in 1922 Winifred Kate Butler and had two daughters. A much-loved son, Tony, was born in 1927 but died in 1929. He, himself, died on December 22nd, 1945.

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Ernest’s widow Winnie Hinxman wrote his entry for the ‘Oram Family Saga’ compiled by Daphne Oram in 1970.

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