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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: RedWolf0502 on Friday 24 May 13 07:16 BST (UK)

Title: James Hilton
Post by: RedWolf0502 on Friday 24 May 13 07:16 BST (UK)
Hi all,

Trying to find the death date for James Hilton. He died supposedly in 1862 in Victoria. His wife's name was Ellen Owen. He was born in Manchester England sometime in the 1790s. His son James Hilton died in Maryborough Victoria so maybe its a similar place of death for James Senior.

Sorry for the lack of information, its all I have at the moment.

Thanks
  :)

Matt
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: cando on Friday 24 May 13 10:29 BST (UK)
This is the only death in Australia for a James HILTON in 1862...it is in Queensland but not your man.

1862/C155
HILTON James
3 Oct 1862
Born England aged 41 years.

This one in Victoria but born c1897  in Hertfordshire.

HILTON James
Father James  Mother Sarah PURDUE
1875   78 years  Reg#10523

Can't see a death for a James with parents James HILTON and Ellen OWEN yet.

When do you have them last on a Census in England?

Cando  :)


Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: cando on Friday 24 May 13 10:37 BST (UK)
Death
HILTON James
Father James  Mother Ellen OWEN
At Maryborough  88 years  1914  Reg#14732

The Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser  9 Oct 1914
Deaths
HILTON On 7th October, at Mar borough, James Hilton. Aged 86 years.

Cando  :)
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: RedWolf0502 on Friday 24 May 13 10:50 BST (UK)
Thanks Cando,

The only info I have for them is they were apparently married in 1819 in Deansgate, Manchester England.

And as for James Junior, he immigrated in November 1857 on the Annie Wilson, according to what my mum has written down, not sure how accurate these are those.

Thanks
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: BonnieDownUnder on Friday 24 May 13 11:19 BST (UK)
Hi, Found a James Hilton born abt 1852 arriving into Melbourne Australia from Liverpool England on 07 Nov 1857 on the ship 'Annie Wilson'.  Still checking to see who else with him
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: tina morana on Friday 24 May 13 11:21 BST (UK)
There is some info about a James Hilton 1826 to 1914
photo of a shop J Hilton & sons stationers, newsagents in Maryborough Victoria
Lots of details about his funeral and what he had achieved in his lifetime.
There is also a photo of him with a long white beard.
Not sure if this is of any help.
Tinam
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: BonnieDownUnder on Friday 24 May 13 11:23 BST (UK)
Also onboard same ship with surname HILTON was Elizth (presume Elizabeth) bc 1832 and Emily bc 1851
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: BonnieDownUnder on Friday 24 May 13 11:33 BST (UK)
Located C1851 12 St Andrews St. Manchester, James Hilton aged 24 wife Elizabeth aged 22 and daughter Emila (maybe Emily) 2 months.  James occupation Stationer Shop Keeper which ties in Tina's posting.
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: cando on Friday 24 May 13 12:08 BST (UK)
Quote
His wife's name was Ellen Owen.

Is this their marriage - Betty is a pet name for Elizabeth.
Marriages Dec 1848 
HILTON    James      Manchester    20/630   
OWEN    Betty      Manchester    20/630

Her name is Elizabeth according to the shipping indexes at PROV.  I use PROV indexes as Ancestry has transcribed these indexes to their database and have found a number of transcription errors.  As Elizabeth, Emily and James arrived as unassisted immigrants there will be little information on the manifest.  Usually nationality and occasionally, an occupation.

Unassisted Immigrants arriving Victoria
http://prov.vic.gov.au/index_search?searchid=23

HILTON Elizabeth 25 years  Arrived NOV 1857 on the ANNIE WILSON Port B Fiche 135 Page   001
HILTON Emily    6 years   Arrived NOV 1857 on the ANNIE WILSON Port B Fiche 135 Page   001
HILTON James    5 years    Arrived NOV 1857 on the ANNIE WILSON Port B Fiche 135 Page 001

The fiche are available at PROV, many libraries and family history centres.

Wonder when James Snr arrived.

Cando
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: Dundee on Friday 24 May 13 13:51 BST (UK)
There is a tree on Ancestry with a letter attached written by James Snr's son James to his brother Michael.  James Snr. committed suicide at Ballarat around the 18th or 19th January 1862 and was buried as an unknown.

This is probably the news article referred to in the letter which led his son to make enquiries:

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/66330891 (top of second column)

An old man, aged between sixty and seventy years, seems to have committed suicide some time between Saturday at noon and Sunday morning, by hanging himself with a blue pocket-handkerchief, in a convenience attached to the school house of St. Peter's Church, in Pleasant-street. On Sunday morning, a man named Samuel Tucker, who went to open the school house found the body hanging from a rafter, and the feet within a few inches of the floor. Obtaining the assistance of Mr Williams, the schoolmaster, that gentleman cut down the body, and loosened the neckcloth which was in a slip knot and drawn very tightly around the neck. John Manning, a Constable, who took charge of the body found it clothed in a dark blue monkey jacket, a black cloth waistcoat, cotton cord trowsers, a blue checked shirt, and a flannel waistcoast,with blue woollen socks, military blucher boots, and a drab wide-awake hat, the latter all nearly new. In his pocket were a white-handled knife, a small German silver snuff-box bearing the initials J. H. on the lid, a leather portmonnaie, and silk and cotton handkerchiefs (one of each). An inquest was held on the body by Dr Clendinning on Monday morning, at the Royal Saxon Hotel......... Not any of the witnesses had ever seen the deceased before, or knew his name.

Debra  :)
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: ~MERLIN~ on Friday 24 May 13 14:19 BST (UK)
News article confirming his identity:

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/66331003

On Jan 20th 1862, the Coroner's inquest found that James Hilton (unknown at the time) died from Asphyxia from strangulation and the opinion of the jurors' was that he committed suicide. The body was found in a closet next to St Peter's School, Pleasant Street, Ballarat. The body was found by a Mr Tucker and later by the School Master Mr Robert Williams shortly before Sunday School. The body was hanging from the rafters by a kerchief attached to a butcher's hook. He was clothed in a dark blue jacket, a black waistcoat, cotton cord trousers and blue check shirt. His boots were removed and were next to a nearly new hat and portmanteau. Also, there was a white handled knife and a German snuff box with the initials JH. James Hilton was buried in the Old Ballarat Cemetery in an unmarked grave.
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: ~MERLIN~ on Friday 24 May 13 14:23 BST (UK)
Death:

UNKNOWN Unknown Male age 60yrs d. 1862 #350
Father: Unknown
Mother: Unknown UNKNOWN

Inquest:

Name: UNKNOWN
Place: Ballarat
Year: 1862
Reference: 83
Sex: M
Cause: Asphyxia
Occupation: Male Adult

Burial:

UNKNOWN age 60yrs 20/01/1862
http://ballaratcemeteries.com.au/php/search.php
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: cando on Friday 24 May 13 14:39 BST (UK)
This could be his death registration

UNKNOWN Unknown Male
Parents unknown 
1862  60 years  Reg#350

Cando


Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: cando on Saturday 25 May 13 01:18 BST (UK)
Perhaps this is James Snr and Jnr arriving in 1854.

http://prov.vic.gov.au/index_search?searchid=23
HILTON  Mr  50 years  Arrived Feb 1854 on the HAWK  Port B Fiche 062  Page 001   
HILTON  Mr Junr  28 years   Arrived Feb 1854 on the HAWK  Port B Fiche 062  Page 001   

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0u4f/
The Argus 25 Jul 1854
James Hilton from Manchester - send you address to J R Grundy of Flinders Street, Melbourne.

HILTON James
Gazetted 3 May 1872 Victorian Government Gazette Page#864
3 May 1872
Place - Hugh St Maryborough, Victoria
Gazette item sub title heading - Licensed Vendors of Stamps

HILTON James
Mentioned 1985 publication
Maryborough: a social history 1854-1984.  Author Betty Osborn
Page#321
Comment -Newsagent

An item from the Ballarat Star 27 Jan 1862 with James' former address in Melbourne

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0u4g/

It will be remembered that on the 20th instant an inquest was held on the body of a man about 65 years of age, who was found hanging in a water closet near St. Peter's Church, Pleasant street. From the description given of the deceased there can, be no doubt that his name is James Hilton, who has been missing from 94 Cecil street, Emerald Hill, since the 15th instant. The description of the missing man corresponds in every particular with the body on which the inquest has been held.

Cando  :)

Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: tedscout on Saturday 25 May 13 03:27 BST (UK)
Reading this thread has posed more questions than I have answers. I am fascinated.

1.Why did he go to Ballarat?

and 2. How did he get from Emerald Hill (now South Melbourne) to Ballarat? - it can't be by train as the railway was opened in April 1862 and James was already dead by then.

 ;) Ted

Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: cando on Saturday 25 May 13 03:53 BST (UK)
By either coach, cab, van, waggon, buggy etc.  Well established coach services between Ballarat and Melbourne by 1862. 

Cando  :)
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: cando on Saturday 25 May 13 03:56 BST (UK)
I can't identify the occupant of 94 Cecil Street's in 1862.  The directory only has a few street numbers in Cecil Street in 1860, 61, 62 and 63.

I wonder if son James was in Maryborough by 1862 and his father was travelling there via Ballarat.

Cando

Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: tedscout on Saturday 25 May 13 04:20 BST (UK)
He must have been a very sad old man.

I wonder why he was in Melbourne if his son and family were in Maryborough.

From what I can see on the online tree (I cant open the word documents on it) none of his children other than James came to Australia.

 :( Ted
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: RedWolf0502 on Saturday 25 May 13 07:27 BST (UK)
Wow!!

Thanks everyone, so much information to go through and check all the dates that I have to see if they are accurate or match what has been mentioned here.

:)
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: Dundee on Saturday 25 May 13 13:37 BST (UK)
Three of James' sons emigrated; John, James and William.  It was John that he apparently argued with before he died.

Debra  :)
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: RedWolf0502 on Sunday 26 May 13 02:31 BST (UK)
I have the following names for James & Ellen's children.

Mary Ann - born 31/1/1820
Michael - born 8/3/1822
Elizabeth - born 31/5/1824
James - born 9/12/1826 died in Maryborough VIC 1/12/1892
Robert - born 10/9/1829
John - born 10/9/1829 died in Fitzroy VIC 1901
Robert - born 10/6/1831
William - born 13/7/1833 in Coburg VIC died in Coburg VIC 1915
Ralph - born 27/12/1836 died 1842

Everyone up to James was born in Manchester, that I am aware of. Unsure of the others except for William and the 2nd Ralph who were born in Victoria.

And of course all my dates could be wrong

:)
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: Dundee on Sunday 26 May 13 02:47 BST (UK)
I don't think any of James' children were born in Australia.  William emigrated with his father, wife and children in 1858.  http://prov.vic.gov.au/index_search?searchid=23

Debra  :)
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: tedscout on Sunday 26 May 13 02:58 BST (UK)
Have I missed something!

I thought Ellen died in England and that James Snr came out to Australia to be with his sons who had already emigrated.

Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: RedWolf0502 on Sunday 26 May 13 03:01 BST (UK)
Thanks Debra,

So doing the maths means that pretty much all my dates are wrong for birthdates and the like. So James Jnr must have come over at a different time then.

Hmmm, the plot thickens

 :o
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: RedWolf0502 on Sunday 26 May 13 03:02 BST (UK)
I have no idea Ted, just when I thought I had some idea, something else pops up... ah the joy of family history

:D
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: RedWolf0502 on Sunday 26 May 13 03:05 BST (UK)
According to my records James Jnr, his wife Elizabeth and daughter Emily came to Australia in 1857 on the Annie Wilson.
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: Dundee on Sunday 26 May 13 03:35 BST (UK)
It was quite common for the husband to come out first and then the rest of the family followed later.  If you have a look at the indexes, it was Elizabeth and her two children, Emily and James who arrived on the Annie Wilson.

It may be James arriving in 1852 on the Bourneuf.  This would account for the large gap in the births of the children after son James born in 1852.

http://prov.vic.gov.au/index_search?searchid=24

Debra  :)
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: tedscout on Sunday 26 May 13 03:51 BST (UK)
On the 1841 census the children are Michael 15, Elizabeth 15, James 14, John 10, William 5 and Ralph 3.

Remember with the 1841 British Census adults (People over 15) ages were rounded down to the nearest 5. So Michael and Elizabeth would have been older than 15 but not yet 20.

Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: tedscout on Sunday 26 May 13 04:05 BST (UK)
In 1851 James and son William are on the census together with no other family. James is noted as a Widower.
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: tedscout on Sunday 26 May 13 04:20 BST (UK)
From RedFoxes earlier post: I have left his post in black and added comments in blue

I have the following names for James & Ellen's children.

Mary Ann - born 31/1/1820 Married stayed in England
Michael - born 8/3/1822Emigrated
Elizabeth - born 31/5/1824Married stayed in England
James - born 9/12/1826 died in Maryborough VIC 1/12/1892 1914 emigrated
---------------------------------------------------------
Robert - born 10/9/1829 Robert died young before 1831. This is why another son was called Robert, and he is not on the 1841 census.
John - born 10/9/1829 died in Fitzroy VIC 1901 Born Manchester according the the 1841 censusemigrated
Robert - born 10/6/1831 Not on 1841 or 1851 Census may also have died young.
William - born 13/7/1833 in Coburg VIC died in Coburg VIC 1915 Cant have been born in Coburg Vic Aust as he is on both the 1841 and 51 census with a birth place of Manchester, England.emigrated
Ralph - born 27/12/1836 died 1842 On 1841 census born Manchester. Death date is probably correst as he is not on the 1851 census with his father and brother.

Everyone up to James was born in Manchester, that I am aware of. Unsure of the others except for William and the 2nd Ralph who were born in Victoria.

There is only one Ralph. There are 2 Roberts.

And of course all my dates could be wrong. I don't think your dates are wrong. I think James HILTON snr. came to Australia in 1857 as found by Cando. I think Mr HILTON jnr on the same ship was William.
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: RedWolf0502 on Sunday 26 May 13 05:43 BST (UK)
Slowly starting to make sense of everything now. Thank you very much people :)

Wonder what happened to James's wife Ellen (Owen)? Did she die in England or did she come over to Australia and die here somewhere?

Answer one question and another pops up :D
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: RedWolf0502 on Sunday 26 May 13 05:47 BST (UK)
There is some info about a James Hilton 1826 to 1914
photo of a shop J Hilton & sons stationers, newsagents in Maryborough Victoria
Lots of details about his funeral and what he had achieved in his lifetime.
There is also a photo of him with a long white beard.
Not sure if this is of any help.
Tinam

Hi Tinam,

Been meaning to ask where you found this information and the photo, it may or may not be the same James Hilton I'm looking for but could be good to have a look at.

Thanks

:)
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: tedscout on Sunday 26 May 13 05:50 BST (UK)
Redwolf - its on an Ancestry tree. I couldn't open the letters on my computer but I could on hubby's computer so I opened them and copied them and emailed them to myself. I will send you copies.
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: tedscout on Sunday 26 May 13 05:52 BST (UK)
Slowly starting to make sense of everything now. Thank you very much people :)

Wonder what happened to James's wife Ellen (Owen)? Did she die in England or did she come over to Australia and die here somewhere?

Answer one question and another pops up :D

The ancestry tree has Ellen dying in Manchester in 1859 but I think she died earlier - ie. before the 1851 census. I haven't looked for her death yet though. But I am ABSOLUTLY sure she died in England before James emigrated.
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: RedWolf0502 on Wednesday 29 May 13 03:32 BST (UK)
I typed in Ellen Hilton (used her married name) along with her date of birth into a 1841 census search site and came up with this.

Ellen    Hilton    50    -    Lancashire    1791    Lancashire   View more details
Ellen    Hilton    50    -    Lancashire    1791    Y Lancashire   View more details

At this stage I can't afford to be paying money to go further, so I'm not sure if it is her or not.
Title: Re: James Hilton
Post by: TrevorH14 on Tuesday 13 February 18 06:08 GMT (UK)
Hi, I am the great great grandson of James Hilton Snr. I have some original letters written between family members after their emigration to Victoria. Apparently after a squabble between John Hilton and his father James Hilton Snr, James Hilton Snr travelled to Ballarat. There he committed suicide by hanging himself. He is buried in the old Ballarat Cemetry. There was a notice in the local Ballarat paper and a direct reference in the letters written home by John Hilton to living relatives in Manchester referring to the suicide.
Trevor Hilton