Was Thomas Hilder from Sussex?

[hookleg]

I have a Thomas Hilder, born about March 1816 on my tree. For years I have thought that he is a relative from Cockfield, Suffolk, but I can find no reference to him being christened in Cockfield or any other village near Cockfield. I noticed that there are also Hilders from Cuckfield, Sussex so am wondering if along the way there has been a transcription error. This Thomas emigrated to Van Diemen's Land.
another reason for enquiring is the middle names of his grand children, namely Rowland and Maldon. These have no significance in the Suffolk Hilder line, but I noticed that there is an artist Rowland Hilder who's father was originally from Kent.
I am wondering if Thomas  was from Kent or Sussex. Any thoughts or leads would be most helpful.
I don't want incorrect info on my tree and I have found several other trees with the same as me, thanks to the IGI. (They may or may not be correct)

[Milliepede]

When did he emigrate?

I take it he doesn't appear on any census in England to give a handy birthplace 

[Liz_in_Sussex]

Hi,

There is a Thomas Hilder, son of John and Philadelphia Hilder baptised at Wadhurst in 1820.  John is a farmer.

Thomas Pain Hilder was baptised at Burwash in 1819, son of Edmund and Sarah.  Edmund was a miller.

There is also, a Thomas Hilder in Sussex in 1841 in Sedlescomb - he appears to be a labourer on his father's farm (Piece:1109 Book:12 Folio:10 Page: 12) which fits, if the Thomas Hilder I found emigrating to Launceston in 1842 is your Thomas.  This Thomas' parents are John and Sarah and baptised some of their children at Ticehurst, but seemingly not Thomas. 

From looking at the SFHG database, there seem to be several Hilder families around that part of East Sussex, which is very close to the Kent border.  Nothing in Mid-Sussex though, where Cuckfield is.  Sorry.

Liz

[hookleg]

Thanks for suggestions so far. He married in Launceston, Tasmania 21 July 1853. His wife was born in Launceston 1837 and would have been about 15 at the time. Suggests that he probably left England (if he wasn't already in Tasmania, which may be possible), between about 1835 - 1850. Apparently some of his family had recollections of him talking about England and either Cuckfield or Cockfield.

[Liz_in_Sussex]

  you're welcome.

I found an immigration record for a Thomas Hilder aged 24 (unmarried) arriving in Launceston on 6th April 1842 under the Bounty System.  His trade is something to do with "Farm" but I can't read it all.  The person who applied for him was called Henry Dowling of Launceston - does that name mean anything?  He arrived on the "Indian" from London.  It doesn't say where he was born though.

Liz

[hookleg]

I have been searching for most of the day and a newspaper article from 1936 in the National Library of Australia has an interview with his son. He states that Thomas arrived in Van Diemens Land 1 March 1841. That explains why there is no census record. It also says that he came from Cockfield, Suffolk. However, this does not explain why there is no baptismal evidence, when there is for the other seven children. Thomas was the youngest sibling. The only explanation I can think of is that they became dissenters at this time. Thomas' son Richard became a Methodist preacher in Emu Bay (Burnie) Tasmania. Possibly those records are not on a web database or have been lost.
Thomas' brother Edward married Mary Ridley daughter of Thomas Ridley and the Ridley family of Bury St Edmunds were staunch Baptists

Thanks Liz for your input. I reckon there was a stop en route, perhaps in Melbourne and more than one ship was involved. I haven't come across the name Henry Dowling yet.
My article is found on http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/68071446
Have you got the web address for what you found?

[hookleg]

(By Richard Hilder.)
By the death of Susan Phillips, of West Devonport, a break in the Hilder family chain occurred, and for that reason I feel constrained to record briefly the pioneering history of Burnie. This death was the first break in the original Hilder family since March, 1894, when the father, Thomas Hilder, sen., died at the old farm house, West Beach. It is 48 years since the last death of one of his children. Fred Hilder, aged eight years, died in 1882.
The dear mother of the family died at West Beach farm house in 1883.

In July, 1853, Thomas Hilder and his young wife arrived at Emu Bay from Launceston by a 28 ton schooner
named ‘The Wave’, commanded by Capt. William Hill. This schooner cast anchor in Emu Bay, and a landing was made by rowing boats on the stony foreshore somewhere near where the Burnie railway station now stands.

The young couple was kindly entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Wiseman, of the Burnie Inn.

A few weeks later a move was made to the 50-acre farm, situated about a mile westward on the almost unknown township of Burnie. Neighbours were few, and there were no roads, only bush tracks. Thomas Hilder hailed from the county of Suffolk, England, and his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Hayhoe, was born at Evandale, Tasmania.
It would take columns to detail the actual isolation of those years. Launceston, Hobart and Melbourne were just as close to the Burnie township as they are to-day, but to reach any of them meant a long and wearisome journey in some sailing ship. Mails were very irregular, and also expensive. Postage by stamp had just come into operation, the cost being 6d., 8d. and 9d. There was no doctor nearer than at Stanley westward, and at Port Sorell eastward, and practically every convenience of modern life was lacking.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hilder became the parents of 13 children--five sons and eight daughters-all born at the 50-acre farm at West Beach, and ten of them grew up to maturity at the old home. Singularly, of those 10 only the youngest has travelled far away from Tasmania.
I think that this article by Richard Hilder, son of Thomas,  published in 1930 conclusively ends the argument as to where Thomas originated.
There had been several researchers who had questioned his place on my tree as there was no evidence of a christening. Thanks for everyones help.

[Liz_in_Sussex]

Have you got the web address for what you found?

I was using the Sussex Family History Group website - it's a member only database but well worth the £12 or so it costs a year if you have ancestors from Sussex.

It looks like your Thomas probably wasn't from round here though.

Liz

[hookleg]

Thanks Liz for your input. At least I have been able to solve at least part of the mystery of Thomas. I feel that I now need to sign off this enquiry as completed.