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HOLLIS Family
Oxfordshire England to
Australia
Links to Hollis Generations
William
Hollis bc.1762 & Family
John
Frederick Hollis c.1810 & Family
Hubert Hollis b.1841 & Family
Edward Hollis b.1878 & Family
Charles Hollis b.1915 & Family
Maxwell Hollis b.1944 & Family
Information on this site
is my interpretation of events through my research. I would
appreciate contact if you can correct or add information to this
family
1st known Generation of Hollis
William Hollis c.1762 England
& Elizabeth Pottinger
Great Great Great
Grandparents of Max Hollis & Siblings
Born: WILLIAM HOLLIS was born c.1762 in Sonning
Oxfordshire England his parents are not known. It is known
William had at least one sibling Thomas Hollis.
Marriage: William Hollis Esq. a Yeoman farmer,
married by licence,
ELIZABETH POTTINGER on
03 Dec 1805 in Sonning Oxfordshire. Witnesses to the marriage Mary
Payn, Francis King, John Pottinger.
Wife Born:
Elizabeth Pottinger was baptised 1773 Caversham Oxfordshire, the daughter of WILLIAM POTTINGER
and *MARY SARAH BERRY.
(Mary Sarah Berry was a
daughter of Reverend Nathaniel Berry, she married William Pottinger 29th
June 1771 Caversham Oxfordshire. Family all born Caversham: Sarah bapt 5
July 1771. Rachel bapt. 12th April 1775 d.1823. William bapt.28 June
1778 d.1810. John bapt. 10 Dec. 1777. Harriet bapt.16 May 1779. The
Pottinger family lived at Shiplake- Sonning area. The Hollis Farm seems
to have originally belonged to the Pottingers.)
1830 Directory
of Berkshire: Listed among the Nobility is William Holl(e)s Gentleman
and farmer,
of Cane End, Caversham.
William's
brother Thomas Hollis:
William’s
brother, Thomas Hollis, was a professional Surveyor who lived as a
neighbor with his family across the river Thames at
Sonning, Berkshire.
1841 Census: William Hollis's widow Elizabeth was 65years living with her children
Harriet 25yrs, Thomas 25yrs a farmer, Richard 24yrs, Charles 22yrs at
Lashbrook Farm Shiplake. Also mentioned living at this farm were Harriet
Weston 18yrs F.Servant, Sophia Homes 20yrs F.Servant, Edward Deadman
20yrs Ag Lab., Edwin Streak 16yrs Ag Lab., Joseph Chandler 15yrs Ag
Lab., Thomas Damer 16yrs Ag Lab.
Lashbrook Farm today
2009
The
following information received from Wendy Nicholson
resident of Shiplake Oxfordshire March 2009: I live in
Shiplake, and about 5 minutes walk from the farm you
mention Lashbrook.The farm is still there. In fact ,the
area used to be called Lashbrook, but this name seems to
have been lost and is now referred to as Lower Shiplake.
I can tell you quite a lot,-- we're still a village,
with some older houses ( around late 1800's) left and
are on a branch line railway which runs from Twyford to
Henley on Thames.
 Satellite
image above- Opposite Crowsley Road you will see a
group of buildings which appear to be in the middle of
a field. The house at the top of this group is the
farmhouse, the rest is a separate property which was
private, until around 1930 then became a Red Cross home
for disabled girls. It is now a residential nursing home
for the elderly. The river Thames is just out of sight
on the right ( see map at right).
Deaths of
William & Elizabeth Hollis: William Hollis of Cane End was buried 26
December 1828 at Caversham St Peter aged 66years. Elizabeth Hollis of
Sonning Berkshire (hamlet close to Cane End) was buried 15th December
1857 aged 84years.
Children of William & Elizabeth Hollis
1. WILLIAM POTTINGER HOLLIS, b. 1806, Cavasham Oxfordshire; m. CHARLOTTE BERRY, 09 Dec 1828, Sonning
Oxfordshire.
William
established his family on the Thames at ‘Charville
Farm’ of 450 acres, with a force of 15 farm servants, in
Sonning, Berkshire.
By the 1861 census William was a widower aged 55yrs.
still farming "Charville Farm", employing 15 labourers & 4 boys
in the Civil Parish of Sonning & Woodley Berkshire. Living at the same
address were his son Frederick 29yrs and daughter Charlotte 21years,
Maria Berry an aunt was visiting and his servant workers.
Family:
1. Rachel Hollis b.1826/27 Shiplake,
Oxfordshire. Resided 1851 census at Rotherfield Greys, Oxfordshire.
2. William Pottinger Hollis (Jr) b.1829/30
Sonning Berkshire. In 1851 William was a medical student aged 21years,
residing at 78 Judd St, St Pancras, London with his uncle Richard
Hollis. In 1861 he was a trainee Surgeon a pupil of Dr A ? Power,
residing at 52 Burton Crescent St Pancras London, Middlesex. He is
believed to have become a practising doctor/surgeon. He died Dec.
Quarter 1898 aged 68years Islington, Greater London.
3. Frederick Hollis b.1831/32 Sonning
Berkshire. Married Frances "Fanny" Hayden Mastern September quarter 1868
Reading Berkshire. Occupation 1871 Farmer at Borough Farm Sonning
Berkshire, with 4 servants. Family: 1. Robert Hayden Hollis
b.1869/70 Sonning 2. William Charles Hollis b.Sept Quarter 1871
Workingham.
4. Maria Hollis b.1835/36 Sonning
Berkshire. Resided 30 March 1851 age 14 St Johns School Hampstead
Middlesex.
5. Thomas Hollis b.1837/38 Sonning
Berkshire Eng. R ??
6. Charlotte Hollis b.4th Quarter 1839
Sonning Berkshire. On March 30th 1851 aged 11years (farmers daughter)
Charlotte was at St Johns School Hamstead Middlesex
2. JOHN FREDERICK HOLLIS, b. Abt. 1808.
John received into the church for public baptism August 8th 1809
Privately baptised April 19th 1808 by Rt. Baker at Goring Heath
( NB - Cane End is outside Caversham to NW-Goring
Heath is a little further in same direction) Caversham Oxfordshire; d. 11 Jan 1854
Melbourne Australia. Married Frances Elizabeth Close 8th July 1840
St Pancras Middlesex Eng. Came to Australia with their children.
[See
more detailed account of this family below]
3. MARY ELIZA HOLLIS, Christened same
day as her brother John 03 Aug 1809,
Goring Heath Caversham Oxfordshire.
Married John Pearman
Family two sons, both born where their father was born, and
where their parents married, at Mapledurham, Oxford, England - on
the north bank of the Thames, upstream of Reading.
1. Augustus
"Gus" John Pearman, born 28 FEB 1832.
Augustus
John Pearman obtained his MA from Oxford, and became the Reverend
A.J. Pearman, vicar of St. Margaret's Church, Bethersden, near
Ashford, Kent; & The Precincts, Rochester, Kent, & Minor Canon Row,
Rochester (1898), and the author of the History of Ashford, as well
as several papers on the church archaeology of Kent. He later was
ordained Canon Augustus John Pearman.
2.
Morgan Thomas Pearman "probably know as Tommy" born about 05
MAR 1835.
Tommy
[Morgan Thomas Pearman], also obtained his M.A., of Pembroke
College, Oxford and became the Reverend M.T. Pearman, and was the
vicar incumbent for 37 Years at Iwade, near Sittingbourne
in Kent, England.
Both
the Reverends Augustus John Pearman and Morgan Thomas Pearman became
historians and writers. The Reverend M.T. Pearman wrote "Historical
Notes on Caversham' the Hollis's homeland.
4. THOMAS ADOLPHUS HOLLIS, b. 1811, Caversham
Oxfordshire.
1881 census Thomas was 42yrs living at Laurel
Cottage in the hamlet of Sonning Town, a farmer of 140acres
employing 15 labourers & 2 boys and 1 woman and a corn merchant. His
41year old unmarried sister Charlotte (This
Charlotte- was she a sister not recorded on the Oxfordshire burial
Index?) was living with him as was his
73year old aunt Maria Berry and servant Mary Butter.
5. HARRIET HOLLIS, b. 1812, Caversham
Oxfordshire.
Harriet was a witness at the marriage of James
Close and Mary Ann Swinley nee Bullock
6. CHARLES ERNEST HOLLIS, bapt. 1816, Caversham
Oxfordshire. Charles married: Ann KEEN 31 March 1850 Old Church,
Saint Pancras, London, England.
The 1861 UK census has Charles as 42years
living with his brother Richard at 25 Prince of Wales.
1864 Berkshire Directory he is
listed as a Farmer, at Charville Farm, (with W.P.Hollis)
7. RICHARD AUGUST/AUGUSTUS HOLLIS, bapt. 1816, Caversham
Oxfordshire.
According to the British 1851 census Richard
was a Master grocer, employing 2 men living at 78 Judd Street, St
Pancras London. 1861 census he is recorded as a Tea Dealer (with
brother Charles (E) Hollis also) in London. In the 1862 P.O.
Directory of London he is listed as Tea Dealer, 25 Chapel St,
Somerstown, (between Wilsted St & Brill Row) 1881-91 census Richard
unmarried grocer. In 1881 he was at No 62 St
Peters Street district of Islington London. 1891 at 11 Brunswick
Close Civil Parish of Clenkenwell London.
2nd Generation
J ohn
Frederick Hollis c.1810
& Frances
Close 1840
Great Great Grandparents of Max Hollis & Siblings
Arrived
Australia 1852 aboard the
ship "Chalmers"
The
reason for John Frederick Hollis to bring his wife Fanny and six
children to Australia is not know.
John
Frederick was the second son of minor gentry, the large-landed
yeoman farmers on the Thames river flats near Reading. He would seem
to be an ideal Australian settler, having already been a working
farmer and raised on a large yeoman farm since childhood. He and his
family had emigrated from the greater Reading area where they’d
lived in the rich fields of middle Thames Valley of
Oxfordshire-Buckinghamshire
and Berkshire.
The Hollis family, John
Frederick 42yrs, Fanny 38yrs and children
Hubert
John 11; Arthur 10; Fanny (Frances) 9; Edward 7; Edith
Rachel 6; and little Lucy 4. left
Liverpool England aboard the ship "Chalmers" arriving Melbourne
Victoria Australia on 30th July 1852 and set up home in the
Collingwood / Fitzroy /
Richmond area.
Link to passenger diary of voyage of the ship "Chalmers"
Shortly after their arrival the families lives were throw into chaos
and poverty with the death of the head of the household John.
Birth: JOHN
FREDERICK
HOLLIS was the second son and one of seven children born to William
Hollis Esq. and
Elizabeth Hollis nee Pottinger. He
was privately baptised 19 April 1808 at Goring Heath and received
into the church for public baptism Aug 3rd 1809 along with his
sister Mary Eliza. Goring Heath is very near Cane End both to
the NW of Caversham Oxfordshire.
Marriage:
John, a farmer of Shiplake, married spinster Frances Elizabeth "Fanny" Close
08 July 1840 in Parish of St Pancras Middlesex England.
Wife Birth:
FRANCES ELIZABETH (FANNY) CLOSE the daughter of JAMES
CLOSE
and MARY
BULLOCK, was baptised 1813 in Shiplake Oxfordshire England.
1851 Census:
In 1851
John his wife Fanny and children Arthur, Fanny, Edward, Hubert,
Edith, and Lucy were all living at Albert Cottages in the civil
parish of St Giles in the borough of Reading. He gave his occupation
as formally a farmer. What was john working at at this time? , was
he organising himself for the departure from England
and
relocation to the other side of the world, which which did take
place a little over a year later.
John &
Fanny
had
not always lived in Berkshire, but had always lived with an hour’s
walk from the rural English River Thames or its tributaries. Their
youngest girl, Lucy, was born at Hurley, near
Crookham, Berkshire in 1849
and Edith had been born in 1846 nearby where they were living in
1851, at Burghfield, near
Reading, Berkshire. So this couple can be seen to have lived in
Berkshire only since about 1845 or 1846. Their older children were
all born where they had their farm, at Long
Crendon, near
Thame, in
Buckinghamshire, on the
borders of Oxfordshire,
about ten miles east of the city of Oxford. Hubert was born in 1841,
Arthur-1842, Fanny-1843, and Edward Payne Hollis in 1845, all at
Long Crendon, near
Thame in
Buckinghamshire. This is
not far away. Thame is only
about twenty or thirty miles north of Reading.
Shipping Record:
John Fredrick
& Frances Elizabeth Hollis and their children arrived Melbourne Australia aboard "Chalmers" 30.7.1852.
Death of John: John died
aged 45yrs at Brunswick Victoria on 11th January 1854, 18months after his arrival in Australia.
Burial Mystery solved: John was buried
in a public grave no.216 at Melbourne Cemetery on the 12th January,
no denomination noted. Thanks to Wayne Knoll who made a visit to the
cemetery July 2007 that this death was finally found. The entry had
been left off the burial index for Victoria but was found in the
cemetery register. (See burial of Fanny)
2nd Marriage of Frances:
How Fanny coped to feed, cloth and put a
roof over the heads of her six young children is unknown but it
certainly wouldn't have been easy. Five years after John's death
Fanny, occupation given as housekeeper, married widower THOMAS
SIMMONS a brick maker on the 2nd
June 1857 at St Stephens Church Richmond. Thomas was an American born in
Pennsylvania. He and Fanny had a daughter who died as an infant.
Death of Frances Simmons
formally Hollis: Fanny died 10 Jun 1860 age45yrs at Crown St Yarra
Berg Richmond Victoria. Her son Hubert
Hollis gave this as his home address as informant. An inquest was
held into her death, she was buried 13th June 1860 Melbourne General
Cemetery.
FRANCES
SIMMONDS INQUEST
PROCEEDINGS BEFORE
CORONERS INQUISITION
Victoria, District
of Bourke MEMO. - Melbourne Club, 10 July 1860
This Inquisition
was commenced by me and adjourned for an analysis to
be made by Dr. Macadam. In the meantime I was sent
for to East Creek, Western Port Bay and I requested
Dr Youl, the Coroner for Melbourne to conclude the
Inquiry for me.
C. CANDLER,
Coroner for BOURKE
PROCEEDINGS BEFORE
CORONERS INQUISITION Victoria, District of Bourke
TO WIT
An Inquest for our
Sovereign Lady taken at RICHMOND
In the District of
Bourke, aforesaid, the Eleventh day of JUNE, A.D.
1860
By Samuel Curtis
Chandler and Richard Tont (Youl)
Upon the body of
Frances SIMMONS
Then lying there
dead, upon the oaths of (twelve) good and lawful men
of RICHMOND
John C. JONES;
George HANDLEY; William WEEKS; James H. WEBB;
William DOHERTY; James BENNETT, Timothy CRAWLEY;
Andrew SCOTT; George ESSEY; Thomas ARKLEY; David
HOOD; William CROOM.
In the RICHMOND
District ,
When ,where, how
and by what means the said FRANCES SIMMONDS came by
her death, do say upon their oath that
Frances Simmonds
died in Richmond on the ninth instant from the
effects of sudden shock, added to a diseased state
of the internal organs of the baby / belly and
lung did ................ at the time near her
confinement.
DEPOSITIONS
OF WITNESSES
Sarah Smith, Henry
Treggales FOX, and Lucy Hollis, of BOURKE taken 11th
JUNE 1860 at Richmond
DEPOSITION OF
WITNESS
SARAH SMITH on her oath saith
as follows “ I am the wife of JAMES SMITH living
near the tent in which the deceased was living. I
was sitting in the tent of deceased on Saturday
night last the 9th instant and left a
little after ten o’clock and at that time the
deceased was quite well.
SARAH SMITH X her
mark 11th June 1860 , Richmond
DEPOSITION OF
WITNESS - HENRY TREGELLES FOX
I am a legally
qualified medical practitioner living at Kew. I have
made a post mortem examination . – Externally there
was sanguineous discharge from the nose and mouth
and considerable watery discharge from the vagina
and discharge of faeces. There were no marks of
violence. I examined all the viscera and am unable
to state the cause of death. I removed certain
portions of the viscera and placed them in a vessel
and gave them in charge of Constable Reardon. I
believe that a sudden shock …. due cause death.
HENRY TREGELLES
FOX 11th June 1860 , Richmond
DEPOSITION OF
WITNESS - DEPONENT: LUCY HOLLIS
I am not yet
twelve years of age, The deceased was my mother. I
went to bed on Saturday night last while Mrs SMITH
was in the tent. I feel asleep while she was there
and during the night I hear Mrs BUTCHER come into
the tent and the deceased said; “I hope he wont come
in here …. sit down on that chair “ – The deceased
said “ Water, water’, and I ran and got her some
water and when I gave it to here she took a mouthful
and sat it down on the table and I ran for Mrs
HANSEN/ HARRISON and when she came my mother was
dead.
LUCY HOLLIS, X her
mark 11th June 1860 , Richmond
DEPOSITION OF
WITNESS- DEPONENT - Elizabeth BUTCHER
“I am the wife of
John BUTCHER of Richmond taken on this 12th
day of June 1860 at Richmond . I live near the tent
of deceased. On Saturday night last I think after
ten My husband was ill-treating me. I then went of
my place into the tent of deceased. She was not
well. She got up …… ……… the tent door …………. got
not well again
My husband did
not follow me. The deceased called up her daughter
to fetch her some water, which was done, Deceased
died shortly afterwards.
Elizabeth
Butcher X Her mark 12th June 1860
Richmond
DEPOSITION OF
WITNESS DEPONENT. Hubert John HOLLIS of
Richmond, 12th June 1860 Richmond
‘Deceased was by
mother, Her name was Francis Simmonds, her age forty
four. She is married a second time- she has left six
children.
Hubert John
HOLLIS 12th June 1860 Richmond
DEPOSITION OF
WITNESS District of BOURKE< - DEPONENT – John
MACADAM ( Chemist/ Doctor Of Melbourne, 12th
June 1860 at Richmond
“ I received from
Constable Ninden [Reardon?] on the twelfth
instant. Three urns with the seals perfect, the
contents were portions of Brain, a human heart,
lungs, liver, spleen and the whole of the
intestines… also a stomach with its contents. The
contents of the stomach consisted of about thirteen
ounces of fluid and contained solid portions of meat
and potatoes. I found no poison in either the
stomach, its contents or in the other vessel. The
heart was much enlarged and ruptured. The liver was
much dyecated / dice dysecated and the buly layer
then natural. The kidneys were much congested …
their structure almost destroyed .. and at least
three times their natural size. The lungs were
congested and the spleen enlarged and congested.
The intestine was loaded with fat. I am of opinion
that a sudden shock here especially as deceased was
near her confinement…….. would be likely to produce
sudden death in a person where organs were in the
state described.
John MACADAM, M.D.
Thanks to Wayne Knoll this inquest
has been located. Wayne visited the Melbourne
Cemetery and found Frances Simmons (Hollis) grave location and grave number, to be an exact
same match for the so-called pauper grave of John F. Hollis. So it
seems she is buried with John F. Hollis after all and the grave was
retrospectively made a private one. Wayne has located the exact plot
in an area of grass in the middle of scattered old Church of England
graves.
John &
Frances Hollis Family
With
the deaths of both their parents within 9yrs of their arrival in
Australia the Hollis children were now orphans, and separated by sea
from other relatives. What a traumatic time this must have been for
Hubert now 18; Arthur 17; Fanny 16; Edward 14; Edith 12/13; and Lucy
10 or 11. Thomas Simmonds their stepfather was either unable or
reluctant to care for his stepchildren as the younger children were
made wards of the State of Victoria and put under the guardianship
of Mr Septimus Martin J.P.,
of Collingwood.
1. HUBERT JOHN HOLLIS, b. 1841, Thame Berkshire England; d. 12 Nov 1888, Prince Alfred Hosp.
Melbourne aged 47yrs. No.15365; m. ELIZA SUCKLING, 05 Jan 1867,
Collingwood Victoria No. 1067; b. 27 Aug 1839, Hertsfordshire
England; d. 11 Feb 1924, Wandin Nth. Vic. age 84yrs No.3634.
[Click on Link below for more
detailed information on this family]
2. ARTHUR HOLLIS, b. 15 Feb
1843, Buckinghamshire/ Bapt. Long Crendon England; d. 24
Apr 1909, Melb. Hosp. (66yrs) Arthur lived his life as a bachelor
and at the time of his death lived at Mooroolbark / Lilydale.
3. FRANCIS "FANNY" ELIZABETH HOLLIS,
b. 31 Jul 1844, Buckinghamshire/ Bapt. Long Crendon England.
Francis was the first of her siblings to marry. In 1864 at
Collingwood (reg/no 03442) she married JOHN
THOMAS SMITH
a
brassfounder
(b.c. 1843 London son of James Smith & Charlotte Baker. d. June
1928 Prahan, bu. St Kilda Vic)
.
Fanny lived to be 83, dying in 1928
(REGNo.8315),
the same years as her husband John, in
Armadale.
Family:
five children from 1865 to 1877 three daughters & two sons
1.Rosa
Frances Smith
b.1865, Collingwood Vic. Reg/no 21267; d. 1928 St Kilda
62yrs; married Thomas Stott, 1886, St Kilda Reg/no 5476. Thomas had a
wholesale produce agency at Melbourne’s Victoria Market
which lasted generations. This agency over time handled
produce from Hollis linked descent farms in the South
Wandin area.
2. Amy Charlotte Smith;
b. 1868; Collingwood Vic. Reg/no 1797; d. 1955 St Kilda
87yrs; m. Edward Johnson, 1896.
3. Alfred John Smith,
b. 1870
Collingwood Vic. Reg/no 14860; d. 1962; Fitzroy aged
92yrs. married Mary Ann Stephen 1900. Mary d.1946 East
Melbourne; had seven children.
4. Arthur James Smith,
b.abt 1872; d. 1932; Brighton 60yrs; believed married
Johanna Sarah Richardson 1900; d. 1928 Prahan; had five
children.
4. EDWARD PAYNE HOLLIS, b.
27 Jul 1845, Buckinghamshire/ Bapt. Long Crendon
England; d. 1892, Beechworth Lunatic Asylum
age 46yrs.(Reg/No.9077). Edward seems to have spent his life alone
suffering from a form of insanity. He was a prisoner of the Crown
from at least 1871 and possibly several years prior to this. He
was transferred from Ararat Prison to Ararat Asylum to Beechworth
Asylum on 20th April 1871. Edward was found dead in his room at
the asylum believed be have died of epilepsy. He was 46years old.
5. EDITH
RACHEL (ETHEL) HOLLIS, b. 1846, Burghfield Berkshire
England. Edith married HENRY WILLIAM (WILLIAM HENRY) GRASS,
in 1867. Henry b.
1844, Melb.
Edith,
was deserted by her husband. He died as he had lived in the stables of a Richmond hotel in 1883, at age
44, in a state of ulcerous neglect and dereliction. Edith responded to that lifelong devastation
with compassionate dignity and lamentation for her
children. She soon died herself, in 1892, aged only 46,
leaving the two Grass children orphans.
Family
two:
1. Lucy Ann Grass, b. 1869; Richmond Vic. Reg/no 4655
2. William John Grass, b. 1871, Richmond Vic. Reg/no.
04826
6. LUCY HOLLIS, b. 1848,
Hurley Berkshire Eng.; d. 1891, Richmond Vic.age 43yrs. (Reg No.
7931); m. JOHN CURTIS, 1871, Vict. (Reg NO.2363); b. London Eng.
Links
Hubert & Eliza Hollis & Family
(Great Grandparents
of Max Hollis)
Edward & Emma Alice Hollis &
Family (Grandparents of Max Hollis)
George Hubert Hollis & Family (Brother of Edward
Hollis)
Charles & Helga Hollis
& Family(Parents of Max Hollis)
Maxwell Charles & Barbara Joan Hollis & Family
Hollis Family
Story written by Wayne Knoll
Passenger
diary of voyage of the ship "Chalmers"
Information on this site
is my interpretation of events through my research I would
appreciate contact if you can correct or add information to this
family
 
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