Eliza Holmes Hill1
#1251, (5 January 1857-after July 1876)
| Father | Henry Hugh Hill1 (c 1827-27 Jul 1878) |
| Mother | Bridget Holmes1 (1826-7 May 1862) |
| Charts | Hill family - descendents Descendents of Henry H. Hill Descendents of Robert Holmes |
| Last Edited | 6 Sep 2023 |
| WikiTree ID: | https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hill-49529. |
NOTE: The information on this page is my research to date and is subject to change as I become better informed. I very much welcome any corrections or additional info you might have - my email address is at the bottom of this page. Whilst historical facts are not copyright, my writing about these facts are. If you wish to use any text from this site on Ancestry or on any other website, please ask me first - Tim Hill.
(For a brief history and context on the Hill family see this page)
Eliza was born on Monday, 5 January 1857 at Melbourne. Her middle name was her mother's maiden name..2 She was the daughter of Henry Hugh Hill and Bridget Holmes.1 Eliza Holmes Hill was baptised at St. James' Old Cathedral on Wednesday, 21 January 1857 at Melbourne.2 She presumably lived with her parents at Latrobe Street, in Melbourne, in 1858.3
Her mother died 7 May 1862. Eliza was aged 5 when this happened.4 At the age of 6, Eliza left Sydney on Friday, 21 August 1863. She was travelling with her father and her two older siblings on the James Patterson to Rockhampton, where her father was to marry his second wife, her Aunt Maria.5,6
Although there is no evidence that she attended the wedding, her father Henry married Maria Holmes in a Presbyterian ceremony on Tuesday, 1 September 1863 at Rockhampton, Queensland. She was 6 years old. Henry and Maria went on to have two children together.7,8,9,10
The children of Henry travelled with him to Bowen, but it seems that when he departed for Rockhampton they did not go with him, perhaps remaining in Bowen in unknown care, or returning to Sydney to by cared for by their aunts, uncles and grandparents.11
Eliza died after July 1876.1,12
Henry reluctantly reported that his daughter Eliza was of unsound mind and gave her up into custody. Henry said he was "greatly afraid she will do herself some serious harm" and reported that she had made at least two suicide attempts and that he had placed her under restraints, but sometimes she had got away. She was sent to Rockhampton Reception House for a month (which was the longest period she could be held under the Lunacy Act of 1869). This period of commitment had to be ordered by a medical officer and two Justices of the Peace. Was this the ultimate reason for Henry to leave Mackay and return to Rockhampton?13,14
Elizal was transferred from Mackay to Rockhamption on 20 October 1876:
The Yaralla left Mackay on 18th October.15 The Rockhampton Lunatic Reception House, located on the grounds of the Old Immigration Deport on Victoria Parade, reported in September 1874 that it had two wards, with beds for five males and five females. It also had three cells. It was operated by Dr Salmond the Surgeon Superintendant. Eliza was likely accomodated in the "commodius and well-ventilated detached building" reserved for female patients. At the time of the report, the female building was full; during the year, ten women were admitted.16,17
Her father died 26 July 1878. Eliza was aged 21 when this happened.
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(For a brief history and context on the Hill family see this page)
Eliza was born on Monday, 5 January 1857 at Melbourne. Her middle name was her mother's maiden name..2 She was the daughter of Henry Hugh Hill and Bridget Holmes.1 Eliza Holmes Hill was baptised at St. James' Old Cathedral on Wednesday, 21 January 1857 at Melbourne.2 She presumably lived with her parents at Latrobe Street, in Melbourne, in 1858.3
Her mother died 7 May 1862. Eliza was aged 5 when this happened.4 At the age of 6, Eliza left Sydney on Friday, 21 August 1863. She was travelling with her father and her two older siblings on the James Patterson to Rockhampton, where her father was to marry his second wife, her Aunt Maria.5,6
Although there is no evidence that she attended the wedding, her father Henry married Maria Holmes in a Presbyterian ceremony on Tuesday, 1 September 1863 at Rockhampton, Queensland. She was 6 years old. Henry and Maria went on to have two children together.7,8,9,10
The children of Henry travelled with him to Bowen, but it seems that when he departed for Rockhampton they did not go with him, perhaps remaining in Bowen in unknown care, or returning to Sydney to by cared for by their aunts, uncles and grandparents.11
Eliza died after July 1876.1,12
Henry reluctantly reported that his daughter Eliza was of unsound mind and gave her up into custody. Henry said he was "greatly afraid she will do herself some serious harm" and reported that she had made at least two suicide attempts and that he had placed her under restraints, but sometimes she had got away. She was sent to Rockhampton Reception House for a month (which was the longest period she could be held under the Lunacy Act of 1869). This period of commitment had to be ordered by a medical officer and two Justices of the Peace. Was this the ultimate reason for Henry to leave Mackay and return to Rockhampton?13,14
Elizal was transferred from Mackay to Rockhamption on 20 October 1876:
"The following prisoners arrived from Mackay and Broadsound yesterday by the Yaralla : Eliza Hill, unsound mind, sentenced to one month's medical care and treatment in the Rockhampton Lunatic Reception House ..."
The Yaralla left Mackay on 18th October.15 The Rockhampton Lunatic Reception House, located on the grounds of the Old Immigration Deport on Victoria Parade, reported in September 1874 that it had two wards, with beds for five males and five females. It also had three cells. It was operated by Dr Salmond the Surgeon Superintendant. Eliza was likely accomodated in the "commodius and well-ventilated detached building" reserved for female patients. At the time of the report, the female building was full; during the year, ten women were admitted.16,17
Her father died 26 July 1878. Eliza was aged 21 when this happened.
Citations
- [S265] Victoria, Death Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1862 No.3526.
- [S348] Parish Registers - Parish of St. James, 1857, No. 8377.
- [S349] Sands and Kenny Directories,Victoria, Australia (various dates), 1858 p.42-43.
- [S268] The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Married - 25 Jan 1851, p.5.
- [S1153] The Sydney Mail, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1863 'Shipping Gazette', Sydney Mail (NSW : 1860 - 1871), 29 August, p. 9. , viewed 26 Jun 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166651873
- [S331] The Rockhampton Bulletin and Central Queensland Advertiser, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, 1863 'Shipping Intelligence.', Rockhampton Bulletin and Central Queensland Advertiser (Qld. : 1861 - 1871), 27 August, p. 2. , viewed 26 Jun 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51559103
- [S260] Queensland, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages 1863 No.94160.
- [S329] Central Queensland Family History Association Inc. (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~auscqfha/index.htm) http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~auscqfha/… ("Early in May, 1861, Rev. Samuel Kelly, formerly of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, arrived in Rockhampton and on May 28 a public meeting, under the presidency of John Jardine, Police Magistrate, resolved to take steps to establish a church. In September a grant of an acre of land was received from the Government and a small church was built." It was during this time that they were married.).
- [S331] The Rockhampton Bulletin and Central Queensland Advertiser, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, 1863 'Family Notices.', Rockhampton Bulletin and Central Queensland Advertiser (Qld. : 1861-1871), 8 September, p. 3, viewed 9 February, 2011, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51559212
- [S1253] Lorna McDonald Rockhampton: A History of City and District (for location of Presbyterian church).
- [S330] The Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton), Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, 1913 'PERSONAL NEWS.', Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954), 18 June, p. 8, viewed 11 May, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53302839
- [S332] The Queenslander, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 1876 'Family Notices.', The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866-1939), 8 July, p. 1, viewed 21 January, 2011, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19767512 (the use of the term 'oldest daughter' implies that the youngest daughter is still alive at this point).
- [S1254] The Mackay Mercury and South Kennedy Advertiser, Mackay, Queensland, Australia, 1876 'Police Court — Mackay.', Mackay Mercury and South Kennedy Advertiser (Qld. : 1867 - 1887), 21 October, p. 2. , viewed 05 Jun 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article169858401 (Police Court—Mackay.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 16.
BEFORE the Police Magistrate.
Eliza Hill was brought up on suspicion of being of unsound mind. Dr. McBurney gave evidence as to her insanity. Henry Hill, deposed : I am a clerk residing in Mackay ; the girl before the Court is my daughter ; her name is Eliza Hill, and she is 19 years of age ; I gave her into custody on a charge of being of unsound mind ; she has been living under my roof and care since she was born; during the last 9 years she has suffered very much from epileptic fits, which come on her about once a month, when she falls down and becomes perfectly rigid and helpless ; the fits last for 5 or 6 days, when she appears imbecile ; Dr. Robertson, of Rockhampton, attended her from 1869 to 1872, occasionally; I have been obliged to place her under restraint; she sometimes got away from my care, and knocks about a great deal, threatening to destroy herself; on one occasion she scored her throat with a knife; her throat was marked very much ; I have found her in the act of tying strings round her neck, endeavouring to choke herself ; I am greatly afraid she will do herself some serious harm. The Bench ordered her to be forwarded to the Rockhampton Reception House, for one month, for medical treatment.). - [S1459] Find & Connect (https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/) https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/guide/qld/QE00596
- [S333] The Rockhampton Bulletin, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, 1876 'PARLIAMENTARY.', Rockhampton Bulletin (Qld. : 1871 - 1878), 21 October, p. 2, viewed 24 August, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51906250
- [S333] The Rockhampton Bulletin, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, 1874 'THE LUNATIC RECEPTION HOUSE ROCKHAMPTON.', Rockhampton Bulletin (Qld. : 1871 - 1878), 3 September, p. 2. , viewed 01 Sep 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51800961
- [S1458] Unkown Find & Connect - Web Resource Newsletter Issue 17 November 2013 p.2.