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John James Harris HILL

John James Harris HILL[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Male 1867 - 1928  (~ 60 years)

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  • Name John James Harris HILL 
    Christened 7 Apr 1867  Lifton, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    _UID AE76ABB5BA23D511B6E7DD3AFA2E9C35F4A9 
    Died 19 Mar 1928  Chillington Stokenham, Kingsbridge, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Buried Thorverton, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [8
    Person ID I8  YoungFamily
    Last Modified 28 Nov 2022 

    Father Tristram HILL,   c. 6 Sep 1835, Northlew, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 8 Jan 1882, Lifton, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 46 years) 
    Mother Maria HARRIS,   c. 18 Jun 1837, Lifton, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 16 Jan 1881, Tavistock, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 43 years) 
    Married 6 Apr 1860  Lifton, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    _UID A776ABB5BA23D511B6E7DD3AFA2E9C35ED39 
    Family ID F11  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Rhoda BAKER,   b. 11 Feb 1863, Bishop's Hull, Somerset, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Mar 1918, Thorverton, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 55 years) 
    Married 29 May 1888  Bishop's Hull, Somerset, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [9
    _UID A576ABB5BA23D511B6E7DD3AFA2E9C35EB19 
    Children 
     1. Victor John HILL,   b. 31 Mar 1889, Clayhanger, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Feb 1977, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 87 years)
     2. Lilian Jane HILL,   b. 27 Mar 1893, Exbourne, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Dec 1979, Exeter, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 86 years)
     3. George Frederick HILL,   b. 19 Oct 1897, Sandford, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location
    Last Modified 15 May 2022 
    Family ID F5  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Ethel GILLETT 
    Married Sept. Qtr. 1925  St. Thomas District, Devon, England (Exeter, vol. 5b, p. 113) Find all individuals with events at this location 
    _UID E41FD7D34D91AD45B48CA0D841FC94A7ADC3 
    Last Modified 15 May 2022 
    Family ID F10  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    John James Harris Hill
    John James Harris Hill
    John James Harris Hill and family
    John James Harris Hill and family

  • Notes 
    • John James Harris Hill was heir to Bradford Manor (near Pyworthy) Devon. My first inkling of some interesting background concerning John James Harris Hill, other than his police career, came to me by way of a statement that my cousin Guy had made to me in one of his letters: ‘He lost all of the family’s money on the horses and was never heard of again. Of course, the family lost the estate.’ Although Guy had always lived in England he had become distanced from his closer Hill cousins and this tidbit of information concerning our mutual great-great-great-grandfather came to him through his mother. That lady had married into the Hill family and possessed a flair for the dramatic. She relished every opportunity that was given her to relate the “family scandal”. A flurry of correspondence with Esther Jeffries, although a more distant Hill cousin to me she was closer in degree relationship to John James than even Guy, eventually revealed the full story. My great-great-great-grandfather (John James' own grandfather) was, during the late 1700s, the tenant-in-chief of Bradford Manor near Pyworthy, Devon. One day while he was out collecting the rents from the sub-tenants he was attacked and robbed of all the money. Bear in mind that during that time period the principal form of transportation around a vast estate was via horse. Unfortunately, my ancestor did not survive the attack and the family was unaware that anything was amiss until his horse returned, riderless, to the manor house. Research in various resources has proved this second version of the “family scandal” to be the correct one. And as to the claim of losing the family estate? That, too, was not entirely accurate within the confines of the original statement. Some one hundred and thirty years later, my great-grandfather, John James Harris Hill, upon enlisting with the Devon Constabulary, found that his heart and interest did not lie in farming and not wishing to continue with the onerous responsibility of occupying and managing a landed estate deeded the manor and its’ properties back to the Duchy of Cornwall.

      Letter from Devon & Cornwall Constabulary dated 6 September 1990 and addressed to Mrs. E. F. Lewis of Tavistock:

      "Dear Madam,

      I refer to your letter of 20 August 1990 requesting an ancestral search.

      Devon Constabulary records reveal the following information:-

      John James Harris HILL: born 7 April 1867 Lifton: Appointed constable No. 57, 26 October 1886 (former occupation labourer): 5'10-1/2": chest 42": previous service 1 yr 8mths with Cornwall Constabulary: resigned on transfer to City of Exeter Force 8 November 1910: commended by Watch Committee for courageous and prompt action in stopping a runaway horse in New North Road on 27 June 1902: commended by Superintendent 'N' Division Devon Constabulary for meritorious conduct in apprehending three young men who had broken a shop window at Crediton and committed a robbery: retired on 26 October 1912 with 26 yrs police service and received a pension of GB1.1.4d per week.

      Records of the Cornwall Constabulary are held at the Cornwall County Record Office, Truro. ...."

      The New Inn in Chillington, Stokenham, Devon was in existence as early as 1850 (White's Directory) and as late as 1935 as found in Kelly's directory.

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      1912 Post Office Directory
      Hill, J. J. H., P.C., 26, cowick rd., st. thos.

      Besley's Exeter Directory & Business Guide, 1906-11, p 908
      Hill, J. J. H., P.C., 26, cowick rd., st. thos.

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      exetermemories99@gmail.com
      subject: for Exeter Memories
      http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/em/_organisations/police19c.php
      details of police service and postal directory listings sent to the above website on 8 Dec 2017

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      Though he did not live to see this event, at the time of WWI Chillington was to be evacuated.

      The following proclamation was posted in the villages of Torcross, Slapton, Strete, Blackawton, East Allington, Sherford, Stokenham and Chillington:

      NOTICE

      The public are reminded that requisition took effect from 16th November, from which date compensation is calculated. They will not, except for special reason, be disturbed in their possession until December 21st, but from that date the Admiralty may at any time, and without prior notice, enforce their right to immediate possession. It is therefore essential that EVERY PERSON SHOULD LEAVE THE AREA BY DECEMBER 20TH.

      On December 21st the supply of electricity in the area will cease. The present measures for supplying food will not be continued, but will be replaced by arrangements of a purely emergency character. The police stations will be closing during the present week.

      THE INFORMATION CENTRES will remain OPEN on SUNDAY DECEMBER 19th. They will be CLOSED from DECEMBER 21st, but officers will be present at BLACKAWTON to deal with urgent matters.

      The telephone numbers of the information Centres are:

      BLACKAWTON Blackawton 47 and 48

      STOKENHAM Kingsbridge 2386 and 2387

      As from December 21st all compensation matters will be dealt with by the Admiralty at DITTISHAM COURT HOTEL. (Tel: Dittisham 31)

      Transport must now be taken on the date allotted except in the case of serious illness. All cases of illness which mat affect removal must be immediately reported to the Information Centre.

      K.G. HARPER
      Ministry of Home Security

  • Sources 
    1. [S14] Index to Grants of Probates and Administrations, England, Principal Probate Registry, Superior Court, Family Division, London, England, (Not published), 1928, p. 182, 13 Sep 1928.
      HILL John James Harris of The New Inn Chillington Stokenham, Devonshire, died 19 March 1928 Administration London 13 September to Ethel Hill, widow, and Lilian Jane Gefeall (wife of Frank Gefeall) [Aunt Betty, his daughter]. Effects GB1335 13s 10d.

    2. [S9] 1891 Census, England and Wales, Office of National Statistics, General Register Office, Kew, Surrey, England, (U.S.A., Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah), Exbourne, Devon, England, RG12/1757 , ED 3, fol. 23, p. 7, 5 Apr 1891.

      Household Sch. #47, Collage:
      4 rooms:
      John J. H. Hill, head, mar, 23, police constable, born Lifton, Devon
      Rhoda Hill, wife, mar, 28, born Bishop's Hull, Somerset
      Victor J. Hill, son, 2, born Clayhanger, Devon

    3. [S13] 1901 Census, England and Wales, Office of National Statistics, General Register Office, Kew, Surrey, England, (http://www.census.gov.uk), RG13/2037, folio 149, page 35, Exeter St. Thomas, Devon, 31 Mar 1901.

      Schedule #255, 26 Cowick Road, St. Thomas, Exeter:
      John Hill, head, married, 33, police constable, born at Lifton;
      Rhoda, wife, married, 38, born at Bishops Hull, Somerset;
      Victor J., son, 12, born at Clayhanger;
      Lillian, daughter, 8, born at Exbourne;
      George, F., son, 3, born at Sandford, Devon;
      Alfred J. Abraham, boarder, single 26, police constable, born at South Brant, Devon;
      Walter L. Bradford, boarder, single, 25, police constable, born at Broad Clyst, Devon.

    4. [S35] 1911 Census, England and Wales, Office of National Statistics, Kew, Surrey, England, (www.1911census.co.uk), St. Thomas, Exeter, Devon, RG14/12646, R. D. 270, E.D. 16, 2 Apr 1911.

      Schedule #230, 26 Cowick Road (6 room house):

      John J. H. Hill, head, married, 43, married 22 years, police constable, Exeter City Police Force, worker, born Lifton, Devon
      Rhoda Hill, wife, married, 48, married 22 years, 3 children born alive, 3 still living, born Bishop's Hull, Somerset
      George Fred Hill, son, single, 13, school, born Landford, Devon
      Eli Baker, visitor, widower, 78, formerly gardener (domestic), born Bradford, Somerset

    5. [S132] Newspaper, Various, (Various), The Devon and Exeter Gazette. Friday, March 23, 1928. p. 15, 23 Mar 1928.

      THORERTON.
      The funeral of Mr. John J. H. Hill took place yesterday afternoon, the Viar (the Rev. J. H. Shaw) officiating. The family mourners were the widow, George (son), Mr. and Mrs. Gefeall (son-in-law and daughter), Mr. Baker (brother-in-law), G. Lewis (nephew), Mr. Wright (Stoke Canon), Mr. Petheridge, and Mr. Prettyjohn (Chillington).

    6. [S173] 1921 Census, England and Wales, Office of National Statistics, Kew, Surrey, England, (FindMyPast.uk.co), 1921.
      1921 Census Of England & Wales image
      Lilian Jane Gefeall, John James Harris Hill, Frank Gefeall and 2 others are on this record at Rewe, Nether Exe, Devon. One of the 2 others should be John J H Hill's second wife, Ethel.

    7. [S11] Certified copy of an entry of Death, (England, Kew: General Register Office), Certificate #DX466101, 19 Mar 1928.
      Decedant: John James Harris Hill, 60 years of age, at Chillington Stokenham, Kingsbridge, licensed victualler. Causes of death: Pneumothorase (a procedure performed on TB patients to draw off excess fluid from lung cavity with a resultant puncture of the lung) and tuberculosis. No post mortem was performed. Certified by J. Smalley M.R.C.S. Ethel Hill (second wife), widow of deceased present at death.
      Certificate issued 28 September 1989.

    8. [S12] Monumental Inscription, (England, Devon, Thorverton: Church of England, parish churchyard).
      In loving memory of Rhoda the beloved wife of John Hill of this parish who died 29th January 1918 aged 54 years "BE OF GOOD COMFORT; RISE, HE CALLETH THEE" also of John Hill who died 19th March 1928 aged 60 years AT REST also of Frank Gefeall son-in-law of the above who fell asleep 11th January 1940 aged 56 years "OUT OF THE STRESS OF DOING AND INTO THE JOY OF DONE" also Lilian wife of Frank and daughter of Rhoda and John died 18th December 1979 aged 85 years. Reunited.

    9. [S136] Parish Register, Various, (Various), Transcript, Bishops Hull, Somersetshire, England, 29 May 1888.

      Field VALUE
      County Somerset
      Place Bishops Hull
      Church name St Peter and Paul
      Register type Parish Register
      Register entry number 356
      Marriage date 29 May 1888
      Groom forename John James Harris
      Groom surname HILL
      Groom age full age
      Groom abode Yarcombe
      Groom occupation Policeman
      Bride forename Rhoda
      Bride surname BAKER
      Bride age full age
      Groom father forename Tristram
      Groom father surname HILL
      Groom father occupation Farmer
      Bride father forename Eli
      Bride father surname BAKER
      Bride father occupation Gardener
      Witness1 forename Elizabeth
      Witness1 surname BAKER
      Witness2 forename Isabella Matilda
      Witness2 surname BAKER
      Found online at:
      http://freereg2.freereg.org.uk