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

1867 - 1928  (~ 60 years)

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

  
  

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

  
  

  Family 1	Rhoda BAKER,   b. 11 Feb 1863, Bishop's Hull, Somerset, England ,   d. 19 Mar 1918, Thorverton, Devon, England  (Age 55 years)
  Married	29 May 1888	Bishop's Hull, Somerset, England   [9]
  _UID	A576ABB5BA23D511B6E7DD3AFA2E9C35EB19
  Children	1. Victor John HILL,   b. 31 Mar 1889, Clayhanger, Devon, England ,   d. 26 Feb 1977, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada  (Age 87 years)   2. Lilian Jane HILL,   b. 27 Mar 1893, Exbourne, Devon, England ,   d. 18 Dec 1979, Exeter, Devon, England  (Age 86 years)   3. George Frederick HILL,   b. 19 Oct 1897, Sandford, Devon, England
  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)
  _UID	E41FD7D34D91AD45B48CA0D841FC94A7ADC3
  Last Modified	15 May 2022
  Family ID	F10	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos		John James Harris Hill
  		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. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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

  [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. [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 [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. [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 [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). [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. [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. [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. [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