Paris Street, Exeter

[IanT]

You're welcome.. glad to see you're still at it - we exchanged a few emails some years back regarding Deanes/Charles Holland Hastings/James Davidson etc. My research activity is still patchy though..

[Downcraig]

Hello Ian

I would be interested in your interest in Charles Holland Hastings. I think yours is the son of Francis, son of my 4xgreat grandfather Lt-Col Sir Charles Holland Hastings KCH. I have quite a lot of info about Sir CHH but perhaps you already have much the same.

[IanT]

Hi, Charles HH is a bit of a sideline in my Family History, married one of my ancestor's daughters, divorced his first(?) wife, I have records of the divorce, but have not followed up CHH in any detail yet.

Dee-jay on this thread has much info on CHH, I hope she'll respond.

[dee-jay]

Ian, I do indeed but I've not touched ground since 2005 on this 'twig', although I suspected CHH was not the 'Bachelor' Explorer that he claimed at 1905 marriage to young Alice, daughter of John DEANE, Gamekeeper to the GIFFARDs of Chillington Hall! So far as I am aware there were no issue to this couple and he left his fortune to the lady who nursed him to the end, Alice having predeceased him.

I would be interested to receive feedback on his divorce. In the meantime I'll dig out my old files.

dee-jay

[Downcraig]

Thanks Ian and Dee-jay for your responses - he is also a sideline for me as his father was son of my 4xgreat grandfather by his second wife. So my interest has mainly been for clues to paternal ancestry as I have been trying to find parents for CHH senior for many many years. He is one of those mysterious ones with plenty of rumours of being the illegitimate son of an earl. CHH junior was (as far as I know) the third of that name CHH senior having at least one other child named CHH who died young. The Holland name was carried through a good number of descendants which must be significant. CHH junior does seem to be a very shady character - army, navy, air force, "explorer" etc etc as well as bankrupt, divorce. I already have the divorce stuff for Clara Dolman the first wife. Well, if I can provide anything else let me know. Thanks

[dee-jay]

CHH junior does seem to be a very shady character - army, navy, air force, "explorer" etc etc as well as bankrupt, divorce.

Downcraig, there was absolutely nothing about him 'shady': proceedings for bankruptcy instigated 1904 whilst he was abroad recruiting African natives to bring a village to UK for the Bradford Exhibition. The adjudication was Annulled and Receiving Order Rescinded Oct 27 1905, it appearing that all the debts had been paid in full.

He subsequently successfully pursued his share of the profits in a Civil Action HASTINGS v BAMBERGER [Dispute as to an African Exhibition] reported in The Times Thursday 5th December 1907 pg9, Issue 38508, col D, so he was justified in describing himself 'Explorer'. I'm now aware that many of both sexes reverted to their single status after divorce, probably to enable a second marriage in church?  CHH was honest about his age, unlike his first bride, and he certainly engaged in yachting and motorboat racing pursuits, after his military career!

I'll send you a PM with my email address if you'd like to reciprocate off-site with details of CHH/Carla divorce and I can then send you my research as attachments.

dee-jay

[jeanffrench]

Dee-jay, that “date of birth” for Thomas was probably a mistranscription for “date of baptism”.

I have been corresponding with Ian, and he has found a possible alternate baptism for James Gill, son of John and Isabella, at St Sidwell, Exeter, in Oct 1810! Have you seen it and ruled it out?

I emailed you a couple of days ago about our DNA project, but the email bounced. Could you try emailing me, please?

jeanffrench

[terryleaman]

Are you a member of Devon Family History Society? high quality images of St Sidwell parish registers are available in the members' area of the Society's website, as are 51 other parishes.
The Gale/Gill baptism is there- Exeter St.Sidwell: 3429A-PR-1-5_0276. The Pye/Page entry in the transcription could be either but the surname is definitely given as GALE.

[dee-jay]

Dee-jay, that “date of birth” for Thomas was probably a mistranscription for “date of baptism”.

I have been corresponding with Ian, and he has found a possible alternate baptism for James Gill, son of John and Isabella, at St Sidwell, Exeter, in Oct 1810! Have you seen it and ruled it out?

I emailed you a couple of days ago about our DNA project, but the email bounced. Could you try emailing me, please?

jeanffrench

Responses:
(1) I had already reached that conclusion.
(2) I discounted the John/Isabella suggestion many moons ago, after finding all the links with Yarcombe and Defiance coaching activities plus the Uncle James CRABB of Northleigh mentioned in the 1818 Settlement Examination taken at Yarcombe of young James GILL, and Churchstanton employment with Robert OSBORNE until he went out of business.  More recently I found a likely baptism - 20 Apr 1834 at Axminster - son of James GILL, Post Boy, & Elizabeth for the James GILL aged 7 months buried 14 Sep 1834 at Colyton - Elizabeth's birthplace.  The only missing link is a Settlement Examination for Elizabeth GILL after James' untimely death in 1844.
According to Hanson a common route for progression from saddle to coach bench was stable boy/horse-keeper/post boy/coachman.
(3) I'll PM my current email address.

dee-jay 

P.S. I joined Devon FHS this year for the purpose of seeing all their parish register images.  .