Wellington Archives Lookup Please

[Koromo]

Hi Riley

I have been resisting asking for a Wellington probate lookup. I've really tried for days to convince myself that Henry ST HILL is such a distant connection by marriage that I don't need to know what his probate says. 

Probate 1861: Henry ST HILL
Agency:  AAOM
Series:  6029
Box/Item:  4
Record:  137

But I've failed and I'm consumed by curiosity.      I believe him to be an HM Ordnance Officer, who may have had sons called Ashton, Henry Woodford, Windle, amongst other children. There may also be a brother/nephew/cousin called James Henry... or I could be totally wrong on all of them! Knowing my luck he probably just left everything to "my beloved [unnamed] wife."

This ST HILL family has been like an itch which I can't stop scratching. It all started here:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,352224.0.html

Please put my request at the bottom of your list, and mark it 'only if there's time.'

With thanks
Regards
Koromo

[Lucy2]

Hi Koromo   

[Am I permiited to have a wee giggle ?] 

Seriously though ... you've got us absolutely hooked on this family now ... and though I'm not at the "itching or scratching" stage, I sure do share your curiosity !     

Cheers
Lu

[spades]

Hi Koromo,

Mysteries are there to be solved! I'll look for that probate for you. Like everyone else I want to know the last chapter of Henry's story.

Regards, riley

[Koromo]

Riley, a special thank you.   

Lu, you may giggle!    Scratching this itch is  ... well, not exactly painful but frustrating. I've come across bits of conflicting information, a lot of it through Google Books.  The ST HILLs seem to have been an old Devonshire family, who spread around the world particularly to Jamaica associated with the army in the early 1800s, and thence to NZ.

I do hope the Resident Magistrate chappie (James Henry) is related - I've even found a photo of him and his house in Wellington. 


Koromo

[spades]

Good job you decided to scratch that itch, Koromo, it's him!

In a very detailed will Henry ST HILL made a number of bequests. I would suggest that you order a copy because it makes interesting reading. I have only included the names of his children here for brevity.

He left personal property to his sons James Henry, Ashton, Henry or Harry Woodford, and Windle Hill; his daughters ‘Jepy’ (Jessie?), Sarah, Antoinette, Beverley, Annie ST HILL, and Eleanor. The name 'Hill' seems to have been used as a middle name.

He directed that he be buried in the least expensive way, that the ring on the third finger of his left hand be buried with him, and that none of his wearing apparel or other effects be sold.

So can you tell us the back story?

Regards, riley

[Koromo]

Oh Riley!  I'm thrilled! Thank you SO much.   
I had found all his sons but only two daughters, so I've now got more names to look out for.

The back story ... well, I'm still blundering about!  Henry St. Hill (full name Charles Henry or Henry Charles St. Hill?) was the Ordnance 'Storekeeper' (officer in charge) at various British army bases around the world, including Jamaica, Ceylon and Hong Kong in the first half of the 19th century. He must have brought/sent his children to NZ even though he was posted elsewhere.

The eldest son, James Henry had trained as an architect and got in with Colonel Wakefield and the NZ Co, arriving in Wellington in 1840 — uh, after he had been through bankruptcy proceedings in London.  He was involved in all the early manoeuvering to set up a 'proper' government, and ended up as the Resident Magistrate for Wellington for 20 years, always referred to as plain Henry St. Hill without the James. He also had the largest horse racing stables in NZ of the time! 

Alexander Turnbull/Timeframes has a photo of him, and he looks decidedly unlike what one might think a Resident Magistrate would look like — sort of small and a bit lacking in gravitas!

James Henry St. Hill 1807-1866

His house was on Hawkestone St, (later called Old Karori Rd?), and can be seen in many early illustrations of Wellington. I say his house, but his father (of the will) must have lived there too. The one 1861 death notice I've found for the father states, "at his residence Hawkestone-street ... Henry St Hill, Esq, aged 78 years."

It was a nice house! Henry St. Hill's house, Hawkestone Sstreet

His other children all seemed to do well; youngest son Colonel Windle Hill St. Hill became a member of the Tasmanian Assembly, and at least one daughter married into a titled family becoming Lady Ogle.  Some of their death notices would say, for example, son of Henry Charles St. Hill of Bradninch Manor, near Cullompton, Devon, which sounds a whole lot grander than Ordnance Storekeeper, and that got me curious too but I haven't cracked it yet.  The ring on Henry's left hand could have been his proof of lineage, but why would he want it buried and not passed onto a son? Must have fallen out, or been the black sheep, or even disinherited ...

... and one of his great grandchildren married my third cousin once removed!   

Thanks again and again
Koromo



Edited to update the above links

[Koromo]

His other children all seemed to do well ...

And one became Rev Canon Harry Woodford ST. HILL.  I had looked him up on Blain's NZ Anglican Clergy list, and his biographical details didn't quite fit with my findings which spurred me on to look further. When I've organised all my notes into something intelligible, I'll drop Mr Blain an email — it may help someone a whole lot closer to these ST. HILLs.

The silly result of all this is, if I Google for images to do with the ST HILL name, the avatar of my family coat of arms pops up! 

 
 K.

[Katrina W-K]

... And here is a greeting from Bath, west country GB, from direct descendant of Canon Harry Woodford St Hill (son of Henry Charles St Hill of Bradninch, Devon) who lived in Napier NZ.  his son, Lt Col Collis George Herbert St Hill married my great grandmother, Rosie Ammabel Maryon-Wilson (daughter of
Sir Spencer Maryon-Wilson 10th baronet).  their daughter Colline Ammabel Sainthill was mother to my father, Colin Sainthill Wallis-King...  My great grandmother, Rosie Ammabel has written a history of the Sainthill family stretching way back into the 1600s or beyond...

Rock on!

[Koromo]

Hi Katrina

It's great to be "talking" to a ST HILL — welcome to RootsChat. 

I became involved with this family when I discovered a far distant twig of mine married a grandson of Rev Harry Woodford ST HILL (through Charles Henry ST HILL 1862-1954) in New Zealand. 

I've read Ammabel's book, but she neglected to mention the illegitimate members of the family, eg. James Henry ST HILL, (resident magistrate above), amongst others!     A descendant of John Randall ST HILL (b. 1792, Barbados) and I spent a long time tracing the connections to Henry Charles ST HILL (1783-1851) and we'd always wondered if Ammabel's research for her book (notes, transcriptions, wills, miniatures, etc.) was still in existence.  Would you know?

Delighted to see you here!
Koromo