Stumbling block - George Hunter

[Sylverton76]

George Hunter, born Glasgow c1823, arrived in Calcutta Sep 1842 on the ship Isabel. According to the shipping list and marriage cert., he was a professor of music. He married Catherine Jervis, daughter of Capt. Thomas Septimus Jervis, 10 May 1871 in Mussoorie. He died 8 Sep 1886 in Mussoorie after fathering 6 children.

Family legend suggests that George is related to the anatomists John & William Hunter. Can you help prove/disprove a link to the Hunters of Hunterston? The only other information that I have is that his marriage cert. shows his father is Robert Hunter and the family lived at the Sylverton in Mussoorie, India.

Children:
George Jervis Hunter (12 Apr 1872 - 1917)
Kate Jane Hunter (4 Jun 1873 - 7 May 1874)
 - Baptism record lists George's profession as a teacher of music
Edith Frances Hunter (23 Aug 1874 - 14 Mar 1901)
 - Baptism record lists George's profession as a teacher of music
Robert William Hunter (25 Sep 1875 - 1878)
Isabel Maude Hunter (29 May 1877 - ?)
 - Baptism record lists George's profession as a house proprietor
John St. Vincent Jervis-Hunter (27 Jul 1880 - 9 Dec 1917)
 - Baptism record lists George's profession as a house proprietor

NB George's widow appears on the 1891 census living at 14 High View Road, Upper Norwood, Surrey.  She returned to India shortly after the census.

Any information that could help me to identify George's parents would be most welcome.  So far, I haven't managed to locate him on the 1841 Scottish census.

[sancti]

Born 1823 and a professor of music at 19 yrs old?

Have you found out where he studied?

Married around 50 yrs of age? Could he have been married previously?

[Sylverton76]

I've no idea, sorry.  The two Hunter brothers both studied at Glasgow University so I used Glasgow as a starting point.  In the early 1800s it mainly offered degrees in theology and the arts which looked promising.  Unfortunately records are patchy pre 1858 and no graduation details exist for a George Hunter.

The birth date is an estimate from the age at marriage; his wife was only 21.  He may well have been married previously but I have nothing to go on.  As for his professor status, either professor is synonymous with teacher or George had delusions of grandeur

Unfortunately I do not even know which area of Glasgow George came from.  His birth location of Glasgow is only seen in the death register.  As the grave reference is given, I would have thought that the information has been gathered from the headstone.  Hopefully someone here will descend from the same Hunter/Jervis family.

*Update*  I've browsed Google books and I've found a music related link between a Mr. Hunter and Rev. Maddock’s Mussoorie School.  Unfortunately it became the Savoy Hotel in 1902 so I doubt any records exist.  There are two other links suggesting George was the Mussoorie music master.  See here and here.

I have dug out the marriage entry to see if there are any other clues.  George is listed as a bachelor and Catherine was a spinster.  The two fathers are given as Robert Hunter and Thomas Septimus Jervis.  The two witnesses were Capt. T.S. Jervis and Henry Hankow (?), Mussoorie librarian.

[cookies4]

Well if you're credit card can take it there are a few Robert Hunters who left wills. One was in 1826 and he lived at Hunterston. May be a costly business for nothing but the indexes throw up a few interesting Hunters.

I has a wee google re the Hunter Brothers and it appears they came from East Kilbride - quite a different place from West Kilbride.

Regards,
Nel

[Sylverton76]

My father is a lawyer (probate) so I'll ask him about getting hold of a few wills.  Thanks