Ancestors of James Eastman Hill who married Nelle Maud Louise Dewhurst

Compiled by Jana Dewhurst McPherson Black

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My grandfather's eldest sister was Nelle Maud Louise/a Dewhurst, born 1 February 1876 in Finchley, Middlesex, London, England. She married James Eastman Hill 26 December 1896 in St. Paul's Church, St. Pancras, London. Witnesses at the wedding were Nellie's sister Mabel Dewhurst and James' sister Emma Hill. Beginning with the family group record for her husband's birth family, here is their genealogy.

Family of James E. Hill Sr. and Lucy Howard*
(census records for this family are at the bottom of the page)

[1] Death of James estimated from 1901 and 1911 census information where he is enumerated in 1901 and Lucy is a Widow in 1911.

[2] Maiden names and marriage dates provided by Paul Hodgetts, proved by Banns records and 1911 census where Helen is living as a widow with James and Lucy and has two children; Edgar Webb (age 9) and Grace F Webb (age 7).

[3] Possible marriage info from Banns, not proved - info too vague

Family of James Eastman Hill Jr and Nelle Maude Louise Dewhurst

[1] James' birth registation is in Pancras District, Volume 1b., pg. 145. James Eastman and Nelle Maud Louise Dewhurst Hill were living at 148 Tufnell Park Rd., London at the time of their son, Reginald's enlistment in 1914 and remained at that address until 1928. In 1928, there is a death record for James E Hill Vol 1A pg 1055 (need to order). After that, City Directories show a J. E. Hill in 1935 at 91 Church St. N9, Tottenham - these are not necessarily the same man - see below. There is a death record for James E Hill; Death: Hammersmith, London, England: Jul-Aug-Sep 1922

[2] UPDATE WINTER 2010: By 1920, Nelle witnessed the marriage of her daughter Ursula, signing her name "N.M.L. Hill, Nellie Dewhurst." Curiously, the second witness on Ursula's Marriage Certificate is listed as "W. Dewhurst" making me wonder if Nelle's brother William did not die in the Boer War?? Nellie's Death Certificate in 1963 is registered under the name "Nellie Ellen L. Dewhurst," age 87, but she is listed as the "Widow of James Dewhurst of independent means," suggesting she and James Eastman Hill may 1) have lived apart but never divorced or 2) that he died early and she just kept on using his name in the phone book. The death was reported by "Phyllis Gee, niece." We do not know who this is, but she is likely a daughter of a Hill sister as all descendants of Dewhurst children are accounted for and there is no Phyllis nor a spouse named Gee.

[3] UPDATE FALL 2007: The British Army Pension Records WW1 1914 - 1920 show Reginald enlisted on the 22 April 1915 from St.. Johns Wood in London. He was demobilized while on leave on the 17 Jan 1919. However, a death record also exists: Name: Reginald James Hill Birth Place: Upper Holloway, Middlesex Residence: Watford, Herts Death Date: 26 Oct 1917 Enlistment Location: Bushey Heath, Herts Rank: Private Regiment: South Staffordshire Regiment Battalion: 1st Battalion. Number: 41736 Type of Casualty: Killed in action Theater of War: Aldershot.... Another death record for a Reginald J. E. Hill is found 2Q 1964, age 65 (b. 1899), living in Harrow (NW part of London). Death certificate for Reginald James Eastman Hill states his address as 17 Glover Lane, Pinner, Middlesex. His occuaption was as a retired Advertising Manager. For now, I am merely noting both records and making an educated guess that records for Reginald J.E. Hill are correct. Telephone Directory records are also found for Reginald J.E. Hill over the years. It is possible the two men were related.

[4] UPDATE FALL 2004: Birth and baptism records for Ursula have been found: June 1902 - HILL, Ursula Jessie C. (District Pancras; Volume 1b, page 106) & Baptism St. Paul's, St. Pancras, London, June 1902 pg 45. The marriage of Ursula to William Oliveria fell apart abt. 1933 - under court order, the girls, Marjorie and Yvonne, went with their mother and James (Jimmy) William Lawrence Oliveria lived with his father. Apparently, Jimmy, two other sons and a daughter were all raised by William's 2nd wife. Jimmy and his sisters never saw each other again. It is still to be determined what happened to Ursula after that - did they go live with Nelle since Ursula reverted to the name Hill? There are telephone records for a Mrs. Ursula Hill in Dedham, Norwich from 1963- 1969 at Ivyside Cottage, Colchester, Essex, England, but no proof this is the right person and no death record has been found. She may have married again to someone named Evande/en/er, but no proof of that has been found

UPDATE WINTER 2010: Children of Ursula and William are:

1) Marjorie Juanita Oliveria (aka Hill or Robinson) b. September 1920, London, St. Pancras, England, (m. 1) Ernest G. Robinson, 3Q 1941 N.E. Surrey, England and 2) Cyril Longhurst, 1Q 1948, N.E. Surrey, England), d. April 2000 Wandsworth, London, England
2) Yvonne Nelda Oliveria b. June 1922, London, Islington, England, m. Hubert Reid Culver, 18 June 1945, Christ Church, Paddington, England.

NOTES: Yvonne got caught up in one of those "tragedies of the times" during WWII. She fell in love with an American GI, Hubert Reid Culver who was stationed in England and had two sons with him out of wedlock. She could not take care of the boys on her own in war times, so took them both to St. Joseph's Home, Holtswhite Hill, Enfield, supported by the St. Vincent's Society. There they were cared for by by the Orange Butterfly Sisters so she could earn her living as an Aircraft Worker in Chertsy and give what support she could until she could take them back to raise herself. Later in 1945, records show Culver did marry Yvonne however, U.S. Military Records show he was transported by the Army back to the USA in September 1945. It appears he did not return to England again. Records show he later married Mary Elizabeth Hammond and was living in E. Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts where he died 6 Aug 2003, leaving no further issue.

Unfortunately, one of these boys was transported in the Child Migrant Movement in which, without permisssion from known parents who had not released them for adoption, English children in orphanages were taken and used as "good British stock" to populate the territories of Australia, New Zealand and Canada. In 1952, going aboard HMS Ormande of the Orient Line at the age of 10, the older boy, knowing the younger brother he called "Jackie," had the flu and was being carried on a stretcher, he was told "Jackie" would travel in the ship's infirmary, and would reunite with him in Australia. Upon arrival, he learned his brother was not on the ship at all. The older boy lived out his youth at an orphanage in Wyee, Australia where he was certainly taken advantage of and mistreated. This man, now in his 60s has searched over all these years to reunite with his brother and his mother, Yvonne who possibly is still alive at the age of 88 (2010). Absolutely no records of Yvonne, under the name Oliveria or Culver have been found after her marriage in 1945. There is some suggestion either she or her mother, Ursula, later married someone named "Evande/Evander/Evanden" but no proof has been found.

It is unknown exactly what happened to the second boy, John Christopher Robert Oliveria, after his brother was transported, but records show Jackie took on his birth father's surname, Culver, as an adult and may haved used the nickname "Robin" in his first marriage. Catholic Charities claim to have "no records at all" that Jackie was in their care, though they definitely acknowledge records for the older brother. It is hoped that Yvonne reclaimed her son, using her married name and raised him herself, but no proof has been found. Jackie married twice and left behind two daughters by the first wife (possibly Susan Saker in Q3 1963) and 2 children with his second wife, Sheila June Culver nee Blackman nee Evans nee Hillyer whom he married 2 May 1983. John Christopher Robert Culver died 2 May 1989 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England and is buried in the St. Luke's Churchyard in Matfield, Kent where the family lived, under the name "Chris Culver." We are doing what we can to try to locate either of the wives or any of the nieces or nephews hoping there can be a family reunion, or at least information on what happened to Ursula and Yvonne. This seems to be the last hope the older brother has to find living direct relatives other than his 2nd cousins-once-removed who went to the USA. It is the older son's greatest wish to find any living relatives before it is too late.

[In 2010, Prime Minister Gordon Brown finally offered a full public apology to these Migrants and their familes who were, in many cases, forever separated. A Child Migrant Fund has been established to attempt to reunite these children with living family, but it is likely too late for these two boys of ours.]

IF YOU ARE RELATED TO, OR KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT YVONNE NELDA OLIVERIA CULVER, PLEASE CONTACT ME! I am in contact with her remaining son who would love to meet her before it is too late.

[6] UPDATE 2015: the following article was posted in the Lancashire Evening News on 10 July 1940, when Yvonne was only 18... still nothing more after she married Hubert Culver:

3) James William Lawrence Oliveria "Jimmy" b. 23 Feb 1925 Andover, Hampshire, Berkshire, England, m. living, d. October 1992, Thanet, Kent, England.

[5] UPDATE FALL 2007: Electoral Rolls for 148 Tufnell Park Rd., London include Cecil Lawrence Hill living with the family.
UPDATE JANUARY 2009: the 1911 census lists his name as Lawrence "Cicel" Hill. By 1911, the entire Dewhurst family except Nelle had gone to the USA between 1906-7. In using the same name, "Lawrence," that her sister Madeline did for her son, it occurs to me that Nellie is trying somehow to retain a family connection .... Birth record for Lawrence Cecil is found in Vol. 1b pg. 75. There is a likely marriage certificate for Lawrence Cecil - no proof yet:

Name: Lawrence C Hill
Spouse: Alice R M Sheldrake
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1935
Registration district: Deben Registration county (inferred): Suffolk
Volume Number: 4a Page Number: 3609

Possible death record - but the burth info is off:

Name: Lawrence Cecil Hill
Birth Date: 21 Mar 1907
Death Registration Month/Year: 1981
Registration district: Newark Inferred County: Lincolnshire
Volume: 8 Page: 0420

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Hill Family Census Records

UPDATE WINTER 2009:

1911 Census: RG14PN795 RG78PN27 RD10 SD1 ED20 SN62; 58 Crayford Road, Tufnell, Islington, London N.

* a Gold Blocker applies gold foil or leaf to print letters on book spines using a hot metal stamp - Nelle may have met him related to the Dewhurst family involvement in Print Colouring.

UPDATE SUMMER/FALL 2004:

1901 UK Census: RG13 - Piece 149 - Folio 51 - Page 9; 81 St. Paul's Road, St. Pancras, London

UPDATE FALL 2002

1901 UK Census: RG13/149 - ED 11 - Folio 51 - Page 10; 85 St. Paul's Road, Camden Town, St. Pancras, London