Ellen (Hore) Hessey (1851 - 1941)

Born 1851 in St Austell, Cornwall, England

Ancestors

Wife of William John Hessey Snr. — married 12 Nov 1879 in Sydenham, Christchurch, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 26 Mar 1941 at about age 90 in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Rita Kidd [send private message]

Ellen (Hore) Hessey was born in England.

Biography

1851 - Jan, birth of Ellen Hore at St Austell, Cornwall, England. She is the daughter of Sampson Hore and Nancy Hancock. ^[1]

1851 England Census at St Austell, Cornwall has father Sampson Hore, mother Nancy, and siblings Jane, John, Mary, Catherine, Elizabeth, Philip, with Ellen aged 3months. ^[2]

1853 Oct, death of father Sampson Hore at St Austell Cornwall. ( Ellen is only 2yrs old).

1861 - England Census at St Austell, Cornwall, has Ellen age 10 living with her birth family, occupation "scholar" so she will possibly not be illiterate as described in "Hesseys From Nottinghamshire". ^[3]

1871 - England Census 20yr old Ellen, occupation Tin Labourer is living at St Austell with her widowed mother, and her mother's 57yr old brother Jacob Hancock who is listed as intellectually handicapped. ^[4]

Ellen (Hore) Hessey migrated from England to New Zealand in 1878.

Passenger list for single women using Assisted Immigration lists Ellen Hore, age 25, occupation General Servant, from Cornwall. Her sister Mary (Hore) Wellington and family were also Assisted Immigrants on this voyage listed under 'families' on passenger list. ^[5]

1879 - Mar 26, Ellen Hore married William John Hessey in New Zealand. NZ online marriage index, reg No. 1879/3172. Bride's name Ellen Hose (s/b Hore). Groom's name William John Hessey.

1880 Apr 13, Ellen, husband William and his 2 sons William & John depart for San Francisco, California, USA aboard the "City of New York".

1881 The Hessey family are living at 40 Silver Avenue, San Francisco, and husband William is working as an iron moulder at the Risdon Iron & Locomotive Works.

1882 - Apr 16, birth of son Henry Hessey at San Francisco, California, USA.

1885 - July, birth of son Sydney Hessey at sea en route from California to New Zealand aboard the SS "City of Sydney" after which he was named.

1886 - Mar, death of son Sydney age 9mths of whooping cough at Auckland, New Zealand.

1886 - Jul, birth of daughter Grace Hessey at Auckland, New Zealand.

About 1888 The Hessey family leave Auckland and return to Christchurch where Ellen's sister Mary (Hore) Wellington and family are living.

1890 - Sep 1, birth of daughter Marion Pearl Hessey at Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

1890 - Nov 7, death of husband William John Hessey at Christchurch, New Zealand.

Ellen was only 39 when her husband died.

To earn money to support the family Ellen worked from home as a laundress.

Excerpt from "Hesseys of Nottinghamshire" by Frances Stewart. ....Ellen was kept very busy taking in washing and ironing to support the family. It was daughter Grace's job when she was old enough, to deliver the freshly laundered and ironed clothing to the customers. She would hold her arms out in front of her so that the clothes wouldn't get creased, and often had to walk all the way from Spreydon to Latimer Square in Christchurch. Before Ellen Hore migrated from England, she worked in the clay-pits of St Austell in Cornwall. (According to 1871 census she worked in the tin mine, not the clay pits). Although she was illiterate - ( This is likely to be incorrect as on 1861 census she is age 10 and at school so would be able to read and tell the time.) -she would always ask her daughters when they went out, what time they would be home, under the pretence that she'd be able to check by the hands of the clock, but in actual fact she couldn't tell the time. In later life, as a result of all her hard work in raising a family single-handed, she suffered with badly ulcerated legs. The impression given me was that Gran Hessey was remembered with much affection by her descendants.....

1902 NZ Electoral Roll lists Ellen Hessey living at Williard Street, Christchurch, NZ.

Ellen's husband William Hessey was declared bankrupt in 1887, and his funeral expenses were paid by his brother John Hessey. John was a self-made wealthy man and was financially generous to the wider family. He had earlier adopted Kate and Jane the 2 daughters of Ellen's husband William Hessey from a previous marriage. To give widowed Ellen some financial support and independence John allotted her, and her son Henry some shares in The Worksop Gold Dredging Company which he formed in March 1907.

1907 25 Jun, members of the Hessey family who were listed as being shareholders in The Worksop Gold Dredging Company were - Frank Hessey; William Hessey iron moulder Dunedin; John Stubbins Hessey iron moulder Greymouth; Henry Hessey (Ellen's son) carpenter Greymouth; Ellen Hessey, Spreydon; Thomas Wagg coachbuilder Masterton; and Alex Campbell dredgeman Antonios Flat. ^[6]

1910 Ellen took in Doris Flintoft/Neville Doris Flintoft as a foster child. Quote from "Hesseys from Nottinghamshire" - Ellen Hessey also brought up Doris Rothwell nee Neville from the age of 19mths, who, although she was never legally adopted, was made to feel like one of the family.

(Doris is also mentioned in the funeral notice for Ellen which is uploaded to images. She is named as Mrs Harry Rothwell).

1930 - Oct 31, death of son Henry Hessey at Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

1941 - Mar 26, death of Ellen (Hore) Hessey age 91yrs, at Christchurch, New Zealand. NZ online Death Index: Reg No. 1941/16959

Ellen is buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch NZ.

Headstone uploaded to images.

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Sources

1. ↑ England & Wales Birth Registrations: Mar 1851, Hore, Ellen District: St Austell Vol 9 Page 2. Accessed at FreeBMD (http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl)
2. ↑ 1851 Census of England & Wales (HO107/1907 f78 p11), Lower Canamaning, St Austell, Cornwall, Ellen Hore, age 3 months, daughter of Samson Hore, miner. Accessed at Findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com)
3. ↑ 1861 Census of England & Wales (RG9/1547 f54 p7), Carladden, St Austell, Cornwall, Ellen Hore, age 10, daughter of Nancy Hore, widow, clay labourer. Accessed at Findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com)
4. ↑ 1871 Census of England & Wales (RG10/2262 f61 p8), Cannamaning, St Austell, Cornwall, Ellen Hore, age 20, clay labourer, daughter of Nancy Hore, widow. Accessed at Findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com)
5. ↑ Passenger list uploaded to images.
6. ↑ "Hesseys from Nottinghamshire" by Frances Stewart.

• England & Wales Birth Registrations: Mar 1851, Hore, Ellen District: St Austell Vol 9 Page 2. Accessed at FreeBMD (http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl)
• 1851 Census of England & Wales (HO107/1907 f78 p11), Lower Canamaning, St Austell, Cornwall, Ellen Hore, age 3 months, daughter of Samson Hore, miner. Accessed at Findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com)
• 1861 Census of England & Wales (RG9/1547 f54 p7), Carladden, St Austell, Cornwall, Ellen Hore, age 10, daughter of Nancy Hore, widow, clay labourer. Accessed at Findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com)
• 1871 Census of England & Wales (RG10/2262 f61 p8), Cannamaning, St Austell, Cornwall, Ellen Hore, age 20, clay labourer, daughter of Nancy Hore, widow. Accessed at Findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com)

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