James (Howison) Houison (1800 - 1876)

Born 13 Dec 1800 in Nairn, Nairnshire, Scotland

Husband of Ann (Stark) Houison — married 9 Jun 1834 in St Andrews Scots Church, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 6 Jan 1876 at age 75 in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

James (Howison) Houison is Notable.

James (Howison) Houison came free to the Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900)

JAMES (HOWISON) HOUISON ^[1]

James Houison was Parramatta's most prominent builder between 1835 and 1870. He designed and erected many important buildings in Parramatta, including St John's Church, All Saints' Church, Subacio Convent, Parramatta courthouse, and the Parramatta Gaol.

BIRTH. James Howison was born on 13 December 1800, at Nairn, a seaside town, a short distance along the coast east from Inverness, Scotland. His parents were James Howison and Mary Phimister.^[1]

He was christened on 17 December 1800 in the town of Dingwell, 20 miles west of Inverness. His name was spelt "Howison" in the register.^[2]

IMMIGRATION. James booked a steerage passage on the merchant ship the Brothers which departed 19 April, and arrived at Sydney NSW on 25 August 1832. The passenger manifest recorded his name as "James Hewson - carpenter".^[1]

He soon found employment in Sydney, doing some joinery work for Chief Justice John Stephen (in his residences "Clareville" at Punchbowl and "Orwell" at Woolloomooloo), Judge William Burton (possibly at his residence in Sydney), and building cottages for their registrar, John Edye Manning.^[1]

Another passenger on the Brothers was Philip Parker King who, in 1833, employed Houison to do some joinery on "Vineyard Cottage" where he was staying at Parramatta. King was impressed with his work and he recommended him to his brother-in-law Hannibal Macarthur to build his new villa "The Vineyard" which was designed by architect John Verge, and was later known as "Subiaco".^[1]

MARRIAGE. On 9 June 1834, at St Andrews Scots Church, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, James "Howison" married Ann Stark, daughter of James Stark & Ann (Jameson) Stark. Witnesses to the marriage were H Brodie and Richard Stark.^[3]

Soon after marriage, James and Ann moved to Parramatta, where he purchased the buildings and timber yard of the late William Batman in Macquarie Street from Mrs Batman. In the early 1840s, Howison built "Kia Ora" which still stands at 64 Macquarie Street Parramatta. The family lived there until James built "Nairn Cottage" at Westmead in 1862.^[1]

Their children were:

(1) James Houison, b. 1835, d. 1838

(2) Margaret Houison, b. 1836, d. 22 Feb 1930

(3) Richard Rose Houison, b. 1837, d. 1841

(4) Alexander Houison, b. 28 Oct 1838, d. 20 Jul 1888, m. 10 May 1864, Fanny Eliza Roberts, daughter of Joseph Roberts & Martha Ann (Hutchinson) Roberts

(5) David Houison, b. 1840, d. 1916

(6) Annie Isobel Houison, b. 1841, d. 1931

(7) James Houison, b. 2 Aug 1842, d. 8 Dec 1915, m. 20 Jan 1880, Kate Alice Small, daughter of William Small & Elizabeth Mary (Neale) Small

(8) Marjorie Maisie Houison, 1843. d. 1908

(9) Richard Houison, b. 1845, d. 1922

(10) Jessie Sophia Houison, b. 1846, d. 1934

(11) Andrew Houison, b. 1850, d . 1912

In 1836 Bishop Polding commissioned James Howison to design and construct St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Parramatta.^[1]

In 1837 James Houison went into partnership with Nathaniel Payten, master mason and works contractor. They had a workshop in Church Street, on the north bank of the Parramatta River where the Heritage Centre is now (346A Church Street Parramatta).

James Howison built the following (in partnership with Nathaniel Payten in most, if not all of them) :^[1]

• Parramatta Gaol.
• Parramatta Court House and Police Cells
• Henry Harvey's Steam Flour Mill
• Methodist Centenary Church, North Parramatta
• Their town houses ("Perth House", later known as "Tara" for Nathaniel Payten, and "Kia Ora" 64 Macquarie Street for James Howison).
• North Rocks Dam on Hunt's Creek (now known as Lake Parramatta Reserve)
• "Wavertree", a villa at 10 New Zealand Street
• Liquor Store, Houison and Payten's buildings in Church Street
• All Saints' Church, Victoria Road, Parramatta
• Dr Matthew Anderson's townhouse, Macquarie Street, Parramatta
• "Endrim", a villa at 34 Sorrell Street, for William Gore
• St John's church, Parramatta
• David Lennox's house, 39 Campbell Street
• Morton House (later Macarthur House), Melville Street, Parramatta
• St John's Grammar School, Parramatta
• All Saints' School and residence
• St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Parramatta (again), designed by Augustus_Pugin.
• Harborne, 21-23 Boundary Street, South Parramatta
• Timber dining shelters, Parramatta Asylum
• The Bond House, Church Street
• Several other smaller commissions are listed in John McClymont's book

James Howison was also involved in the building of:^[1]

• St Augustine's Chapel, Newington, Silverwater, for John Blaxland
• Newington House additions for John Blaxland
• St Stephen the Martyr, Penrith (design only)
• Designing and supervising the additions to the Methodist Parsonage, Macquarie Street, Parramatta

James Howison was an active member if the Parramatta District Council for many years, and was an alderman in the Parramatta Borough [Municipal] Council during its first term after its corporation in 1861.^[1]

DEATH. 6 January 1876, Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.^[4][5] He was buried in Mays Hill Cemetery.^[6]

Death notice in The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser: :"DEATH. James Howison, one of the oldest residents of Parramatta, died yesterday, aged seventy-five."^[7]

His wife Ann died on 12 May 1899 at "Kiora", Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9} McClymont, John. James Houison 1800-1876: Parramatta's Forgotten Architect. Parramatta and District Historical Society, Parramatta, N.S.W., 2010, ISBN/ISSN 9780980344912 (Contents page)
2. ↑ Christening: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQQ1-PPT:

   Name James Howison

   Gender Male

   Christening Date 17 Dec 1800

   Christening Place DINGWALL,ROSS AND CROMARTY,SCOTLAND

   Birth Date 13 Dec 1800

   Father's Name James Howison

   Mother's Name May Phimister

3. ↑ MARRIAGE. NSW BDM Marriage Reg: #V18342723 74A/1834: HOWISON JAMES, STARK ANNE, JA.
4. ↑ Death certificate, cited in McClymont
5. ↑ DEATH. NSW BDM Death Reg: #9016/1876: HOUISON JAMES, AGE 75 YEARS, DIED PARRAMATTA, District of PARRAMATTA
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/123473100/james-houison : accessed 11 January 2022), memorial page for James Houison (1800–6 Jan 1876), Find a Grave Memorial ID 123473100, citing Mays Hill Cemetery, Cumberland Council, New South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by III (contributor 47426837) .
7. ↑ Death: The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893) Sat 8 Jan 1876, Page 9: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18802066

See also:

• "James Houison - a colonial architect" (video), Parramatta People, City of Parramatta https://historyandheritage.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/research-topics/parramatta-people/james-houison-colonial-architect
• Australian Royalty https://australianroyalty.net.au/tree/purnellmccord.ged/individual/I74071/James-Houison
• Caroline Simpson Library & Research Collection http://collection.hht.net.au/firsthht/fullRecord.jsp?recno=27262