James Henry HUGHES [288]

  General Notes:

(Image courtesy of R Howlett)

1920 SA Death 441/508 HUGHES James Henry undefined Wellington
Cemetery: Meningie HUGHES James Henry 68y 1920; husband of Christina

James Henry Hughes's birth was never officially recorded. A descendant of James Hughes, Tom Hughes of Canberra, provided sufficient proof to Bob Howlett that James was the last of George Robert and Charlotte Hughes's brood and therfore included in the family tree. <http://users.tpg.com.au/havik/genealogy/MFFFP.html>

James and Christina Hughes
James was born at Nairne, South Australia on 11th June 1853, his wife Christina (McLean) on 17 April 1859. They were married at Narrung in 1877. Their daughter May was born 1878, Henry in 1880 and Jeff in 1882, they then moved to Meningie. Their other children were most probably born at Meningie. After some time at Meningie the family moved to Albert Hill to a farm, where they had 400-500 acres plus a lease of scrubland. They supposedly had dairy cattle, as well as sheep and James also bred and traded horses for the Indian and Australian armies.

James worked on Tatiara Station, which adjoined the Albert Hill farm. He used to drive a bullock wagon to cart the wool to Tailem Bend, the nearest rail head. At some stage during World War I he had an accident - when going down a hill in a buggy or cart the horse bolted and he was kicked in the forehead. His granddaughter Glad Gardner (daughter of James' son Henry) can remember the scar.

Christina moved to Meningie in 1918 after the death of her daughter Ally (Alice), James stayed on at Albert Hill. Their son Henry and his wife Lizzie were running the general store at Meningie. In 1920 they moved to Albert Hill and took over the running of the farm. The youngest son Bill and his wife Hilda then took over the shop at Meningie.

Christina used to be the Meningie mid-wife in the days when the nearest doctor was at Tailem Bend over 50km away and the doctor's transport was horse and buggy. By the 1920's there was a small hospital in Meningie.

James was still working at Tatiara Station. He died on 4th November 1920. The day before, he'd taken sheep to Tailem Bend by horseback. He arrived back at Albert Hill very tired, had tea and went to bed. He asked to be called next morning early as he wanted to go to the Memingie Show. His daughter-in-law Lizzie went in with his cup of tea in the morning but he had died during the night.

Christina had a house in the street behind the shop at Meningie. In the mid/late 1920's, Henry and Lizzie returned and took over the shop again. Henry and Lizzie and their 3 daughters, Doris, Glad and Marge, lived in the back part of the house and Christina lived in the front part.

Through the 1930's and 40's she would spend time with May and George Shillitoe at Ashfield, then to Bill and Hilda at Strathalbyn (later Murray Bridge). She would stay a few months, then on to Adelaide to stay with Mary and
Will Coad, then back to Meningie. Her son Bill always provided the transport so Christina never needed a car. Bill's son Jim often went with his father and as a result learnt to drive along the straight road between Tailem Bend and Meningie.

As a boy Bill's older son, Ron, would look forward to Christina's arrival as she was a good cook while his mother, Hilda, hated cooking. During her stay Christina would take over the kitchen. Ron remembers her dark auburn hair. She used to like playing Euchre (a card game), and tell her grandchildren stories. Jim remembers that she would often slip him extra pocket money.

Christine died 27th May 1944 at the age of 85. Two of her children died before her. Jeff died February 28th 1910, at 28; Ally (Alice) 3 February 1918, at 25.

Southern Argus (Port Elliot, SA : 1866 - 1954) Thu 18 Nov 1920 Page 3 Bull's Creek
MENINGIE, November 4.- Mr. J. H. Hughes, aged 67, died suddenly this morning, at the residence of his son, Mr. Henry Hughes, at Albert Hill. The deceased had returned from Wellington on Wednesday, and was apparently in good health, but spoke of not feeling well before retiring. He was found dead in bed. Mr. Hughes had resided in the district nearly all his life.

  Other Records

• Boothbys South Australian Directory: Saddler, 1881, Morphett Vale, South Australia.

• Image: Death Cert, 1920, Meningie, South Australia. (Image courtesy Sorensen Family Tree/Ancestry)

• Image: Headstone, 1920, Meningie Cemetery, South Australia. (Image courtesy Sorensen Family Tree/Ancestry)

James married Christina McLEAN [299] [MRIN: 97], daughter of Ewen (the Elder) McLEAN [777] and Christina BLACK [941], on 7 Nov 1877 in Res of Mr MacBeath, Point Macleay, South Australia. (Christina McLEAN [299] was born on 17 Apr 1859 in Cocawarra, South Australia, died on 27 May 1944 in Murray Bridge, South Australia and was buried on 29 May 1944 in Meningie, South Australia.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage Cert: Description, 1877, Residence of Mr MacBeath, Point McLeay. (Image courtesy of R Howlett)

  Marriage Notes:

1877 SA Marriage 113/406 HUGHES James Henry MACLEAN Christina, Wellington

Image courtesy of R Howlett