Harry Robert Hendrie (25 Nov 1849 - 20 Nov 1919)
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| Harry Robert Hendrie (1849-1919) |
He had 3 sisters. Mary Rosa Jane Hendrie (1852), Harriett Eliza Hendrie (1853-1853) and eldest sister Alice Ann Amelia Hendrie (1847).
1851 CENSUS - No sign of Father James but mother Caroline, sister Alice and Harry are living at Rainbow Hill Bank Cottage in the Parish of Claines, Worcester, Worchestershire, England. Caroline is listed as a Clerk's wife. She is listed as the Head of the House. A Nurse and Housemaid are also present. Harry is listed as 9 months old.
1852 - His sister Mary Rosa Jane Hendrie is christened on the 1 August 1852 at the Church of England. Parish Church of Claines, Worcester, Worcestershire, England.
1853 - His sister Harriet Eliza Hendrie is christened on the 25 September 1853 at the Church of England, Saint Peter-the-Great Church, Worcester, Worcestershire, England but dies on 5 Nov 1853.
Somewhere between 1853 and 1861 it appears that Harry's mother Caroline died as by the 1861 census his father is married to a Harriett.
1861 CENSUS - Living with father James and father's new wife Harriett and sister Mary Rosa Jane Hendrie at St George in East, Middlesex, England. Father is an accountant. Harry is listed as being a scholar.
Harry left home when 13, probably told to find work, and sailed the seas, working aboard vessels trading between China and Japan for 2 years before returning to London, then coming to Australia in 1864. He was therefore just 18 on arrival. Apart from his obituary, there is no record of his arrival here, so he was not a free passenger and no record of him deserting ship either, both here or in Victoria. But he is also not listed as a crewman - all this from the Australian Archives, and the only conclusion is that he paid his own fare out. After arrival, he traded between Port Adelaide and the West Coast for a short time and by 1872 was listed as a shipwright.
In 1872 he was living in St Vincent Street, Port Adelaide where there also lived a Church of England family from Middlesex, England by the name of ALLMAN. They had emigrated here, arriving at Port Adelaide on the 23 December 1865 aboard the "Gosforth" from Plymouth.
Thomas aged 36, the father, a boot and shoemaker, his wife Jemima Kate (nee HAIETT), also aged 36, three daughters Elizabeth Mary aged 11, Jemima aged 9 and Harriet aged 6 arrived to settle in this new homeland. (Later there were 2 more girls and a son).
Thomas and Jemima had married on 27 November 1849 at the Parish Church of Brixton, Surrey, England.
When 18, Elizabeth Mary ALLMAN married Harry Robert HENDRIE in the Registry Office in Port Adelaide on 11th May 1872. He was listed as a shipwright at that time. The married was witnessed by Thomas Allman and Elizabeth's sister, Harriett.
Our George was somewhere about the middle of the bunch. The mother Elizabeth's life ended on 25 November 1895, a life of 42 years (according to her headstone) in which for the most part she was bearing and raising children. She is buried at West Terrace Cemetery, Plan 3, Row 27, Site 2.
This left Harry Robert with a family in need of a mother and, as was so common in those times, Harry promptly remarried within 8 weeks. This was to a widow that the family called "Mater", Minnie Michael (nee Kilminster/Kilmister). This means that our George was about 7 years of age at the death of his mother. The children of Harry and Elizabeth were:
- James Thomas (20 Jan 1873 - 9 Apr 1873)
- Arthur (4 Sep 1874 - 18 Nov 1874)
- Arthur Charles (30 Oct 1875 in Adelaide, South Australia - after 1939)
- Harriett (16 Oct 1876)
- Harry Robert (5 Nov 1877 - 6 Nov 1877)
- Harry Robert (23 Oct 1878 - 7 Jul 1935 in Port Pirie, South Australia)
- Harriet (3 Sep 1880 - 8 Apr 1884)
- James Thomas (28 May 1882 in Adelaide, South Australia - 22 Jun 1886 in Adelaide, South Australia)
- Lillie May (31 Aug 1884 - ?)
- Herbert Ernest Alfred (28 Jan 1886 - 24 May 1887)
- Elizabeth Mary (Dolly) (5 Feb 1887 in Adelaide, South Australia - 6 Aug 1954)
- George (11 Jan 1889 in Adelaide, South Australia - 11 Dec 1971 in Adelaide, South Australia)
- Jack (John) (1 Jul 1891 - ?)
- Florence (26 Oct 1892 - ?)
- May (14 Sep 1894 - ?)
My grandfather, Harry William, explained that a trolly was a 10-11 foot (three and a half metre) long open cart with 4 wheels and was drawn by 1 or 2 horses. One could put many bags of flour on it (chaff size bags).
8 April 1884 - Harry and Elizabeth's daughter Harriet dies at Gouger Street West aged 3 years and 7 months.
Harry Robert Hendrie's private residence was noted as Hughes Street, Mile End. We figure that Mile End was given that name being a mile from the heart of town and Hughes Street seems to be a continuation of Hindley Street where the lolly business was being carried out.
On Wednesday 23 May 1894 in SA Register - "We have been shown an extensive list of lollies supplied by Mr H R Hendrie, of Hindley Street, the cover being a very creditable work of art. The design, which is purely Australian, was drawn on stone by Mr E C May and printed in eight colours by Messrs. Vardon & Pritchard. Evidently the ground has been entirely cut away for the complaint made a few years ago that Adelaide printers could not furnish labels and covers equal in design and artistic finish to those imported".
On Tuesday 24 December 1895, The Advertiser newspaper wrote an article entitled "Christmas in the Shops". On section was dedicated to "Hendrie's Lolly Palace". It reads:
"Business in all departments has been brisker during the present Christmastide than in any similar period for several years previously and all the shops in Rundle and Hindley Streets have been crowded lately. In the sale of fancy goods and in other articles which may be classed as luxurious the improvement has been especially marked, and it is very evident that there is not now the same need for economy in the management of the domestic exchequer as was painfully manifect some time ago. One of the brightest shop windows in Hindley Street is that of "Hendrie's Lolly Palace", which is situated immediately opposite the Theatre Royal. All the available show space is filled with confectionery of all shapes, kinds and colours, the general effect being fresh, inviting and appetising. Holly leaves with their bright red berries are used for decorative purposes, and there is a conventional Father Christmas with flowing white beard and, despite the summery weather, clad in a thick fur cape. But the most attractive part of the display is the wealth of sweets which are tastefully arranged behind the glass. The frontage of the establishment is unfortunately small, but it runs back for a long way, and it is very apparent as soon as one enters that all the riches have not been put into the shop window. Counters and shelves are crowded with all that makes Christmas most enjoyable to the young, while several apartments in the rear are devoted to the same magnetic exhibition. There are chocolate boxes from well-known makers like Cadbury, Rowntree, and Fry, ranging in price from 4d. to 25s. Some are exceedingly beautiful, and are quite worthy of being bestowed as a gift either on a queen or a Gaiety Girl. Fancy figures for Christmas trees are present in innumerable form. There are men, animals, birds, watches, and other representations of things animate and inanimate in profusion; bonbons, ornaments for Christmas and birthday cakes, jujubes of all flavours, crystallised fruits, butter scotch, and cream lollies were also present in battalions. Mr Hendrie is artistic even in his packages, and the neat and convenient boxes in which he sells pounds and half pounds of sweets must necessarily commend themselves to the good opinion of purchasers, for there is with each a pretty little ribbon by which it may be carried. Much of the stock of the shop is manufactured on the premises, which from ceiling to floor are scrupulously clean and wholesome. Already ten hands are employed, and new machinery has been purchased to enable the fashioning of packet lollies and sugar toys. Jujubes, chocolates, all classes of mixed lollies, almond rocks, coconut ice are now made by Mr Hendrie, who has been accumulating experience for 13 years and who only makes the better class of confectionary. One pretty idea is a net stocking filled with many sorts of delicacies, which are all ready for Santa Claus to hang at the foot of some happy child's bed. Agents in America, London and Berlin pick up countless novelties for Mr Hendrie and there is always something original to be seen. Pretty boxes enshrine many of the confectionary, and a splendid wholesale and retail trade is done. The premises are very compact, the workshops being above the sale rooms. Mr Hendrie has been very busy this Christmas season, and he expects a big crowd tonight."
Harry Robert Hendrie was also a Freemason, a noted member of the Society of Arts, (he is shown with his painting easel in the family photo) and a musician. He created a band of all the family members and declared that the family must stay together. Doreen, Harry William Hendrie's daughter, has his conducting baton and a glass presented to the band (No 37) when they played at Broken Hill. He was a noted conductor. The family played the band out front every Sunday night at Mile End.
On 16 December 1899, Harry's sister Alice was looking for him. In an article to a South Australian paper she writes:
"Hendrie (Harry R.), son of James Hendrie, of Commercial Road E, went to Adelaide, thirty-six years back. Sister Alice seeks."
On 30 December 1899, Harry's writes in paper:
"Hendrie (Harry R) writes from 25 Hindley Street, Adelaide, in answer to enquiry for him in "Lloyd's Weekly List" of November 12 and appearing in "The Evening Journal" of December 16, 1899.
In 1900, his sister Alice wrote to the local paper looking for Harry. They reconnected.
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| Getting back in touch with family in England |
Thirty-six years has elapsed since Harry R. Hendrie left England for Australia, and his sister Alice, at Poplar, was most anxious for tidings. He now replies from Adelaide. The enquiry appeared in "Lloyds" of November 12.
He replied:
To the Editor - Sir - Your admirable system of advertising in "The Evening Journal" and "The Observer" for missing friends has put me in communication with my people in England after a silent blank of thirty-six years. Kindly accept my sincere thanks. I am Sir H R HENDRIE."
Harry William Hendrie recalled that Dolly played the violin, Lilly played violin and piano, Jack and George the trumpet and George the uphonium, cornet and piccolo as well.
When Arthur Charles, the eldest, broke away from the Lolly Palace and went as band master for Worth's Circus, Harry Robert sold up the Lolly Palace property in Hindley Street to the Greater Union Theatres who built the Wondergraph Theatre which was advertiised in the 1912 paper of the day. This theatre became the Civic later. The confectionary business continued in a smaller frame from Hughes Street, and in 1913 it was listed in the Directory as J. H. HENDRIE, a fruiterer and confectioner of Jetty Road, Glenelg. Was this son John (Jack) and was his name in fact John Harry?
I believe that Harry Robert worked with Worth's Circus also, presumably as a musician. Long before this, of course, the boys were sent out to find work. George, we know, was "booted out" at age 13 (same as his father?) and he went boundary riding on properties mostly owned by Sir Sidney Kidman - properties that included Mumpiowi, Millparinga and Innaminka.
Dolly is said to have been given all the recipes for the confectionary and Florrie became an excellent painter.
As his surviving children took on adulthood, Harry Robert may have seen Arthur Charles travel (later Arthur Charles worked in Australia house in London during WW2), he would have seen Harry Robert Jnr marry Cordelia Wray (4 daughters born - Rita married a teacher Ralph Schebella who was known to the Ray Hendrie family at Ascot Park School), Lilly marry Frank Barcloar and live at Gawler (son Max who went to Strathalbyn), May marry Walter (Wally) Heberley (lived in Adelaide - no children); George marry Jinny Bain from South Plympton and buy a house in Edwardstown - 4 children), Jack marry Olive (Olly) (lived at Semaphore and had 1 son born 1916 same as Harry William); Elizabeth known as Dolly marry Hedley/Leonard Pridham (lived at Torrensville and had a son Les), and daughter Florrie marry Arthur Andrews (lived at Kent Town and had a daughter Lorraine).
He knew 13 of his grand children.
From all of this, there were only a few Hendrie sons who produced sons to carry on the HENDRIE name.
Harry Robert Hendrie retired to Hackney. Harry William knew from his Dad George, that the old man would suffer from dropsy and used to drink a gallon of whisky a day and never be noticably affected (a gallon is equivalent to 8 pints or 20 cups). Harry William's first memory of life is of a day when he visited the old man's home and remembers seeing men playing tennis on courts at the back of the house. They called Harry Robert "jammy face". He would have been younger than 3 years 4 months because on November 20th, 1919, Harry Robert HENDRIE died at College Park, aged 71 years. He was buried the next day with first wife, Elizabeth in the West Terrace Cemetery, in the plot that had been leased to him earlier (no. 4603). The burial fee was 17 /6' and the ceremony performed by G.M. Murphy.
His obituary written in the Chronicle paper of 29 November 1919 talked about his successful lolly business carried on for 33 years, that he had retired from same just 8 years earlier, and finished by saying "His courteous manner and willingness to help in any good work gained him hosts of friends. A widow, 8 children and 13 grandchildren survive".
Following his death, Mater moved to a bed-sitting flat in South Terrace. She was known to waste away the money left by her husband and is said to have squandered much of it gambling in Colombo, India. Her son enjoyed her giving him occasional shares in it and when young Harry would see her, she would given him 6'. (5c - considerable back then). He was not supposed to take it but guesses that he did. Needless to say, it is thought that she was possibly buried in a pauper's grave. I understand that she was a small woman in stature and this can be borne out by the length of the two walking sticks she owned which are now with Doreen, Harry William Hendrie's daughter.
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