Samuel Hillis

Birth records are still to be obtained for Samuel.

In the 1871 Census, Samuel already appears to have moved from Aghalee/Aghagallon to England and is noted as a "Boarder", aged 17, from Ireland and his approximate birth date is recorded as 1854. His occupation is a Cotton Broker Clerk.

It would appear that in the period between 1871 and his late marriage in 1888 (when he was aged 34), Samuel appears in numerous local electoral registers. He is noted in most of these as residing in Telegraph Road, which is a very short distance west of Birkenhead. He then appears to have moved to Gents Road, but no record of this road appears today. However it is assumed to be in the same region as Telegraph Road, since the local electoral office is the same.

Marriage banns are the announcement of a couple’s intention to marry, made in church on at least three Sundays in the three months preceding a wedding. They offer an opportunity for someone to make a legal objection to a marriage, and for the congregation to pray for the couple. Banns of Marriage between Samuel Hillis & Emma Melene Keyworth were announced in Christ Church, Doncaster (the congregation that Emma belonged to prior to marriage):

Samuel Hillis and Emma Melene Keyworth were married on 19th September 1888.

The marriage was recorded in the Yorkshire Gazette on 22nd September 1888.

Samuel and Emma’s first child (William Bernard Hillis) was born in second quarter of 1891 in Toxteth Park.

Their second child (Samuel Denys Hillis) was born in the last quarter of 1892 in Toxteth Park.

1891 Census: Samuel lived in 8 Rutland Avenue, Toxteth, Liverpool, L17 2AF

1901 Census: Queens Drive, Heswall, Heswall cum Oldfield, Wirral, Cheshire, England

1911 Census: 12 Willowbank Road, Birkenhead, England.

Samuel is noted as a "Retired Cotton Broken" in the census, so he was retired sometime prior to 1911, when he was aged 57. This ties in with existing dates for Samuel’s birth.

Signature and Address:

Cotton business:

On 31st December 1894, Samuel Hillis and his business partner parted ways and this is confirmed by publication in the London Gazette on 4th January 1895.

Samuel Denys Hillis (son of Samuel Hillis) enlisted in the army and is killed in action during the charge on the Hooge on 16th June 1915, in Flanders, Belgium. His body was never found. Refer to the Samuel Denys Hillis page for more details.

Samuel adjusted his will following the news of the death of his son (Samuel Denys Hillis) in WWI.

Prior to 1920, this family lived in 2 Green Lawn, Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside, CH42 2DZ

Following her husband Samuel’s death and the death of her son Samuel Denys Hillis during WWI, Emma and her surviving son (William Bernard Hillis) were left a portion of Eliza Jane Clarke’s estate in 1923.

A report of Samuel’s sudden death appears in the Birkenhead News 0n 20th March 1920, which is confirmed in the corresponding regional death register for the first quarter of 1920.

Emma’s remaining son William Bernard Hillis died on 4th August 1942, aged 51, as confirmed by the following newspaper report:app-name:

Then a report of an upcoming inquest into Emma’s death in a Bradford newspaper on 3rd January 1945. This is followed by the inquest findings in the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 04 January 1945.

The above confirms that Emma Melene Hillis moved location in her latter years to be closer to her remaining son William Bernard Hillis and his wife Dr Margaret Hillis in Ilkley, Wesy Yorkshire. Unfortunately, William died before his mother.