James Hannell
Encyclopedia
James Hannell was Newcastle's first auctioneer and later, an Australia
n politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
. James was also Newcastle's first Mayor and later, had a dual role, as he was also first Mayor of Wickham. He was also the first President of Newcastle Cricket Club, and a founding principal of the Newcastle Jockey Club, among other contributions.
, New South Wales
, Australia
, on the 1st December, 1813. He was the eldest son of two convicts
, Elizabeth Hannell, of Middlesex
, England
, (Convict - 7 years), and James Walton, also a convict, of Lancashire
, England, a Private
of the Coldstream Guards
.
James was baptised on 13 May 1814 at St. John's Church, Parramatta. Two more male children were soon added to the 'family'. John, b. 27 August 1815 and Jesse, b. 15 November 1817, also baptised at St. John's. (According to the NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages Register, the name of 'Walton' was used...vide: James Walton # V1813882 148/1813), John Walton # V1815991 148/1815, and Jesse Walton # V18181187 148/1818). It is not known, exactly, when the three boys began using their mother's maiden name of Hannell, but it is thought to be early 1830s.
James' mother, Elizabeth, was incarcerated in the Parramatta Female Factory
. She became entangled with other convicts, (James Garland and James Stubbs) in a scam to obtain money from forged receipts, and was convicted and sentenced in June 1820, to 'Life' in Newcastle. She was transported to Newcastle, on the ship, 'Princess Charlotte', and arrived on 27 July 1820.
One more child, Mary Ann, was to join the 'family', but not until 10 May 1821. Mary Ann's father was another convict, named John White, (died Nov.1828). Elizabeth was granted permission to wed District Constable, and ticket of leave man, John Butler Hewson, on 28 May 1828. Hewson became the foster father of the children. At some stage, Elizabeth Hannell's sons, James, John and Jesse, left Parramatta, to follow their mother to Newcastle. There is no known data supporting this move, or exactly when it occurred, although it could have been around 1830, according to Mrs Carroll
On 12 March 1836 James married Mary Ann Sophia, second daughter of Edward Priest, a former convict who arrived in Newcastle in 1817. Mary was born in Sydney in 1819, and when very young went to Newcastle and later met James when she was about 17.
James and Mary had , in all, eleven children, nine of whom survived James. The surviving children were : Clarence Hewson, Stephena Mary, Emily Frances, Fanny Anne, James Edward, Mary Elizabeth, Florence Jane, Constance Myra, and Arthur Hubert.
Two children pre-deceased James. They were (the first) James Edward d. 1842, and John Henry d. 1860.This information comes from the Family Tree, as compiled by Mrs Gloria Carroll, in her thesis; 'History of the Hannell and Carroll Families'
In 1857, James was Gazetted as a Justice of the Peace
, and was a regular attendee at the Newcastle Bench. James was instrumental in his efforts to support the Newcastle area in any way he could. He is credited with many achievements in the social and sporting arenas. He was a prominent member of the Church, culminating in a Wardenship, and the position of Trustee of Christ Church Cathedral. Hannell was active in agitating for the incorporation of Newcastle and became its first mayor
in 1859–62, serving again in 1868–69 and 1871. In 1859–64, 1866–71 and 1873–76 he represented city ward in the Newcastle Council
. When Wickham
was proclaimed a Municipality in the NSW Government Gazette, 27 February 1871. The first election of councillors took place at the school room of Thomas McPhail at Wickham on 8 April 1871. Those elected were: James Hannell, Peter Fleming, Charles Thomas, James Harrison Hubbard, Charles Upfold
, William Henry White. At the first meeting of the Council, 12 April 1871, James Hannell was elected as the first Mayor. He was Mayor in 1868 when the Duke of Edinburgh visited on 5 March.
Through tireless efforts, James also became Newcastle
's Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
, a role he cherished. He represented the City Ward in 1860, was re-elected in 1864. He contested and won the Northumberland
vote and was returned to Parliament, this time would be his last.
The Newcastle Hospital became a consuming passion of both James (he organized concerts in which he took part as a comic singer), and his son Clarence. Through their efforts, the new Hospital 'Wing' was completed and named, the 'Hannell Wing', in respect of their work.
He is also credited for establishing the Newcastle Jockey Club, The Newcastle Regatta Club, and the Newcastle Cricket Club, among others.
The area known as Smedmore, where the Hannell home was situated, became known as Maryville
, in honour of James' wife, Mary.
The municipality of Wickham, just near Maryville, became James' second Mayoral role. He was elected unopposed, as Wickham's First Mayor, in 1871, and handled a 'dual role' with the aplomb and confidence borne of a significant contribution.
James was survived by Mary, and nine of their eleven children ... namely,
1) Clarence Hewson, b. Oct. 15, 1836 (BDM V18361179 20/1836) - d. Apr. 3, 1909 (BDM 2528/1909) - m. Maria Phoebe TIGHE ,
2) Stephena Mary, b. Jun. 2, 1838 (BDM V18381282 22/1838) - d. Sep. 1927 (BDM 12068/1927) - m. Henry ROUSE ,
3) James Edward*, b. Jun. 30, 1840 (BDM V18401483 24A/1840) - d. Dec. 3, 1842 (BDM V18421155 26B/1842) ,
4) Emily Frances, b. Dec. 25, 1841 (BDM V18411572 26A/1841) - d. May 7, 1906 (BDM 9634/1906) - m. Thomas Albert CLACK ,
5) Fanny Anne, b. Jan. 27, 1844 - d. Oct. 29, 1910 (BDM 14480/1910) - m. Joseph WOOD ,
6) James Edward, b. Nov. 15, 1847 (BDM V18472158 32A/1847) - d. Mar. 2, 1903 (BDM 2481/1903) - m. Jane Danson RUSH ,
7) Mary Elizabeth, b. Oct. 6, 1850 (BDM V18502927 35/1850) - d. Apr. 30, 1884 (Unsure) - m. Edwin Alfred MITCHELL ,
8) Florence Jane, b. Dec. 9, 1853 (BDM V18551671 42A/1855) - d. Jun. 16, 1931 (BDM 8321/1931) - m. John Aloysius CRAVEN ,
9) Constance Myra, b. Oct. 11, 1857 (BDM 9291/1857) - d. Nov. 8, 1928 (BDM 17776/1928) - m. Rev. William Jenton JAMES ,
10) John Henry*, b. Aug. 28, 1858 (BDM 10433/1859) - d. Apr. 19, 1860 (BDM 4955/1860) ,
11) Arthur Hubert, b. Jan. 13, 1862 (BDM 10868/1862) - d. Dec. 30, 1938 (BDM 23685/1938) - m. Sarah Jane BRIGGS ,
James Hannell's estate was valued at under £1000.
Statistics from the NSW Birth Deaths and Marriages'
.
John Hannell, became the licencee of the Wheat Sheaf Inn at Hexham
, near Newcastle. He was also a sportsman of note, and pilot of ships on the Hunter River. When the punt service was opened, around 1862, John was appointed to run it. His burial vault is still in existence on the River bank, just north of the Hexham bridge. This structure is classified by the National Trust and is included in the Trust's Register - see copies of letters here.
Jesse Hannell became Signal Master, as well as the first lighthouse keeper at [Nobby's] Lighthouse.
For more information on the Family Tree, see Roberto's Blogs - Family, by Bob Suker.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
. James was also Newcastle's first Mayor and later, had a dual role, as he was also first Mayor of Wickham. He was also the first President of Newcastle Cricket Club, and a founding principal of the Newcastle Jockey Club, among other contributions.
Early life
James Hannell, was free-born in ParramattaParramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, on the 1st December, 1813. He was the eldest son of two convicts
Convictism in Australia
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, large numbers of convicts were transported to the various Australian penal colonies by the British government. One of the primary reasons for the British settlement of Australia was the establishment of a penal colony to alleviate pressure on their...
, Elizabeth Hannell, of Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, (Convict - 7 years), and James Walton, also a convict, of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England, a Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
of the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
.
James was baptised on 13 May 1814 at St. John's Church, Parramatta. Two more male children were soon added to the 'family'. John, b. 27 August 1815 and Jesse, b. 15 November 1817, also baptised at St. John's. (According to the NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages Register, the name of 'Walton' was used...vide: James Walton # V1813882 148/1813), John Walton # V1815991 148/1815, and Jesse Walton # V18181187 148/1818). It is not known, exactly, when the three boys began using their mother's maiden name of Hannell, but it is thought to be early 1830s.
James' mother, Elizabeth, was incarcerated in the Parramatta Female Factory
Parramatta female factory
Australia's first Female Factory, the Factory above the Gaol was located in what is now Prince Alfred Park, Parramatta, New South Wales. It was a simple log walled and thatched roof construction built in 1796 and used primarily as a place of confinement for convict re-offenders. The original...
. She became entangled with other convicts, (James Garland and James Stubbs) in a scam to obtain money from forged receipts, and was convicted and sentenced in June 1820, to 'Life' in Newcastle. She was transported to Newcastle, on the ship, 'Princess Charlotte', and arrived on 27 July 1820.
One more child, Mary Ann, was to join the 'family', but not until 10 May 1821. Mary Ann's father was another convict, named John White, (died Nov.1828). Elizabeth was granted permission to wed District Constable, and ticket of leave man, John Butler Hewson, on 28 May 1828. Hewson became the foster father of the children. At some stage, Elizabeth Hannell's sons, James, John and Jesse, left Parramatta, to follow their mother to Newcastle. There is no known data supporting this move, or exactly when it occurred, although it could have been around 1830, according to Mrs Carroll
On 12 March 1836 James married Mary Ann Sophia, second daughter of Edward Priest, a former convict who arrived in Newcastle in 1817. Mary was born in Sydney in 1819, and when very young went to Newcastle and later met James when she was about 17.
James and Mary had , in all, eleven children, nine of whom survived James. The surviving children were : Clarence Hewson, Stephena Mary, Emily Frances, Fanny Anne, James Edward, Mary Elizabeth, Florence Jane, Constance Myra, and Arthur Hubert.
Two children pre-deceased James. They were (the first) James Edward d. 1842, and John Henry d. 1860.This information comes from the Family Tree, as compiled by Mrs Gloria Carroll, in her thesis; 'History of the Hannell and Carroll Families'
Career
James was employed as a Police Constable in the years 1833-1836, before becoming Newcastle's First licenced Auctioneer, in September 1839. He later applied for, and was awarded, the licence for the 'Ship Inn', a Public House which he purchased. It was located at the corner of Hunter and Bolton street, in Newcastle.In 1857, James was Gazetted as a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, and was a regular attendee at the Newcastle Bench. James was instrumental in his efforts to support the Newcastle area in any way he could. He is credited with many achievements in the social and sporting arenas. He was a prominent member of the Church, culminating in a Wardenship, and the position of Trustee of Christ Church Cathedral. Hannell was active in agitating for the incorporation of Newcastle and became its first mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in 1859–62, serving again in 1868–69 and 1871. In 1859–64, 1866–71 and 1873–76 he represented city ward in the Newcastle Council
City of Newcastle
Newcastle City Council is a Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia.-Demographics:According to the Australian Bureau Statistics the City of Newcastle had an estimated resident population of 154,777 as of 30 June 2008...
. When Wickham
Wickham, New South Wales
Wickham is an inner suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located from Newcastle's central business district.-Origin:Wickham which was a Misspelling of Whickham, a suburb of Newcastle-on-Tyne in the north of England. Means village by the creek...
was proclaimed a Municipality in the NSW Government Gazette, 27 February 1871. The first election of councillors took place at the school room of Thomas McPhail at Wickham on 8 April 1871. Those elected were: James Hannell, Peter Fleming, Charles Thomas, James Harrison Hubbard, Charles Upfold
Charles Upfold
Charles Upfold , Justice of the Peace , was an English soap manufacturer of great prominence in Australia.-Family & background:...
, William Henry White. At the first meeting of the Council, 12 April 1871, James Hannell was elected as the first Mayor. He was Mayor in 1868 when the Duke of Edinburgh visited on 5 March.
Through tireless efforts, James also became Newcastle
Electoral district of Newcastle
Newcastle is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales named after and including Newcastle. It is represented by Tim Owen of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
's Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
, a role he cherished. He represented the City Ward in 1860, was re-elected in 1864. He contested and won the Northumberland
Electoral district of Northumberland
Northumberland was an electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1859 to 1913, in the Newcastle area and named after Northumberland County. It elected two members simultaneously between 1880 and 1887 and three members between 1887 and 1894...
vote and was returned to Parliament, this time would be his last.
The Newcastle Hospital became a consuming passion of both James (he organized concerts in which he took part as a comic singer), and his son Clarence. Through their efforts, the new Hospital 'Wing' was completed and named, the 'Hannell Wing', in respect of their work.
He is also credited for establishing the Newcastle Jockey Club, The Newcastle Regatta Club, and the Newcastle Cricket Club, among others.
The area known as Smedmore, where the Hannell home was situated, became known as Maryville
Maryville, New South Wales
Maryville is an inner suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located northwest of Newcastle's central business district....
, in honour of James' wife, Mary.
The municipality of Wickham, just near Maryville, became James' second Mayoral role. He was elected unopposed, as Wickham's First Mayor, in 1871, and handled a 'dual role' with the aplomb and confidence borne of a significant contribution.
Death
James died from pneumonia, on 31 December 1876, and was interred at the burial ground of Christ Church Cathedral. His tombstone is still in the grounds, just outside the Warriors' Chapel.James was survived by Mary, and nine of their eleven children ... namely,
1) Clarence Hewson, b. Oct. 15, 1836 (BDM V18361179 20/1836) - d. Apr. 3, 1909 (BDM 2528/1909) - m. Maria Phoebe TIGHE ,
2) Stephena Mary, b. Jun. 2, 1838 (BDM V18381282 22/1838) - d. Sep. 1927 (BDM 12068/1927) - m. Henry ROUSE ,
3) James Edward*, b. Jun. 30, 1840 (BDM V18401483 24A/1840) - d. Dec. 3, 1842 (BDM V18421155 26B/1842) ,
4) Emily Frances, b. Dec. 25, 1841 (BDM V18411572 26A/1841) - d. May 7, 1906 (BDM 9634/1906) - m. Thomas Albert CLACK ,
5) Fanny Anne, b. Jan. 27, 1844 - d. Oct. 29, 1910 (BDM 14480/1910) - m. Joseph WOOD ,
6) James Edward, b. Nov. 15, 1847 (BDM V18472158 32A/1847) - d. Mar. 2, 1903 (BDM 2481/1903) - m. Jane Danson RUSH ,
7) Mary Elizabeth, b. Oct. 6, 1850 (BDM V18502927 35/1850) - d. Apr. 30, 1884 (Unsure) - m. Edwin Alfred MITCHELL ,
8) Florence Jane, b. Dec. 9, 1853 (BDM V18551671 42A/1855) - d. Jun. 16, 1931 (BDM 8321/1931) - m. John Aloysius CRAVEN ,
9) Constance Myra, b. Oct. 11, 1857 (BDM 9291/1857) - d. Nov. 8, 1928 (BDM 17776/1928) - m. Rev. William Jenton JAMES ,
10) John Henry*, b. Aug. 28, 1858 (BDM 10433/1859) - d. Apr. 19, 1860 (BDM 4955/1860) ,
11) Arthur Hubert, b. Jan. 13, 1862 (BDM 10868/1862) - d. Dec. 30, 1938 (BDM 23685/1938) - m. Sarah Jane BRIGGS ,
James Hannell's estate was valued at under £1000.
- Denotes infant death.
Statistics from the NSW Birth Deaths and Marriages'
.
Legacy
The main street of Wickham, Hannell St, runs from Wickham Station, to approximately, Elizabeth St, Tighe's Hill.John Hannell, became the licencee of the Wheat Sheaf Inn at Hexham
Hexham, New South Wales
Hexham is a suburb of the city of Newcastle, about inland from Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia on the bank of the Hunter River.Settlement occurred at Hexham in the 1820s when the land was granted to Edward Sparke...
, near Newcastle. He was also a sportsman of note, and pilot of ships on the Hunter River. When the punt service was opened, around 1862, John was appointed to run it. His burial vault is still in existence on the River bank, just north of the Hexham bridge. This structure is classified by the National Trust and is included in the Trust's Register - see copies of letters here.
Jesse Hannell became Signal Master, as well as the first lighthouse keeper at [Nobby's] Lighthouse.
For more information on the Family Tree, see Roberto's Blogs - Family, by Bob Suker.