Giles Abbott (1781 - 1865)

Born 7 May 1781 in Little Addington, Northamptonshire, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 12 Dec 1865 at age 84 in Port Elliot, South Australia, Australia

Biography

Giles Abbott migrated from England to Australia.

At the age of 19, Giles had a brush with the law which he was perhaps fortunate to survive:

"Giles Abbott of Little Addington was committed to gaol, on 17th November 1800, charged with stealing a ‘stirk heifer’ from Elizabeth Fortescue of Thurning. In February of the following year he was found guilty at the Assizes and sentenced to death but was reprieved before the judges left Northampton."^[2]

Giles married Hannah Frost.^{[citation needed]} They had nine children born between 1804 and 1819.

Giles and Hannah arrived in Australia aboard the John Renwick in February 1837, not long after their son, Giles: "Giles Abbott, jun. came out in the Buffalo, and his parents in the John Renwick, a few weeks later. He placed his hut in Buffalo row at their disposal on their arrival, and built a new one." ^[3]

Giles' obituary stated that: "Mr. Abbott bought an Adelaide acre at the first sale, and built the Queen's Head, Kermode street, North Adelaide, in 1837 or 1838." ^[4]

Queen's Head Hotel, Kermode Street, North Adelaide, 1845

A 1935 newspaper article said that it was Giles Abbott junior who was the first licensee, and that "records show that Giles Abbott, sen., was a general dealer, living at Pennington terrace, North Adelaide, and that Giles Abbott, jun., was licensee of the hotel in Kermode street." ^[5]

An article in the South Australian Register from 1839 describes a theft that took place at the Queen's Head, and mentions that Giles Abbott senior was the landlord of the pub.^[6]

The family later lived in Port Elliot,^[4] where Hannah died in 1863.^[7] Giles died on 12 December 1866 at the age of 85^[4][8][9] and was buried in Port Elliot Anglican Cemetery.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ Little Addington bishop’s transcripts. Giles, son of Giles & Mary Abbot pub. b. 22 May 1781.
   Ancestry.com. Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1532-1812 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Northamptonshire Anglican Parish Registers and Bishop’s Transcripts. Textual records. Northamptonshire Record Office, Northampton, England.
2. ↑ Book 2: Abbott, Aaron (c1782 - 1868) and James (c1779 - 1850) SHEEP LOST & FOUND. Ringstead People. Biographies of Ringstead (Northamptonshire) People. David Ball. Accessed 5 Jan 2020
3. ↑ Mr. Norman Abbott, of Knoxville. and his sister, Mrs. R. S. Sladdin, of Mount Gambier, are the fifth generation descended from Giles Abbott, sen., who arrived here in 1837. They came in yesterday to tell me about that interesting family.
   Their father, Mr. Edwin Abbott (77) said recently that his grandfather, Giles Abbott, jun., built the Queen's Head Hotel. He was a brother of Pastor Abbott. Becky Abbott, well known sportsman, and John Abbott, of Strathalbyn, are Edwin's brothers. Sisters are Miss Abbott, who lives with another sister. Mrs. Ludlow at East terrace, Forestville, and Miss Jessie Abbott, of Middleton. Miss Ludlow has a table from the Buffalo, and a candlestick from the John Renwick, and Miss Abbott has a chest of drawers from the latter ship.
   Giles Abbott, jun. came out in the Buffalo, and his parents in the John Renwick, a few weeks later. He placed his hut in Buffalo row at their disposal on their arrival, and built a new one.
   "Cut among the People". The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) 19 February 1935: 17. Web. 20 Jan 2018 .
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} (January 3, 1866) This newspaper records the death of Giles Abbott, sen., in his 85th year, who arrived February 14, 1837, per John Renwick, and in and after 1854 lived at Port Elliot. Though it is not mentioned Mr. Abbott bought an Adelaide acre at the first sale, and built the Queen's Head, Kermode street, North Adelaide, in 1837 or 1838.
   "NOTES AND QUERIES." The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929) 15 November 1920: 9. Web. 20 Jan 2018.
5. ↑ Queen’s Head Hotel. APROPOS the State Centenary, an interesting link with early Adelaide history is the Queen’s Head hotel at the corner of Kermode and Abbott streets, North Adelaide. It was first licensed in March, 1839, and business is still being conducted in the original building, which is thus nearly 96 years old.
   Records in the Archives Department show that the original licensee was Giles Abbott, jun. He apparently was the owner of the property as well, for, although he disposed of the licence in 1841 to Richard Hardiman, he came back to the hotel in 1845. Hardiman held the licence for one year only, selling out to James Critchell, who kept the hotel from 1842 to 1845, when Abbott took over from him. Two years later Abbott again disposed of the licence to James Ferdinand Schmidt.
   There were two Giles Abbotts in Adelaide in 1839. One came out in the Buffalo with his wife and child, landing in 1836. The other arrived at Port Adelaide in the John Renwick in February, 1837. Which of these two was the original licensee of the hotel it is hard to say. The records show that Giles Abbott, sen., was a general dealer, living at Pennington terrace, North Adelaide, and that Giles Abbott, jun., was licensee of the hotel in Kermode street; but which of them came out in the Buffalo and which in the John Renwick the records do not disclose.
   Trove. National Library of Australia. The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954). Thu 14 Feb 1935. Page 17. Out among the People. Accessed 15 Dec 2019
6. ↑ South Australian Register, Saturday 24 August 1839, p6. See transcript
7. ↑ ABBOTT.-On the 2nd February [1863], at her residence, near Port Elliot, Hannah, the beloved wife of Mr. Giles Abbott, sen., aged 81 years. Deceased was a colonist of 26 years' standing, and was highly and deservedly respected by a large circle of relatives and friends.
   "Family Notices" South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900) 4 February 1863: 2. Web. 20 Jan 2018.
8. ↑ ABBOTT.— On the 12th December. Giles Abbott, sen., of Port Elliot, aged 84 years. Deceased was a colonist of 29 years' standing, and was highly and deservedly respected by a large circle of relatives and friends.
   "Family Notices" South Australian Weekly Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1867) 23 December 1865: 2. Web. 20 Jan 2018 .
9. ↑ 'Death: South Australian BDM Registration No: 21/525
10. ↑ : Name: GILES ABBOTT

    Birth Date: 1781

    Death Date: 1865

    Cemetery Name: Port Elliot Anglican Cemetery
    Findagrave record for Giles Abbott

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/202819790/giles-abbott : accessed 15 February 2022), memorial page for Giles Abbott (1781–12 Dec 1865), Find a Grave Memorial ID 202819790, citing Port Elliot-Goolwa Anglican Cemetery, Port Elliot, Alexandrina Council, South Australia, Australia ; Maintained by J (contributor 50048377) .