Edward Phillips (1815 - 1897)

Born 22 Jan 1815 in Surrey, England

Husband of Margaret Grant (Douglas) Phillips — married 24 Apr 1854 in Adelaide South Australia

Descendants

Died 28 May 1897 at age 82 in Alberton, South Australia, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Geoff Phillips [send private message]

Preamble

This Profile Manager has reached the conclusion that Edward's father was married a second time (spouse not identified) and that Edward was a half brother to Samuel Samuel Livesley Phillips (1808-1860). This tentative conclusion is based on information linking the two men in South Australia, including the following entry in the obituary for James Fabian Phillips “ The deceased gentleman was a nephew of the late Mr. Edward Phillips, post and telegraph master at Port Adelaide”^[1]

Biography

Edward was born on 22 January 1815 ^[2]. Edward Phillips married Margaret Grant Douglas on 24 April 1854 ^[3]. He was the Telegraph Master at Port Adelaide for much of his working life.

Post and Telegraph Office Port Adelaide

The first telegraphic line between Adelaide and Port Adelaide was opened in 1856. "The line is about 10 miles in length, and has four wires as far as the Port. (Initially) it was worked on Henley's magnetic system, employing two needles; (but in 1861) the needle instruments were displaced by Morse's Recording Telegraph" ^[4] He passed away in 1897^[5].

The Obituary in the Research section will form a more extensive Biography for Edward, but several of the entries in the Obituary need further checking

The Last Will and Testament for Edward showed an estate of 791 pounds and the proceeds were to to enable the purchase of a house and ongoing income for his surviving spouse and on her death the proceeds were to be shared equally by Edward's three daughters (not the sons) "for their sole use and benefit free from and the control of any husband either of these may have".^[6] This could be considered a very strong gender statement in the nineteenth century!

Research

Is the page number for the above Death Index Notice 283 (not 183)?

In the marriage announcement for his daughter Margaret Thwaites, Edward was mentioned as H.M.C.S. Port Adelaide - an obsolete term for Her Majesty's Civil Service?

The first post office in Port Adelaide was opened in 1839. The first telegraph line between Adelaide and the port was functioning by 1856. Obituary of DEATH OF MR. EDWARD PHILLIPS^[7]. The news of the death at between eighty two and eighty-three years of age of Mr. Edward Phillips, which took place at Alberton on Friday evening, will be received with general regret at Port Adelaide and elsewhere. Mr. Phillips was one of the old identities of the Port, where his long career as Telegraph-master, which office he held for a period of thirty-four years, gained for him the greatest respect. He had a kind disposition, and was ever ready to lend a helping hand in any cause that needed assistance. Mr. Phillips was born in London in January, 1815, being one of a family of fifteen. At eighteen years of ago he went to Upper Canada, shortly afterwards going down the Mississippi to New Orleans, and then up the Red River into Arkansas, where he established a school, and subsequently started a tannery. After fifteen years' residence in America he returned to London, and in 1849 he left England again, this time for India. For a few years he was engaged in business pursuits at Trinchinopoly, on relinquishing which he purchased a brig called the Herminee, and sailed in her from Madras to this colony, arriving at Port Adelaide in December, 1853. Soon after his arrival Mr. Phillips joined the staff of The Register as a clerk at the Port office. The deceased gentleman subsequently entered the Post and Telegraph Department, and after many years of service he was appointed stationmaster at Port Adelaide, a position which he held with great credit to himself and satisfaction to the general public for many years. As a result of the enquiry of the Civil Service Royal Commission the Government decided to make alterations at the Port Adelaide Post and Telegraph Offices, which necessitated the retirement of the late Mr. Phillips and Mr. Gray. The decision was conveyed to both gentlemen by Sir Charles Todd, who in his communication to them stated that the Government were compelled to take the step with reluctance, and he then proceeded to pay a high tribute to the services rendered in both departments by Mr. Phillips and Mr. Gray. Continuing, the Postmaster-General said he need hardly say how grieved he was at having to convey the decision, especially after having been officially associated with them for so many years, during which time the conscientious manner in which their duties had been performed had led to their possession of his confidence and esteem. The deceased gentleman resigned from the service, and was granted eight months' leave of absence on full pay. According to the computations of the Civil Service Commission he was entitled to draw £1,000. Mr. Phillips worked very energetically for the Port Museum and Art Gallery, and was for years one of the Hon. Curators. He was instrumental in obtaining the fine picture "A quiet stream," painted by his nephew, Thomas Huson, a member of the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolours, as a nucleus of the Art Gallery. He also obtained from the King of Denmark a fine set of photos of Thorwaldsen's works for the Gallery. Mr. Phillips was an ardent microscopist and conchologist, and much devoted to scientific pursuits. He was a Freeman of the River Thames. There survive a widow and family of four sons and three daughters, two of whom are married, and three grandchildren.

DEATH OF MR. E. PHILLIPS.^[8] Note: The same notice was in the South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900) Monday 31 May 1897 Page 6 The death is announced of Mr. Edward Phillips, who for many years held the position of telegraph stationmaster at Port Adelaide. Mr. Phillips who was 81 years of age, entered the Government service on April 1 1856, as railway-stationmaster at Bowden when the Port line was first opened. On June 8, 1857, he was transferred to Port Adelaide and placed in charge of the telegraph station, remaining there until October 1, 1892, when the post and telegraph offices were amalgamated and he retired, from the service. Sir Charles Todd, the Postmaster-General, says Mr. Phillips was an exceedingly good and trustworthy officer and one for whom be always had the greatest respect. The deceased gentleman came to South Australia from Trincomalee, South India, where he and his brother were in business in a tobacco factory. In the early days he joined the Register clerical staff, but afterwards he entered the railway service, being one of the earliest if not the first station-master at Bowden. After one or two years’ service he applied, in 1857 for the position of post and telegraph master at Port Adelaide, where an office was about to be opened. Obtaining the appointment, he was transferred to the telegraph department, and he remained in charge of the post-office until he finally retired from the service on a retiring allowance in 1892. Mr Bastard, the present postmaster, took over the office on October 1 of that year, but Mr. Phillips did not leave the telegraph quarters until a month or two later. Mr. Phillips through his long service saw all the important developments at the Port up to the present day. He interested himself in social matters, particularly in connection with the Port Adelaide Institute. He leaves a widow, four sons, and three daughters. His remains were interred in the Woodville Cemetery on Sunday afternoon. Several officials of the Post and Telegraph Department attended his funeral, which was a large one. The cortege left his late residence, Melbourne Place, Alberton, at half-past 3 o'clock. The persons present at the graveside included Messrs. A. and E. Phillips (sons), and F. J. Thwaites (son-in-law), J.Bastard, T. Hanley, B. Edwards, and W. W. Leaver (who officiated as pall-bearers), J.Abbott, J. L. Anthony J, Bawden, T. A. Brook, C. S Bartleet, J. Bailey, E. Bends, W.H. Cammell, J. Counsell, H. J. Dunn, S. N. Dewhirst, G. E. and W. Dawsett, G. Dempster, W. Ferguson, H.C. and H. Fletcher, C. Fry, J. Formby, E. Graves, F. Hustler, R. Howe, G. P. Hodge, H. Hounslow, V. G. and J. S. Jones, G. Jenkins, J. J. James, R. W. O. Kestel, C. Kinland, H. G. Fitzgerald, J. and A. McLachlan, H. L. Leake, A. LeMessurier, T. Mathew, J. Mackay J. Mills, Manuel, J. Ottaway, W. Russell, A. C. Roberts, J. Rundle, H. Rogers, T. H, Sanders, W. H. Skinner, A. C. Threlfall, J. J, Watson, John and James Williams, Councillors J. Cleave and T. Grose, Captain Hummel, and Sub-Inspector Doyle. An apology for non-attendance was sent by Mr. W. Rossi, telegraph master at Mount Barker. The burial service was performed by the Rev. Canon Samwell, of St. Paul's. Port Adelaide. Mr W. F. Deslandes was the undertaker.

MISCELLANEOUS SHIPPING. The brig Herminee, bound from Cochin and Colombo to Melbourne, was compelled to put in for supplies, being nearly out of provisions and water, her voyage having been prolonged through a continuation of bad weather. The captain reports the death of three of his crew (lascars), caused by severe cold; her cargo consists of coffee, pepper, lard, and wooden houses for gold-diggers.^[9] Note: lascar was a sailor or militiaman from the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, the Arab world, and other territories located to the east of the Cape of Good Hope, who were employed on European ships from the 16th century until the middle of the 20th century.

Handwritten notes from Marilyn Jeisman notes a ship "Columbia" from London - New York - Toronto arriving 22 September 1835.

Possible siblings Henry John Ann Walter (b. 24 August 1819 in Holborn, London) William Ann Caroline

Possible half siblings Thomas Phillips (b. 1805 in St Giles in the Fields) Henry Anderson Phillips (b. 18 February 1807 and christened on 10 April 1807 and died July 1807 and buried on 4 Giles at Maze Pond) William Samuel Livesley Thomas

Affidavit declared on 13 August 1828 by Thomas Phillips to satisfy requirements for commencing apprenticeship as a Waterman. Entry is as follows: "Thomas Phillips of Potters Fields in the Parish of St John Southwark in the County of Surrey taketh Oath, and sayeth, that his son Edward Phillips was born on the 22 day of January in the year of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred and fifteen" Sworn statement. ^[10] Image:Phillips-12860.jpg400px

Copy provided

Sources

1. ↑ The Register (Adelaide, SA: 1901 – 1929) Sat 23 Aug 1902, p5
2. ↑ Affidavit sworn by father on 13 August 1828
3. ↑ South Australian Marriage Index of Registrations Edward PHILLIPS & Margaret Grant DOUGLAS b18 p 157
4. ↑ "An Account of the Colony of South Australia" Frederick Sinnett, published under the authority of the South Australian Government in 1862 page 83
5. ↑ Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985 Name: Edward Phillips Birth Year: abt 1814 Age: 83 Death Date: 28 May 1897 Death Place: Alberton Residence Place: Alberton Registration Place: Port Adelaide, South Australia Page Number: 183 Volume Number: 243
6. ↑ "Australia, South Australia, Will and Probate Records," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QRK8-P1N2 : 31 January 2019), Edward Phillips, 26 Jan 1899; citing Will, South Australia, Australia, Probate and Administration Books, Supreme Court of South Australia, Adelaide; FHL microfilm 103505910.
7. ↑ Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904) Sat 5 Jun 1897 Page 14 DEATH OF MR. EDWARD PHILLIPS.
8. ↑ The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) Mon 31 May 1897 Page 6
9. ↑ South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900) Mon 26 Dec 1853 Page 2
10. ↑ Original sighted by Geoff Phillips