Henry Hughes (1838 - 1907)

Born 1838 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Polly (Hewitt) Hughes — married 20 Jun 1864 in Brighton, Victoria, Australia

Died 4 May 1907 at about age 69 in Toorak, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Henry Hughes was born in 1838 in Lancashire.

He married Mary Hewitt (1837–1917) on 20 June 1864 in Brighton, Victoria.^[1]

From the Ovens and Murray Advertiser 23 June 1864:

HUGHES - HEWITT. - On the 20th June, at Brighton, Mr Harry Hughes, of the Bank of New South Wales, Beechworth, to Mary, eldest daughter of J. L. Hewitt, Esq., Railway Department, Melbourne.^[2]

Mary Hewitt was the daughter of Harry's sister Mary's husband.

They had six children:

1. Edith Mary Hughes 1864–1927
2. Mabel Hughes 1866–1933
3. Ella Hughes 1868–1939
4. Harry Wynne Hughes 1870–1945
5. Ethel Hughes 1873–1954
6. Cyril Hughes 1875–1916

Bank of New South Wales Beechworth

From the Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic.), Thursday 29 April 1875, page 2:

Bank Irregularities. — The one topic of conversation in Beechworth during the past few days has been the dismissal of Mr T. W. Bentley, manager of the Bank of New South Wales, and also the accountant Mr H. Hughes. Few, if any, men in Beechworth stood higher in the public regard than did Mr Bentley, who, as a public man, has done more for the town than any other man, has always shown a spirit of charity, and has made friends on every hand, aud the news that the very man whose reported removal caused such deep regret had at any rate been guilty of such irregularities as to warrant his summary dismissal from the Bank after a faithul service of nearly 20 years fell like a thunderbolt in the town, and on every hand men were enquiring what is the matter. At the present time little is known, as Messrs Walsh and Allen are in charge are, as a matter of course, extremely reticent on the matter. Were we to listen to rumours, we should have a most sensational story to tell as it has been impossible for the past three days to walk a yard along the streets without being buttonholed, and mysteriously told some wonderful tale anent the affair. It would perhaps just at present be unwise to say too much, but we may state that there can be no doubt that serious irregularities have for some time been going on, aud would not have probably been discovered had not a certain tradesman paid a visit to Melbourne about his overdraft. There can be no doubt but that accounts have been shifted, undue accommodation given, and a system pursued which has altogether misled the authorities in Melbourne as to the real position of affairs. We believe the bank will really lose nothing and that its customers need be under no apprehensions as in a short time matters will be thoroughly settled. Our hope is, and in this we but echo the sentiments of the whole of the townspeople that Mr Bentley may come out of this, to him, terrible ordeal unscathed.^[3]

In 1875 Thomas William Bentley (1821-1884) and Harry Hughes were dismissed from Bank of New South Wales Beechworth.^[4]

In May 1875 Thomas W. Bentley and Henry Hughes answered to their bail on a charge, the first named of falsifying, the other of concurring in the falsification of an entry in the bank books.^[5]

15 October 1875, 4th day of Beechworth Court of Assize before His Honor Acting Chief Justice Sir Redmond Barry: Farley vs The Bank of New South Wales. Henry Hughes was frequently mentioned in relation to various transactions.^[6]

Henry Hughes was imprisoned on 12 October 1875.^[7] He was discharged from Pentridge Gaol in August 1878 having served 18 months for making a false entry in a bank book and concurring in making a false entry. At the time of his discharge from gaol he was described as native of Liverpool, trade bank clerk, born 1838, height 5' 7 1/4". His complextion was fresh, his hair grey, his eyes hazel. His nose had been broken, he had a scar on the left side of the nose, a mole on the left forearm, a blue scar on the right shin, a scar on his right shoulder-blade.^[8]

Death

Henry died on 4 May 1907 in Toorak, Victoria,^[9] at the age of 68, and was buried in Brighton General Cemetery, Victoria.^[10]

From The Argus of 11 May 1907 and The Prahran Telegraph 18 May 1907:

HUGHES.— On the 4th May, at his residence, 'Rothely, ' Cunningham-road, Toorak, Harry Hughes, late of Beechworth, beloved husband of Mary Hughes, in his 69th year.^[11]

From the Rutherglen Miner and Howlong and Wahgunyah Times (Vic.), Saturday 11 May 1907, page 3

Springhurst.

OBITUARY.

On Saturday, 4th inst., Mr Harry Hughes, formerly a well-known resident of Springhurst, passed away at his residence, “ Rothely," Cun-ningham Road, Hawksburn. The deceased gentleman came to Victoria in the year 1852, and in the early sixties went to Beechworth, where he remained for some 15 years. He afterwards came to Springhurst, where he identified himself with many matters of public interest. Mr Hughes was a first-class accountant and auditor. He leaves a widow and family of four daughters and two sons, one of whom is engaged in business in this town.^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 27 Apr 2022). Index entry for HUGHES, Henry and HEWITT, Mary; Year: 1864, Reg. number: 2146/1864
2. ↑ Family Notices (1864, June 23). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1918), p. 2. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112902314
3. ↑ (1875, April 29). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1955), p. 2. Retrieved July 14, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196589443
4. ↑ THE BEECHWORTH BANK SCANDAL. (1875, May 7). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 7. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11516592
5. ↑ BEECHWORTH. (1875, May 18). Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1929), p. 2. Retrieved July 13, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article148776136
6. ↑ BEECHWORTH COURT OF ASSIZE. (1875, October 16). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1955), p. 5. Retrieved July 14, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196588714
7. ↑ Public Record Office Victoria VPRS 515/P0000, Central Register for Male Prisoners 12888 - 13327 (1875) image 423 Henry Hughes Prisoner number: 13287; Volume: 22; Page: 420 https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/1C7BF8F9-F3A9-11E9-AE98-57E954D43231?image=423
8. ↑ Criminal Register: "Victoria, Australia, Police Gazettes, 1855, 1864-1924"
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 60885 #201323 (accessed 14 July 2023)
   Name: Henry Hughes; Age: 40; Birth Date: 1838; Year: 1878; Place: Victoria, Australia; Reference Description: AU7103-1878 Victoria Police Gazette 1878.
9. ↑ Death Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 27 Apr 2022). Index entry for Harry HUGHES, Year: 1907; Parents: Hughes Edwd and Elizth JONES; Spouse: -; Death Place: Ardale; Birth Place:  ; Age: 68; Reg. Number: 3313/1907; Reg. Number: 3313/1907
10. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #215573641
11. ↑ Family Notices (1907, May 11). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 13. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10634550
12. ↑ Springhurst. (1907, May 11). Rutherglen Miner and Howlong and Wahgunyah Times (Vic. : 1903 - 1912), p. 3. Retrieved July 17, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article268472272