James Henry Sweetingham (1875 - 1898)

Born 1875 in Williamstown, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Alice May (Williams) Clark — married about 1895 in Victoria, Australia

Died 8 Dec 1898 at about age 23 in Victoria, Australia

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Biography

James Henry Sweetingham was born in 1875 in Williamstown, Victoria, Australia, son of William Henry Sweetingham (1831 - 1888) and Hannah (Roots) Sweetingham (1837 - 1915).^[1]

His siblings were:

1. Elizabeth Jane (Sweetingham) Onians (1859 - )
2. Edward William Sweetingham (1860 - 1884)
3. Caroline (Sweetingham) Woodhead (1864 - 1918)
4. Hannah Marie Sweetingham (1866 - 1867)
5. Jane (Sweetingham) Jessup (1872 - 1950)

A newspaper article was published in the Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1929) Tuesday 23 July 1889 Page 4 EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY OF HIDDEN COIN.
Saturday afternoon two boys named George Gordon and James Sweetingham, while in pursuit of a mouse under the Williamstown railway pier, discovered a large quantity of gold coin which had been partly covered with earth. The police were eventually informed of the find, and on making a search under the pier they unearthed no fewer than 3742 sovereigns, which are believed to form a portion of the 5000 sovereigns stolen sometime between March and May last from the Orient steamer Iberia. The specie was shipped in the Iberia at Sydney by the Union Bank. It was placed in five canvas bags, each containing 1000 sovereigns. The bags were put in a wooden box, and this was deposited in the strong room of the vessel, which was in one of the "pockets" of the ship in the lower hold. The Iberia left this port for London on the 29th of March, and when she reached her destination on the 13th May it was found that the box of gold was missing. Since then no trace of it was discovered still, it is believed, Saturday last, when the treasure was found under the pier at Williamstown. When the robbery from the Iberia was discovered, Mr Shannon, the commander of the vessel, Mr Cooke, the purser, and the second officer were called upon to resign their positions in the ship, Captain Shannon had been fourteen years in command of the lberia; that is, since the vessel was built. Last night's Herald referring to the discovery says: Although absolute proof will be required, there is no moral doubt that the gold unearthed on Saturday and Sunday is that abstracted from the strong room of the Orient steamer Iberia when in port last March. The bags containing the coins were more or less rotted by the action of the moist earth, but there is easily decipherable on one of them the printed words "Royal Mint, Sydney," this being the port where the gold was shipped. The first bag discovered contained 960 sovereigns, and altogether £3742 has been placed, awaiting inquiry, in the custody of Mr Dempster, manager of the English Scottish and Australian Chartered Bank, Seeing that there is very little probability of recovering the deficiency of £1258 the police entertain the notion that the perpetrators of the robbery shared what they did not deposit and proceeded by the Iberia to London. As the fifth bag was probably opened somewhere in the locality, they are still in hopes of being able to find it, and this would make the discovery every way conclusive. Of course, it is exceedingly likely that the fifth bag was destroyed, as men with sufficient ingenuity to plan such a robbery would not be foolish enough to leave any over traces of the deed. That portion of the platform where the plant was deposited is in a rather conspicuous place seeing that it is quite close to the asphalted footpath leading from the pier where the Iberia was berthed to the business thoroughfares of Williamstown. The man would, however, be screened on one side by the galvanised iron structure, which is part of the railway station. All the bags were deeper In the soil than stated in today's papers, being fully four inches below the surface. The mouse which led up to the discovery appears to have scratched away some of the earth. The bags must also have been nibbled at to expose the coins, as they were all firmly tied with rope yarn. Some fifteen or twenty of the "unemployed" stand by the pier platform as Constables Morrison and Roberts continue their fossicking operations. They are merely working with garden forks in search of stray coins, as the whole of the ground has been thoroughly broken. Up to noon, they had not been rewarded with any success. The Iberia is now in Sydney. It reached there from London on the 9th inst., under command of Captain Adley. Its old and popular navigator, Captain Shannon, along with the second officer and the purser, resigned their commissions in consequence of their inability to explain the serious irregularity. These officers were all regarded by the directors of the Orient Company as above suspicion, but in the circumstances, it was felt to be the proper course to call upon them to retire from the service. Whether the present discovery will throw light on the theft remains to be seen. The news has been cabled heme, and the Iberia's passenger list will no doubt be brought under close scrutiny. It is anticipated in some quarters that Captain Shannon and his colleagues will have the offer of re-entry to the service. It is not expected, however, that the skipper will resume his post as he had contemplated retirement this year. With reference to the find of gold at Williamstown, we learn from Mr Pugh, agent for the Orient Co., that the bags have been identified as belonging to the company, and although the money has not been officially applied for yet there is no doubt but that it will be restored to the Orient Company."

Sometime later, another newspaper entry in The Bendigo Independent (Vic. : 1891 - 1918) Monday 15 August 1892. Page 2. MELBOURNE. Saturday, August 13. Walter James Morgan, William Warren, and James Sweetingham will have reason to remember a flathead fishing excursion which they had yesterday, Whilst they were lying about two miles from the lightship endeavouring to beguile the finny inhabitants of the bay from the watery depths, the Geelong excursion steamer Edina ran them down. The boat was smashed to atoms, and the men left struggling in the sea. After a while, however, they wore picked up and taken on board the steamer.

James married Alice May Williams (~1880 - ) in 1895 in Victoria.^[2]

James died on 8 Dec 1898 in Victoria aged ~23,^[3] and his remains were interred in the Melbourne General Cemetery.^[4]

Newspaper entries ... The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954). Fri 9 Dec 1898. Page 1. Family Notices SWEETINGHAM. On the 8th of December, James, the dearly beloved husband of Alice Sweetingham, of Church-street, Port Melbourne, late of Williamstown, aged 23 years.

The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954). Fri 8 Dec 1899. Page 1. Family Notices. SWEETINGHAM. In sad and loving remembrance of my beloved brother, James, who died on the 8th December, 1898, aged 23 years. Dear brother, the sister you have left behind Will keep your memory green; She never can forget the past Or the true, good brother you have been. Inserted by his sister, Caroline.

SWEETINGHAM. In loving and affectionate remembrance of my dear husband, James, who died on the 8th December, 1898. Twelve months have passed away, dear husband, No more thy face I see; But with a true wife's fondest love. My memory clings to thee. Inserted by his loving wife, Alice, and child.

SWEETINGHAM. In loving remembrance of my dear brother-in-law, James Sweetingham, who died on the 8th December, 1898. Loved by all who knew him. Bella and G. Jensen.

Birth

Birth:

Date: 1875

Place: Williamstown, Victoria, Australia^[5]

Baptism

Baptism:

Date: 1875

Place: Williamstown, Victoria, Australia

Sources

1. ↑ Australian Vital Records Index 1788 - 1905
   SWEETINGHAM, James Henry CB 1995570 Birth
   Father: William Henry
   Mother: Roots Hannah
   Event Place: Will
   Reg Year: 1875 Reg State: Victoria
   Ref Number: 6294
2. ↑ Registry of BDM, Victoria.
   Marriage certificate
   Record information
   Event: marriages
   Registration number: 7582 / 1896
   Family name: SWEETINGHAM
   Given name(s): James Hy
   Personal detail
   Spouse's family name: WILLIAMS
   Spouse's given name(s): Alice May
   https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/
3. ↑ Registry of BDM, Victoria.
   Death certificate
   Record information
   Event: deaths
   Registration number: 17986 / 1898
   Family name: SWEETINGHAM
   Given name(s): Jas
   Place of event: Prn, Australia
   Personal detail
   Mother's name: Hannah
   Mother's family name at birth: ROOTS
   Father's Name: Sweetingham Wm https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/
4. ↑ Find-a-Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/200871903/james-henry-sweetingham
5. ↑ Source: #S38 Quality or Certainty of Data: 3

• Source: S38 Abbreviation: Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages, Ferntree Gully Library. Note: Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages, Ferntree Gully Library. Registered number 6294.