Henry Hunt
In a previous post we learned that Charles and Hannah Bayliss were in 1861 living in Upper Bemerton Street in Islington. Among his children listed on that document is Amelia who was born at an unknown address in Somerstown (hopefully this will be revealed when I get her birth certificate). We know very little about Amelia's early life at the moment beyond her birth date - 6 February 1855 and too my knowledge no photos of her exist. Sadly, what we do know about is her tragic death. On 11 August 1877 Amelia Bayliss married Henry Hunt, a mast builder, at the Baptist Chapel in Holloway Road, Upper Holloway, North London. Their son, Frederick Henry, was born 7 April 1878. Following the birth, Amelia suffered thirty hours of fits and on 18 April Amelia died of High blood pressure. That unfortunately is where Amelia leaves the story. Henry, left with a baby son, remarried two years later to Adela Marks and their first child is born the following year.
Adela Marks
Henry Hunt then made the decision to emigrate with his new family and they sailed on the ship "Assaye" and they arrive in Sydney on 3 September 1881, but Frederick Henry, the son of his first marriage is not with them, Henry having made the decision to leave his son in London. Henry continues in his trade as a builder and at some point loses much of his money with a building project in the Blue Mountains. Henry then took his family to Kalgoorlie, Western Australia during the Gold Rush. In 1900 Henry opened three tea rooms in Perth and then in 1903 he decided to build a biscuit factory. Looking for an accountant for his proposed business Henry sends to his son, Frederick Henry, in London.
Frederick Henry Hunt,
the son of Amelia Bayliss and Henry Hunt
Frederick is now twenty-five years old and married to Kate and has a baby daughter named Evelyn. Fred is an accountant but is also a talented musician and plays in the London Philharmonic. He decides to join his father in Australia. While the factory is being built, Frederick works in a Perth Jewellery shop. The biscuit Factory is a great success. Sadly, Frederick died from a leaky heart valve in 1932 at the age of fifty-four.
His father, Henry, followed in 1935. With nobody to carry on the biscuit factory the business was sold to Mills and Wares, Australia's premier biscuit manufacturer to this day. The Hunt family continue to live in Perth, Western Australia to this day and I am grateful to Frederick Henry Hunt's grandaughter, Alison, who is proud of her Bayliss blood, for the information in this post.
Kate Hunt, wife of Frederick H. Hunt
What a surprising tale, what a pity they died so young.
ReplyDeleteThis is getting better all the time, well done Ernest, I'm getting into this detective work now.
It is a surprising story, as you say. I was contacted by the Hunts a few years back. I knew nothing of the story and at that time had done no research on Amelia. Not spoken to them for a couple of years so will try to contact them again.
ReplyDeleteHi Ernest
ReplyDeleteWe are members of the Hunt family in Perth, WA. Alison is my husband's auntie. We have a number of photos of the family, including a series on the biscuit factory, which we have framed on our walls. The 1908 family photo we have includes Henry Hunt and Adela, Alex Hunt, Frederick and Kate with children Evelyn and Thelma. Thelma is my husband's grandma. We also have a photo of Frederick with Thelma and their pet dog, Prince (1909) and another of Frederick, Kate and Evelyn 1901. It was great to read your blog, thanks so much for writing it.