J is for Jeanie
2025 A to Z challenge
My great great grandmother Jeanie Hawkins was born on 8 August 1862 at Melville Forest near Coleraine,Victoria. She was the daughter of Samuel Proudfoot Hawkins (1819–1867) and Jeanie Hutcheson (1824–1864).
Her birth was announced in the Hamilton Spectator and Grange District Advertiser , Friday 15 August 1862, page 2:
BIRTHS.
On the 8th inst., at Melville Forest, Mrs. S. P. Hawkins of a daughterJeanie Hawkins was the youngest of eight children.
Her mother died on 7 July 1864 when Jeanie was a little under two years old. Her father married again a year later to the children’s governess, Mary Ann Adamson (1843-1908). S.P. Hawkins and Mary Ann had two children, one of whom died in infancy.
Jeanie’s father S.P. Hawkins died on 27 April1867 at Melville Forest. Jeanie was five years old.
After the death of Samuel, his brother James with Mary Ann became joint guardian of Samuel’s children. In 1855, James Hawkins, a teacher, had come out from Manchester to Portland, where he opened a private school in Portland,
Jeanie Hawkins attended the Melbourne Presbyterian Ladies College, a young ladies’ school founded in 1875. Jeanie would have been amongst the first pupils to attend the school. One of her fellow pupils was the singer Helen Mitchell (1861-1931), later Dame Nellie Melba.
A Miss Hawkins [probably her sister Janet, known as Jessie] in IIB and a Miss J. Hawkins in IB are recorded in 1877 as receiving prizes for French. In 1879 Miss J. Hawkins received a certificate of merit for singing.
In 1883 Jeanie, twenty years old, married Edward Walter Hughes, twenty-eight, in Dunolly, Victoria.
The Argus 2 October 1883
HUGHES—HAWKINS.—On the 25th ult., at the Presbyterian Church, Dunolly by the Rev. J. W. Lawson, brother-in-law of the bride, Edward Walter, eldest son of Samuel Hughes, Tan-y-ffordd, Ascotvale, to Jeanie, youngest daughter of the late S. P. Hawkins, Melville Forest Station, Coleraine.Edward Walter Hughes, known as Walter, was an employee of the Bank of Victoria. He had been posted to Dunolly, where he seems to have met Jeanie.
The ceremony was conducted by Jeanie’s brother-in-law, Rev John W Lawson, the Dunolly Presbyterian minister. The Reverend Lawson was married to Jeanie’s sister Penelope. The best man, who also gave away the bride, was the Hon James Bell MLC. Bell was a Dunolly businessman who between 1862 and 1865 had served as mayor, and had entered parliament in 1881. Music was provided by Philip Plaisted, the organist at St Stephen’s Church, Richmond. Philip was Walter’s uncle, the brother of his mother Sally Hughes nee Plaisted. He was an organist ‘of the highest repute’.
The Maryborough Standard reported this despatch from their ‘own correspondent’, dated Wednesday, 15th September, 1883
The Presbyterian Church was yesterday filled to the utmost limit by an assemblage of ladies, with a few gentlemen interspersed, to witness a most interesting and important event, viz., the marriage of Mr. E.W. Hughes of the Bank of Victoria, Melbourne, to Miss Jeanie Hawkins of Melville Forest Station, Coleraine, and sister-in-law to the Rev. J.W. Lawson, our much esteemed and respected Presbyterian minister.
The church had been simply but tastefully decorated with wreaths of flowers, ferns and festoons of fern leaves. The marriage ceremony was impressively performed by the Rev. J.W. Lawson with his usual ability. Mr. Phillip Plaisted, the organist of St. Stephen's Church, Richmond, and uncle of the bridegroom, officiated at the organ, and played the wedding march effectively.
The bride wore a rich skirt of white lace and net, trimmed with flowers and pompoms, with body and court train of handsome white satin, veil of white net, and wreath of orange blossom. The bride's sister (Miss Jessie Hawkins) wore pink nuns-veiling skirt, trimmed with point lace and surah satin, and polonaise of pink broche. Miss Watson, the other bridesmaid, wore cream nuns-veiling with lace and pale blue trimmings. The groomsmen were Mr. T. Moule of Melbourne and Mr. J. Hughes, brother of the bridegroom. The Hon. James Bell, M.L.C. occupied the delightful position of being best man, and gracefully gave the bride away. Altogether, the scene was a very pretty one, and should inspire to a righteous emulation of the most determined bachelors of Dunolly. After passing through the inevitable ordeal of the wedding breakfast, the happy couple left by the evening train for Melbourne, amid a perfect shower of rice, and the hearty congratulations of a host of friends. The honeymoon is to be spent on the Gippsland Lakes.
Jeanie and Edward had five children, the first two born in Moonee Ponds, Melbourne, then three in Beaufort, where Walter had been posted by the Bank of Victoria:
Beatrix Hughes (1884–1943)
Reginald Hawkins Hughes (1886–1971)
unnamed stillborn Hughes (1887-1887)
Vyvyan Westbury Hughes (1888–1916)
Cedric Stuart Castlereagh Hughes (1893–1953)
Walter spent thirty-three years working for the Bank of Victoria in Beaufort. Both Jeanie and Walter were busy in local affairs. In 1919, when ill-health forced his retirement, Walter Hughes was described as “one of the most active residents of Beaufort”. Jeanie was also acknowledged for her good qualities as a citizen.
Ballarat Star 23 October 1919
BEAUFORT. VALEDICTORY.
Over £50 was subscribed for the purpose of making a presentation to Mr E. W. Hughes (for 33 years manager of the Bank of Victoria, Beaufort) prior to his departure for Melbourne. A number of representative citizens met Mr and Mrs Hughes on Monday, and expressed their appreciation of their valuable services to the town and district. On behalf of the people of Beaufort and district, Mr J. R. Wotherspoon presented Mr Hughes with a pigeon blood ruby ring and a purse of sovereigns, and Cr R. A. D. Sinclair (shire president) presented Mrs Hughes with a solid leather travelling bag. Both gentlemen referred in eulogistic terms to the good qualities of Mr and Mrs Hughes as citizens, expressed regret at their departure, and wished them health, prosperity and happiness in the future. Their remarks were endorsed by Messrs E. J. Muntz, G. H. Cougle, and A. L. Wotherspoon. Mr and Mrs Hughes feelingly returned thanks.Walter died at the age of 67 from diabetes and heart failure on the evening of Sunday 2 July 1922 at his home at 19 Oakwood Avenue, Brighton. He was buried at Brighton Cemetery.
Jeanie, who lived for another 19 years after her husband’s death, died at the age of 78 on 1 September 1941 at St Andrews Private Hospital, East Melbourne. She had not recovered from a fall some time earlier.
The Age (Melbourne), Tuesday 2 September 1941, page 6:
Mrs. Jeanie Hughes, of Hawksburn-road, South Yarra, widow of the late Mr. E. W. Hughes, died on Monday. Mrs. Hughes was the daughter of the late Mr. S. P. Hawkins, who was an early pioneer of the Portland Bay district, following the Hentys there soon after the first settlement at Portland. He owned several well-known properties, including Spring Bank, Wando Vale and Melville Forest. Mrs. Hughes was born on the last named property. She is survived by one daughter, Beatrix, wife of Sir Trent de Crespigny, of Adelaide, and two sons — R. H. Hughes and C. S. C. Hughes, of Melbourne. Sir Harry Lawson is her nephew. She will be privately interred today at the Brighton Cemetery.Related posts
B is for Beatrix – her daughter
K is for Kanatte General Cemetery in Colombo – the death of Jeanie’s son Vyvyan
Wikitree: Jeanie (Hawkins) Hughes (1862-1941)
Anne is the daughter of Rafe Champion de Crespigny
2. Rafe is the son of Richard Geoffrey Champion de Crespigny OBE (1907-1966)
3. Richard is the son of Beatrix (Hughes) Champion de Crespigny (1884-1943)
4. Beatrix is the daughter of Jeanie (Hawkins) Hughes (1862-1941)
This makes Jeanie the second great grandmother of Anne.
What a beautiful collection of photos to tell this story!
That was a great report of the wedding. How wonderful for the bride and groom to have their wedding described as interesting and important. I love the photos.