Notes by Max Parsons in 1989
Clara Elizabeth Wills was born August 6, 1861 at Woodhall about 6kms from Longford. She was baptised at the Church of England, Perth Tasmania, on October 14, 1661.
On July 21,1880, Clara married Frederick John Uhlman at St John's Church, Launceston.
He was a 29 year-old farmer, son of John Uhlman, she gave her age as 19 but had not
yet reached that age. Witnesses at the wedding were her younger sister, Fanny Sarah,
elder brother George Herbert and the girl who would soon be his wife - Elizabeth
Hepburn Doak.Clara and Fred settled in Longford where he worked as a farm labourer, then contractor,
they had only one child, Florence Sophia Frances Uhlman, born 12 June 1881 at Lonqford.
Before Florence turned 4, her mother, Clara, aged 23, died of congestion of the lungs
on May 5, 1885. At present we have no information about Florence's adult life.Widower, Fred Uhlman waited six years before taking another wife, she was Alice
Siggins, he was 39 she was 26 when they were married on June 3, 1891, at St Luke's
Church of England, Campbelltown. Witnesses were Horace, Elizabeth and Louisa Siggins
and Benjamin Richardson. Fred and Annie produced 3 half-brothers and 2 half-sisters for Florence.
165. Fanny Sarah Wills
Notes by Max Parsons in 1989.
Fanny Sarah Wills, was born September 18, 1863 at "Panshanger" and baptised at Longford Church of England on August 4 1864. She must have enjoyed her childhood in the "Panshanger" gardener's cottage which is beautifully situated by a lake at the foot of a small hill in the midlands of Tassie.
Unfortunately Fanny's happiness was not to continue for she was separated from her husband before her only child was born in 1883 - Fanny was not then 20. She chose not to use the father's name and called her baby daughter, Elizabeth Ollis Dyer Wills, exactly the same as her own mother's name.
When her daughter was 11 years-old, Fanny married William Miller in Victoria in 1894
but this marriage was not blessed with any children. Fanny and William Miller set
up their home on a 10-acre lot at Hampton Park in the foothills of Dandenong.After Fanny's daughter, Elizabeth, turned 22 she married a naval officer, William
Arthur George Sinclair on Christmas Eve 1905 at Wartook, Victoria. Elizabeth and
William purchased or built a similar weatherboard cottage to her mother's on an
adjoining block at 24 Pound Road (in 1989, their son Frank was still living there).Elizabeth and William Sinclair had four children - Charles Irwin (1908),William
Francis (6 May 1911), Iris and Frederick (birth dates unknown).Elizabeth's husband, William Sinclair, retired from the Navy (presumably after the
1914-18 War) and became a schoolteacher. His son, William Francis (Frank) said that
his father was a strict disciplinarian as a teacher and a father. While the children
were growing up, the family was in frequent contact with several Wills' families -
Joseph Henry's, Charles Eric Neilson's, Norman Reginald's and others. The children
played together in the many gum trees and the adults enjoyed chatting with "Aunt
Fanny" as she was affectionately called. It is not known when her husband, William
Miller died but Fanny died at Dandenong Hospital June 9, 1943, the property was sold,
the house demolished and the subdivision of Jambe Court was formed.From this time on there was little communication between the Sinclairs and their
cousins until Max Parsons located and called on Frank Sinclair in 1966. Frank's
sister, Iris, was a nurse during the 1939-45 War and shared house with Frank after
her mother's death on November 5, 1959; Iris died about 1986. Charles and Frederick
Sinclair both died of cancer.Charles Sinclair worked in the railways,then joined the police force and his brother,
Frank, recalled an incident when Charles apprehended a young speedster in a sports
car in St Kilda Road. He was about to book the young man when he recognised him as
his cousin Westley Williams, son of Henry Williams of Alphington, the owner of the
sauce and jam factory. There was no entry made in the book and later, a gift of a
case of jam came Constable Sinclair's way.Frank Sinclair has had a variety of jobs during his life, once at Heinz factory and lastly at Waverley Public Golf Course but he retired due to ill health.
Frank is the last surviving member of the Sinclair family, he has no children as he remained a bachelor. He lives alone in the old house and because of his hearing disability does not have a phone. He has bad eye-sight and cannot read papers or letters, also due to a back problem he can only potter about his too large garden.
His housing block is large enough for 3 modern homes and is all that is left of the original 10 acre lot. Frank sold the rest which was subdivided to create Sinclair Court which is filled with modern villas.
166. Joseph Henry (Harry) Wills
Notes by Max Parsons written in 1989.
Joseph Henry (known as Harry) eldest son of Thomas and Sarah (Davis) Wills, was born at Glamorgan 16 July 1858. During his youth he lived in the Swansea Spring Bay district and learned the trade of bootmaking.
By 1892, Harry was living in Victoria for in that year he married Hannah Williams, daughter of William and Sarah (Wills) Williams. Harry was 34, Hannah was 24 and sister (or cousin) of Henry J.Williams who, later, became the proprietor of a jam and sauce factory, Williams & Sons at Alphington, Victoria. Hannah was also related to Councillor Ray Williams of Dandenong and Frank Williams who with his wife, Annie, ran a bakehouse at the corner of Thomas and Foster Streets, Dandenong, prior to the 1939-45 war.
Hannah Williams' mother was "Sarah Wills" who was Thomas Wills' sister thus making Harry and Hannah cousins.
In 1893, Harry and Hannah's first child, Violet Beatrice, was born, four years later the family lived at 100 Shields Street, Flemington; Harry followed his trade of bootmaker. A boy, James Francis Ernest born 1905, was followed by another girl, Louise (or Lucy). Their first-born, Violet, died in 1910 aged 17, the family address was then 176 Flemington Road, Flemington where Harry had set up a bootmaking business. In 1911, identical twins, John Wesley (Jack) and Edwin Thomas (Ted) were born to Harry and Hannah.
The twins were 8 years' old when their mother, Hannah, died aged 51. Harry's sister Susan Lydia Cooper (probably widowed at the time) came from Tasmania to help raise the young ones. A friend of the family, Vera Thompson of Morwell,provided us with some background details. They all attended the Methodist Church situated opposite the boot business in Flemington Road and it was there that young James Wills met and married Olive, an attractive girl who walked with a limp. Sadly Olive and her first baby both died during childbirth.
'Lucy' married Jack McNally and had 3 children - Johnny,(while a lad, was run over and killed after an accidental fall from his bicycle) ,Estelle ("Stella") and another boy. In 1922 Jack McNally lived at 80 Edinburgh Street, Flemington and later he and his wife lived at the top of the New Zealand Loan building, Melbourne, where they acted as caretakers.
It is said that the twins, Jack & Ted, could be told apart only when they smiled for one had a chipped tooth. They enjoyed playing with their cousins at Hampton Park and they lived at 27 Glen Street, Essendon when James took over the boot business in Flemington. For Jack & Ted's 21st birthday, Harry threw a large party at the Cavalier Restaurant in Swanston Street and the guests were treated to an evening at the Capitol Theatre after - it was an impressive celebration for the depression years.
In 1936, Joseph Henry (Harry) died at the age of 77. Jack was employed in a real estate office and Ted worked for a jeweller in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, they continued to live at Glen Street with their Aunt Susan, the house was in Ted's name. On the 2nd September 1947, Gladys Wills of Guys Road, Cygnet, received a telegram, it was brief - "Aunty passed away last night (signed) Jack & Ted".
Harry, Hannah and Susan were deceased, the house was registered in Jack's name until 1957 It is believed that Jack married and Ted remained a bachelor and they lived in Surrey Hills in the '70's.
253. William Henry Wills
Pamela Sullivan reports on the 8 October 2001:-
William Henry was born in 1896 in Flemington, Vic, and died at Gallipoli on Sunday, 25th April 1915 -
the same day that Vivian Malcolm Wills died. They were in different battalions, on separate parts of the beach. They were second cousins.
Twin of Edwin Thomas Wills.
Twin of John Wesley Wills.
168. Thomas Charles Wills
Notes written by Max Parsons written in 1989.
He was educated in that town and took up the trade of bootmaker like his brother, Harry. On March 3, 1886, aged 24, he married Mary Ann Dilger, a 19 year old spinster daughter of Christen and Frederika (Rapp) Dilger, Mary Ann was born at Franklin 16 November 1865. Witnesses to the marriage ceremony at Swansea Church were William Christen Dilger and George William Wills.
Their first child was born at Glamorgan on December 9, 1886, he was a boy, Arthur William and he died of enteritis two months later on 2 February 1887. Their third child, Clarence Welter, born 1890, died from blood poisoning due to a slight chilblain on his heel on August 16, 1894, he was only 4 years 3 months old.
On the July 3 1889, Thomas Charles, following in his father's footsteps and joined the Tasmanian Territorial Police service.
On page 191 of "Cyclopedia of Tasmania" published in 1900, the following article appears-
The Court House Derby, consists or a convenient court-house and magistrate's private room. It was built in 1887, and is one of the finest buildings in Derby. The police station and watch-house adjoin the main building, and were erected at the same time. The station consists of five rooms, and the watch-house has two cells. Mr.T.C.Wills is a native of Southern Tasmania, and was educated at Spring Bay. After leaving school he was apprenticed to the hoot trade; and worked at it for fifteen years. He entered the Territorial Police service on 3rd July, 1889, as a police constable at New Town and Queenborough, and after serving a short period at the head office in Hobart, he was transferred to Moorina as watch-house-keeper and constable, and remained there upwards of three years. Mr. Wills was then transferred to Branxholm as registrar, constable and occupied this position until the court was transferred to Derby on 1st January, 1894, when he was given charge as constable, bailiff, and registrar of the Court of Requests, bailiff of Crown lands, and sanitary inspector, a position he has occupied ever since.Not long after the above was published Thomas Charles was transferred to Cygnet and the people of Derby gave him a farewell social in the Town Hall. A newspaper of the time said "there was no expense spared" and we quote from part of the article - "Mr J.P.Clarke, on behalf of the people of Derby, presented Trooper T.C.Wills with a purse containing 13 sovereigns. Mr Clarke made a neat and telling speech dwelling, upon Mr Wills' long residence in the district and his ever willingness to assist in all matters of public and private importance and the able and thoroughly efficient manner in which he had performed his many duties throughout this extensive district. Mr Wills suitably replied."
In 1907 he retired from the police force and purchased a 50 acre orchard property from a Mr.Guy, it was located in Guys Road, Cygnet and known as "Burnside". Thomas Charles spent the last 2O years of his life as a practical fruit grower and was a Member of the Fruit Board. He was prominently connected with the local racing club and a keen supporter of sport of all kinds. He was one of the first members of the Druids Lodge in Cygnet and capably filled the offices of treasurer then secretary until ill health made his resignation necessary.
Thomas Charles was a church warden at St Mark's Church of England for many years before he died after a long and painful illness on August 19, 1927.
His son, Eric Albert took over the Cygnet property and his wife Mary Ann Wills lived on the property until she died, aged 88, on May 16, 1954.
In the early 1960's the house and a quarter-acre was sold and the house renamed "Guy's Cottage". The balance of the property remained in the Wills family.
Notes written by Gladys Wills
Mary Ann Dilger was the daughter of Christian Dilger (died 8 April 1881) and Fredricker Rapp (died 7 November 1899), German families that came out in sailing ships and settled at Swansea, Tas.They brought with them grape cuttings which they planted, grew and made wine for home use.
<a href="index3.htm#Rapp">For information on the RAPP family - Click here."</a>
258. Arthur William Wills
Died of enteritis at 2 months.
Died of Tophalcalmia at 4 years 14 weeks.
264. Charles Hedley Wills
Notes written by Max Parsons in 1989. Expanded by Tom Wills in 2001.
Charles was born at Derby on May 22, 1900, his interests in sport were similar to his brothers; in addition to football he was keenly interested in running with his brother Mick. After the Great War he and Mick competed together - in 17 starts at meetings in Hobart and the Huon, they annexed 14 wins over the 130 and 440 yards distances.
Charles married Claire Huxtable but they had no children. He went into business in Hobart as a shop-keeper and carpet layer by trade. Claire played the piano and Charlie the saxophone in dance bands throughout the Huon.
Charles died 1 Sept.1984.
171. James Arthur Wills
Notes by Max Parsons written in 1989.
Born at Spring Bay on November 17, 1867 and as a young man took up the trade of blacksmith. At Chalmers Church, Hobart, on December 5, 1892, he married Helen Margaret Gillies aged 23 - James was 25. Present as witnesses were Charles & Peter Modsen and Marion Gillies.
While situated at Lefroy, James and Helen commenced their family with twins -
Dorothy Sarah and Harold Lefroy born December 20, 1896. Soon after they moved to
Queenstown where James worked as a miner; the twins were baptised there on January
27, 1897. On June 10, 1899, James Arthur (Junior) was born at Queenstown. Another
girl, Gladys, and a boy, Kenneth Earl (1907) made up the family.When the children grew to maturity it is believed that James Arthur Jnr. married and had 3 sons. Dorothy Sarah married George Scott. Gladys married Ted Bessell (director of Tasmanian Tourist Bureau in Hobart) and there were no children to the marriages of Dorothy or Gladys. Gladys Bessell died July 7, 1971 and Ted died in 1988. James Arthur Wills was living at 1 Thomas Street, Devonport in 1946 when he died - his wife Helen Margaret, pre-deceased him.
268. Dorothy Sarah Wills
A twin to Harold Lefroy Wills.
269. Harold Lefroy Wills
Twin to Dorothy Sarah Wills. Died aged 19 months.
177. George Williams
Federation Index has George Williams marrying Lydia Guest in 1893 and Dandenong Cemetary Records has the following listing:
"In loving memory of George Williams, died 13 June 1935 aged 74 years. Lydia Williams died 15 August 1954 Aged 84 years. Loved parents of Hope, Ruby, Amy and Wesley."
178. Elizabeth Williams
Married name McFarlane.
179. Henry J. Williams
Henry had a jam and sauce factory at Alphington, Vic. The trade name was Victoree. The business was sold after Henry died, the year before the Second World War started.
They had no children.
They had no children.
Notes by Max Parsons written in 1989.
Joseph Henry (known as Harry) eldest son of Thomas and Sarah (Davis) Wills, was born at Glamorgan 16 July 1858. During his youth he lived in the Swansea Spring Bay district and learned the trade of bootmaking.
By 1892, Harry was living in Victoria for in that year he married Hannah Williams, daughter of William and Sarah (Wills) Williams. Harry was 34, Hannah was 24 and sister (or cousin) of Henry J.Williams who, later, became the proprietor of a jam and sauce factory, Williams & Sons at Alphington, Victoria. Hannah was also related to Councillor Ray Williams of Dandenong and Frank Williams who with his wife, Annie, ran a bakehouse at the corner of Thomas and Foster Streets, Dandenong, prior to the 1939-45 war.
Hannah Williams' mother was "Sarah Wills" who was Thomas Wills' sister thus making Harry and Hannah cousins.
In 1893, Harry and Hannah's first child, Violet Beatrice, was born, four years later the family lived at 100 Shields Street, Flemington; Harry followed his trade of bootmaker. A boy, James Francis Ernest born 1905, was followed by another girl, Louise (or Lucy). Their first-born, Violet, died in 1910 aged 17, the family address was then 176 Flemington Road, Flemington where Harry had set up a bootmaking business. In 1911, identical twins, John Wesley (Jack) and Edwin Thomas (Ted) were born to Harry and Hannah.
The twins were 8 years' old when their mother, Hannah, died aged 51. Harry's sister Susan Lydia Cooper (probably widowed at the time) came from Tasmania to help raise the young ones. A friend of the family, Vera Thompson of Morwell,provided us with some background details. They all attended the Methodist Church situated opposite the boot business in Flemington Road and it was there that young James Wills met and married Olive, an attractive girl who walked with a limp. Sadly Olive and her first baby both died during childbirth.
'Lucy' married Jack McNally and had 3 children - Johnny,(while a lad, was run over and killed after an accidental fall from his bicycle) ,Estelle ("Stella") and another boy. In 1922 Jack McNally lived at 80 Edinburgh Street, Flemington and later he and his wife lived at the top of the New Zealand Loan building, Melbourne, where they acted as caretakers.
It is said that the twins, Jack & Ted, could be told apart only when they smiled for one had a chipped tooth. They enjoyed playing with their cousins at Hampton Park and they lived at 27 Glen Street, Essendon when James took over the boot business in Flemington. For Jack & Ted's 21st birthday, Harry threw a large party at the Cavalier Restaurant in Swanston Street and the guests were treated to an evening at the Capitol Theatre after - it was an impressive celebration for the depression years.
In 1936, Joseph Henry (Harry) died at the age of 77. Jack was employed in a real estate office and Ted worked for a jeweller in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, they continued to live at Glen Street with their Aunt Susan, the house was in Ted's name. On the 2nd September 1947, Gladys Wills of Guys Road, Cygnet, received a telegram, it was brief - "Aunty passed away last night (signed) Jack & Ted".
Harry, Hannah and Susan were deceased, the house was registered in Jack's name until 1957 It is believed that Jack married and Ted remained a bachelor and they lived in Surrey Hills in the '70's.
Twin sister to Annie Margaret Williams.