James and six of his children arrived at Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) in August 1842, travelling aboard the 95-ton brig, “Scout”, from Port Phillip, Melbourne to Launceston. Besides James, the children were Henry, William, Elizabeth, John, James and Robert.
The Hingston name is now widely known across the north of Tasmania. In Devon, England the male line can be traced back to 1311 to when Robert Hingston of Devon married Alice la Mayne of London.
Emigrant James was baptized at Holbeton, Devon in June 1789, the son of Andrew Hingston (1744-1802) and Honor Mary Jane (nee Balsom) (1743-1834). On 15 October 1818 James married Elizabeth Thomas (1784-1835), at Holbeton. All their children were given “Thomas” as a second name after their mother’s maiden surname.
Children:
(1) Andrew Thomas Hingston 1820-1863
(2) Henry Thomas Hingston 1821-1904
(3) William Thomas Hingston 1822- 1881
(4) Elizabeth Jane Thomas Hingston 1826-1913
(5) John Balsom Thomas Hingston 1827-1898
(6) James Thomas Hingston 1831-1907
(7) Robert Thomas Hingston 1832-1897
James’ wife Elizabeth died in England in 1835, prior to the family emigrating, with their eldest son, Andrew, also staying in England. He died, 14 January 1863, aged 42, at St Cleer, Cornwall.
The family emigrated from Plymouth, England leaving on 12 April 1841 aboard the sailing ship “Westminster”, Commander Captain Forby. Three months later they reached Melbourne.
Positions were found on Roadknights sheep station, on the Barwon River but they found the climate and conditions too great a contrast to Devon, England, their birthplace. In a letter sent to family in Devon, James wrote that they did not “relish the scorching summer climate, or the inquisitive, jabbering aborigines and dingoes, the latter necessitating the folding of sheep at night.” Consequently, they decided to move to Van Diemens Land.
James gained a lease on farmland at Maitland, located between Longford and Bishopsbourne, it being part of the 2,200-acre grant to William Pritchard Weston. An indication of the land area is given in James’ “Will”. William (a son) was to take 100 acres, with the remainder of the family farm, 236 acres, to be worked by sons James, Robert and John Hingston.
James died at the Maitland farm on 18 July 1849 and was buried in the nearby Bishopsbourne Church of England cemetery. At the same time a three-week-old grandchild, Frederick Hingston, son of Henry and Ann Hingston, died and was placed in the coffin with his grandfather. The headstone reads-
Sacred
To the memory of
James Hingston
Who departed this life July 18th, 1849
Aged 62 (sic)* years
The sinner in a Dying hour
Needs more than reason can supply
A view of Christ the sinner’s friend
Alone can cheer him in his end.
*(sic) because records show James Hingston was born in 1789 and died in 1849 making him barely 60 years old.
The present headstone is a replacement, the original having only the initials J.H. 1849 cut into the stone plus painted verse but this lost through weathering. The original headstone lay propped up against a shed in my farmyard for decades, but now in the possession of a Hingston descendent in Hobart.
The Family – Brief Notes
(1) Andrew Thomas Hingston
Born – Oct 1819 at Newton Ferrers, Devon, England
Died – Jan 1863 at St Cleer, Cornwall, England
Married – 1 Oct 1846 at Liskeard, Cornwall
Spouse – Elizabeth Brown (1822-1896)
Children – 6 – (4 males, 2 females)
Occupation – farmer
(2) Henry Thomas Hingston
Born – 1820 at Newton Ferrers, Devon, England
Died – 28 Aug 1904 at Cressy, Tasmania
Married – 30 Dec 1843 at Longford Wesleyan Methodist Church
Spouse – Ann Sarah Bannister (1817-1898)
Children – 9 – (6 males, 3 females)
Occupation – farmer, at Bishopsbourne, Oaks and later at Glenore
(3) William Thomas Hingston
Born – 5 Jun 1822 at Newton Ferrers, Devon, England
Died – 3 Nov 1881 at Ulverstone, Tasmania
Married – 9 Jul 1847 at Longford Wesleyan Methodist Church
Spouse – Rebecca French (1831-1879)
Children – 15 – (8 males, 7 females)
Occupation – farmer, firstly at Maitland, then purchasing at Whitemore and lastly at Gawler near Ulverstone, Tasmania.
(4) Elizabeth Jane Thomas Hingston/Frampton
Born – 8 May 1826 at Newton Ferrers, Devon, England
Died – 20 May 1913 at Ulverstone
Married – 12 Jun 1850 at Longford
Spouse – Frederick Look/Luke Frampton (1822-1880)
Children – 10 – (5 males, 5 females)
They also reared the younger children of William and Rebecca Hingston’s family after the deaths of their parents.
Occupation – farmer at Stoke, Butleigh Hill, before moving in 1865 to “Corn Hill” near Ulverstone
(5) John Balsom Thomas Hingston
Born – Dec 1827 at Newton Ferrers, Devon, England
Died – I Jun 1898 at Sidmouth, West Tamar, Tasmania
Married – 8 Apr 1852 at Longford Wesleyan Methodist Church
Spouse – Mary Ann Walters (1831-1895)
Children – 7 – (2males, 5 females)
Occupation – farmer. Initially farmed at Maitland, later purchasing “Hawthorn” farm at Exton and later still moving to Sidmouth, West Tamar.
(6) James Thomas Hingston
Born – 10 Dec 1831at Newton Ferrers, Devon, England
Died – 31 Jan 1907 at Exton
Married – 6 Oct 1853 at Westbury Church of England
Spouse – Elizabeth Cooper (1821-1871)
Children – Nil
Occupation – farmer
Firstly at Maitland and then in 1851 purchased a farm at Exton where he lived for the rest of his life
(7) Robert Thomas Hingston
Born – 1832 at Newton Ferrers, Devon, England
Died – 10 Sep 1897 at Exton, Tasmania
Married – 18 May 1859 at Longford Wesleyan Methodist Church
Spouse – Elizabeth Dalton Walters (1837-1898)
Children – 11 – (6 males, 5 females)
Occupation – farmer
Firstly, at Maitland then moving to the “Hawthorn” property at Exton, Tasmania
Other Family Activities
Henry Hingston, during the 1840s, was appointed Farm Manager of Hythe at Wilmores Lane, Longford, by the owner, William Pritchard Weston, who also owned Maitland. Weston was a member of the Tasmanian Parliament and Premier on two occasions and was frequently absent. Hythe is about two miles from Maitland and a similar distance from Longford.
By the time of his father’s death in 1849 Henry and family had moved to a small farm at Bishopsbourne, later to Oaks and then to Glenore with the property becoming known as “Rosevale”. The hill with road beside the farm is still known as Hingston’s Hill.
While at Bishopsbourne, Henry’s family was robbed by two masked and armed men, one of whom stood at the door with a loaded musket, while the other foraged the cottage for plunder, which proved scanty.
In the early 1850’s, James Hingston and his brother-in-law Frederick Frampton caught the gold fever and went to Victoria in search of the precious metal, with moderate success. On the return voyage in the steam ship “City of Melbourne” they were wrecked on King Island. Around 250 passengers were on board and were marooned there for about a fortnight with little food. Eventually they were rescued by boats sought from Stanley. No lives were lost.
As a memento, Frederick had some of the gold fashioned as a heavy gold signet ring, engraved with initials, plus other pieces of jewellery, using gold he located.
Written by Ivan Badcock – 2 July 2024