George Elliot

Burial Register Details:

Previous No.	Current No.	Date	Name	Age	Section	Lot	Note
–	1544	07-08-1915	Elliott, George	82	CE1	171	–
1544	2871	17-01-1939	Elliott, Pheobe Elizabeth	86	CE1	171	–

Inscription:

In loving memory of / George Elliott / died 6th Aug. 1916 aged 84. / And / Pheobe Elizabeth / died 17th Jan. 1939 aged 86.

Notes: The Burial Register shows date of burial of George as August 7, 1915 while the headstone has date of death as August 6, 1916.

Links:

Image: 10024 (1-24)

Biography:

George Elliot was born and raised in Ireland and at the age of 14 years he enlisted with the 32nd Foot Regiment in Galway. For 10 years he served in India seeing action during the Indian Mutiny. He also took part in the defence of Lucknow and the Battle of Cawnpore in 1857 and the campaign in Oudh from 1858 to 1859.

The 32nd Foot Regiment was originally known as The Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry and was formed in 1702. The 32nd had a busy time in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. It served in the Mediterranean and Canada before departing for India in 1846 and arriving just in time to take part in the Second Sikh War, one of the hardest fought campaigns in British colonial history In 1857 it formed the main regular infantry element of the garrison of Lucknow, earning four Victoria Crosses and gaining the title Light Infantry in consideration of the enduring gallantry in the defense of Lucknow.

The first siege of Lucknow lasted 87 days and the second a further 61days. The British evacuated the city after that and left the rebels in control over the following winter. On March 21, 1858 Lucknow was retaken. In honor of George Elliot’s military service in India he was among a select group of men who attended a dinner given by Queen Victoria.

His years in the army entitled him to a free passage anywhere in the world so he chose to immigrate to Victoria where he made his way to Seville. He lived there until his death on August 6, 1915 aged 82 years. Buried with him is Phoebe Elizabeth Elliot who died January 1939 aged 86 years. [Lilydale Cemetery and its Military Connections pg 11]

Obituary:

We regret to announce the death of a very old resident of the district, the late Mr George Elliott, a colonist of 51 years who came to Victoria after completing his …. service with the British army. He served in the Indian Mutiny, and was at the Relief of Lucknow. The deceased gentleman was over 80 years of age and leaves a widow and grown up family to mourn his loss. [Lilydale Express 13-08-1915]

Phoebe Elizabeth Elliott

Biography:

Born Phoebe Elizabeth Tibbets at Fitzroy in 1852, daughter of Ambrose Charles Tibbits or Tibbetts and Mary Craig Kelly; died 1939 at Wandin Yallock aged 86 years. [http://silvanpioneers.blogspot.com.au]

Obituary:

Mrs P. E. Elliott an old and respected resident of Wandin for a great number of years, died at her home on Jan 27, at the age of 86. She is survived by a grown up family. The burial was at Lilydale cemetery. [Lilydale Express 21-01-1939]

References: Lilydale Express 13-08-1915, 21-01-1939; http://silvanpioneers.blogspot.com.au; Lilydale Cemetery and its Military Connections, Sandy Ross.

Eric George Ellis

Burial Register Details:

Previous No.	Current No.	Date	Name	Age	Section	Lot	Note
2662	2106	02-12-1925	Ellis, Eric George	22	CE2	240	–
–	2662	20-07-1935	Bishop, Heather	11m	CE2	240	–

Inscription:

In loving memory / of / Eric George (Jock) Ellis / died 1st Decr. 1925. / aged 22 years and 11 months / also Heather / died 21st July 1935, aged 11 months. Bishop / In loving memory of / Marjorie Amy / 20.8.1989 aged 85 / Beloved wife of / Charles / dear mother of / Amy, Heather (deceased), Michael, Ian & Peter

Note: No entry for Marjorie Amy in the Burial Register.

Links: Also listed under Bishop

Image: 10085 (3-10)

Obituary/ News Item:

A very sad incident occurred at Silk’s Dance Palace, Glenferrie Road Hawthorn, on Tuesday evening last, when John Ellis, aged 20, of Lilydale, collapsed and died immediately after the conclusion of a dance. It is believed that death was due to heart failure. Deceased was a son of Mr J. Ellis, who is on the railway staff at Lilydale. Much sympathy is felt for the bereaved parents. [Lilydale Express 04-12- 1925]

Heather Bishop

Biography:

Heather Bishop is the daughter of Charles Edward Bishop and Marjorie Ellis. [Digger^TM Birth, Death, & Marriages]

Marjorie Amy Bishop

No information.

References: Digger^TM Birth, Death, & Marriages; Lilydale Express 04-12-1925.

Hester Elmes

Burial Register Details:

Previous No.	Current No.	Date	Name	Age	Section	Lot	Note
1743	1050	18-05-1902	Elms, Hester	55	P1	117/118	–
1050	1743	11-07-1919	Lithgow, Susanna	66	P1	118	–

Inscription:

In Loving Remembrance of / Hester Elmes / who departed this life May 17th 1902 / aged 55 years / there is rest in heaven / also / Susanna Lithgow / died 9th July 1919 aged 66 years

Notes: 
Burial Register is Elms, headstone Elmes which is correct.
Links:
Image: 10403 (14-04)

Biography:

Hester Mrs Elmes (nee Lithgow) was born at Coleraine, Nth Ireland in 1847. In 1864 she came to Australia with her parents and came straight to this district, where she lived the rest of her life. She married Dr John Blair Elmes who practised medicine at Lilydale. Dr Elmes was the son of Rev John Elmes of Limerick Ireland. Dr Elmes died on June 17 1884 aged 48 years and is also buried at Lilydale Cemetery. Hester Elmes was a daughter of the late Robert Lithgow of Yering, and was related by marriage to David Mitchell. She was sister to Miss S. Lithgow of Yering, Mr Robert Lithgow of Benalla, Messrs Thomas & Leonard Lithgow of Yering, Mr John Lithgow of Melbourne and Mrs William Mitchell of Camperdown. Mrs Elmes was in the rear yard of her Main St home milking her cow when she fell to the ground. Neighbour W.J. Sebire saw her and went for help but to no avail. Hester Elmes was 55 years old. As she was related to David Mitchell, all the Cave Hill employees were allowed the afternoon off work to attend the funeral. [Lilydale Express 23-05-1902]

Susan Lithgow

Biography:

Susan was the daughter of the late Robert Lithgow of Yering and lived with her brother Thomas Lithgow. She was related by marriage to David Mitchell. She was sister to Mrs H. Elmes, Mr Robert Lithgow of Benalla, Messrs Thomas & Leonard Lithgow of Yering, Mr John Lithgow of Melbourne and Mrs William Mitchell of Camperdown. Her obituary in the Lilydale express described her as a “grand type of woman, every ready in an emergency to come to the assistance of those in need. Her quiet, unostentatious manner gained her many friends . . .” [Lilydale Express 18-07-1919]

References: Lilydale Express 23-05-1902 and 18-07-1919.

Thomas Ewart

Burial Register Details:

Previous No.	Current No.	Date	Name	Age	Section	Lot	Note
3079	518	24-02-1889	Ewart, Thomas	49	CE2	53/54	–
1122	936	31-07-1899	Ewart, Mabel		CE2	53/54	–
936	1122	30-07-1902	Ewart, Jane	68	CE2	53/54	–
518	3079	23-02-1942	Ewart, Henry	77	CE2	54	–

Inscription:

In loving memory of / Thomas Ewart died 1889 aged 49 / also his wife / Jane Ewart died 1902 aged 68 / and their children / Mabel Ewart died 1899 aged 24 / Henry Ewart died 1942 aged 77

Note: The headstone has the wrong year for Jane – it should be 30-07-1904. The burial register appears to also be 1902.

Links:

Image: 10116 (4-5)

Biography:

Thomas Ewart was born on St Patrick’s Day in Belfast Ireland in 1839. He emigrated with his parents in 1841on board with ship Maulius and arrived at Port Phillip in February 1842. After three months quarantine after an outbreak of yellow fever on the ship, the family went first to Moorolbark and then to Booroondara district where they stayed for 14 or 15 years. The family moved to the Upper Yarra district where John Ewart opened a store and later moved to Yankee Jim’s Creek now Warburton. When 24 years old, Thomas married Jane Lithgow and their first child Walter was the first child born at Yankee Jim’s. He was a keen prospector and later turned to farming at Woori Yallock and Hoddle’s Creek. Later he took on various government contracts. Just before his death he had been elected a councillor for the Upper Yarra Shire. [Lilydale Express 27-02-1889]

Obituary:

Death of Mr Thomas Ewart On Saturday quite a gloom cast over the district when the news of the death in Melbourne of Mr Thomas Ewart became known …. Anything like a complete biographical sketch of the deceased gentlemen would be a history of the Upper Yarra district, so closely was he connected with all that concerned the district during the last thirty years……The funeral took place on Monday afternoon, starting from Mr David Lithgow’s residence, Tara. A very large cortege, the largest that has yet been seen in Lilydale, followed the body to the cemetery…..[Lilydale Express 27-02- 1889]

Mabel Ewart

Obituary:

The news of the death on Sunday night of Mrs Ewart, wife of Mr Walter J. Ewart, manager for Mr F. Thonemann of Beenak, was received with regret in all parts of the district, The deceased lady, who was only taken ill on Friday, was a most exemplary mother and a faithful and attentive wife, and her lamentable loss will be severely felt by her bereaved husband and five motherless children. [Lilydale Express 04-08-1899 pg 2]

Jane Ewart

Biography:

Jane Ewart was the youngest daughter of James White and Hester Lithgow and was born in Coleriane, County Derry Northern Ireland in 1837. She sailed with her sister the late Mrs Huston in the ship Bates Family to join her brothers John Lithgow of Flowerfield and David Lithgow of Tara, Lilydale. The sisters arrived in Lilydale in 1863 and stayed with her brother David who owned the Lilydale Hotel, It was her she met her future husband Thomas Ewart. After her husband’s death Jane moved to Hoddle’s Creek where she operated the local post office. [Lilydale Express 05-08-1904]

Obituary:

In the person of the late Mrs Thomas Ewart whose death took place at her son’s residence, Hoddle’s creek, on Friday last, there has passed away another of the few remaining pioneers, the greater part of whose lives have been identified with the rise and progress of the Upper Yarra District. The later Mrs Ewart came first as a young bride to Warburton, then in the height of its success as a rich digging, the year ’64, and has resided almost continuously in the Upper Yarra district ever since, the last 25 years of her living having been spent at Hoddle’s Creek, where her charitable disposition and open hearted hospitality to all who can within the sphere of her influence, gained her a host of friends …. She had two sons – Walter and Henry. [Lilydale Express 05-08-1904]

Henry Ewart

Biography:

Henry Ewart was born at Lilydale in 1866, the son of Jane and Thomas Ewart of the Upper Yarra district. He spent practically all his life at Hoddle’s Creek and was the “father” of the Upper Yarra Council serving continuously since 1902 until shortly before his death. He was shire president many times. He was chairman of the Lilydale-Warburton Railway Trust for five years; was one of the founders of the local Oddfellows’ Lodge and a P.G.N. of the lodge and a senior Justice of the Peace in the shire. He did not marry. He left Upper Yarra and moved to the warmer climate of Irymple near Mildura in October 1941. [Lilydale Express 27-02-1942]

Death notice:

Ewart – On February 23rd, at Mildura, Henry Ewart (late of Hoddles Creek), late Councillor of the Upper Yarra Shire, aged 77. [Lilydale Express 27-02-1942]

Obituary:

By the death of ex-Cr Harry Ewart, which occurred at Mildura…..Upper Yarra has been deprived of one of the oldest, its best known and most respected citizens….At Hoddles Creek he was the driving force behind every local movement for bettering the district, working actively for the school, the church, the hall or anything else, and he watched over the interests of the West Riding ratepayers unceasingly and with rare zeal at the council table. [Lilydale Express27-02-1942]

References: Lilydale Express 27-02-1889, 04-08-1899, 05-08-1904 and 27-02-1942.