TONE Family History
TONE Family History
A Short Biography of Henry Hill Stone born 1842|
Henry was born at Lichfield, 26th May 1842 to Ellen Stone aged 26. She was apparently baptised Hellen but used Ellen later, her father Benjamin was a miller of Gay Lane, Lichfield. Henry's birth certificate shows that he was born in Gay Lane, his mother was the informant and no father's details are shown. He was baptised 7th August 1842 at St. Chad alias Stowe with no father or God-Parents shown in the register, Ellen was stated to be a servant. He can be found in the 1851 census aged 8, scholar, living with his mother aged 34 and her mother Mary Skelton, widow aged 63 (she had remarried Thomas Skelton who also died). Both are described as Laundress at Gaia Lane. Henry married Anne (Annie) Rowbottam by Banns at Kegworth Parish Church 6 Nov 1869. He was described as a bachelor, Commercial Traveller living at Yardley (Birmingham) with no father's details. She was a spinster with no occupation, of Kegworth, her father described as Thomas Rowbottam, Clergyman. |
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| Henry Hill Stone aged about 20 | |
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Three surviving children; Although no other children have been traced, it is believed that there may have been children who died, or miscarriages between 1870 and 1876 or after 1882. [ Helen Stone believed this to be probable. ] View Photograph of Henry and Annie's Family He died at The Quarry Lodge, Pedmore (Stourbridge), 15th January 1923 aged 80 of Arterio Sclerosis and Cerebral Haemorrage (no post mortem). He was described as a Commercial Traveller. The informant was Helen Rachel Stone, his daughter, present at death, living at the same address. |
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| Henry Hill Stone aged 75 - 76 in 1918 at Pedmore, Stourbridge |
His name
His middle name is unusual and there is no known reason for it. There was a family story that there was an Archdeacon Hill who took an interest in Ellen (or Henry?), what ever that means, and that Henry was named after him. I can't remember whether that was meant to be after she became pregnant. I am not aware of any strong hint that he was the father, but a hint is there never the less.
There was indeed a Thomas Hill, Vicar of Chesterfield, Derbyshire 23 May 1822 to 1846, who became an Archdeacon of Lichfield in 1847, a post he retained until 1873 with an income of £200. He was Lichfield Cathederal Prebendary for Gaia Minor in 1842 which gives him a Lichfield connection at the right time, and he might have visited Lichfield occasionally.
Taking the less likely case that Thomas was his father, then Henry was conceived in the second half of August or September 1841, but at that time Thomas appears to have been vicar at Chesterfield aged about 52. Ellen worked at Shenstone Hall to the southeast of Lichfield as a servant at the time she became pregnant it would appear. She is found there as a servant on 6/7 June 1841 in the census. It is possible that Thomas Hill was visiting the Lichfield area in 1841, did he stay at Shenstone Hall? Thomas lived to 85/86 and Henry to 80 both a good age.
Taking the simpler view then Thomas was possibly made prebendary at Lichfield Cathedral for the parish or ward of Gaia Minor where Ellen lived about the time that Henry was born and therefore he might have been in a position to give pastoral help or support.
Finally, did Thomas Hill have a son who may have been involved with Ellen at Shenstone? A son might have been Ellen's age.
Henry G.T. Stone (his grandson) wrote of Henry c1960:~
"Although I remember Henry Hill Stone very clearly, I know little about him and there has always been a reluctance in the family to supply any information about him. There are long periods when his whereabouts are unknown. He was living in Lichfield at the time of the 1851 census and was married at Kegworth in 1869. Henry Thomas, the first child to be positively identified, was born in Brighton in 1877. It is said that he and Anne owned a school there. Helen and Stafford were born in Sparkhill, Birmingham, where HH Stone was a partner in a printing business. The family lived at Dudley at one period. He appears to have been living at or near Yardley when his mother died in 1880. When my mother first knew him the family was living at Pedmore (circa 1908). The address given in the specification of the Patent Cure for Steamy Windows (1911) was also Pedmore.
Living in Dudley in March 1896."
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Where was he from age 16 before he married in 1869 aged 27, and where after that ? On his eldest son's birth certificate (3-9-1877) he is shown as living at 4 Devonshire Street in the Registration Sub-District of St. Peter, Brighton, Sussex, and as informant he describes himself as a commercial traveller. Helen's Baptism Certificate 16 Jan 1881 gives the address as Dolphin Road, Sparkhill and her father's trade or profession as Agent. In the 1881 census (3rd April) he is shown as a commercial traveller at Dollman St., Yardley, Worcestershire, and his wife as a school teacher, with their two elder children. His youngest son Stafford's birth is given as 14 April 1882 at Fox Street, Sparkhill. He is described as an Agent (which is consistent with commercial traveller) on the marriage certificate of his eldest son in 1909. So far the family story of Henry and his wife running a school are not substantiated, though she was a teacher. What line of business he travelled for is not known, but the story of the printers might indicate printing or stationery. |
| Henry Hill Stone aged 75 to 80 |
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