Great Grandparents of Max Hollis & Siblings

Born: HUBERT JOHN HOLLIS (JOHN FREDERICK², WILLIAM¹) was born 1841 in Thame Berkshire England son of John Hollis and Elizabeth Frances Close.

Arrival Australia: Hubert was eleven when he came to Australia with his parents and siblings aboard the ship "Chalmers" in 1852 and just 18months after their arrival Hubert's father died.

 Link to passenger diary of voyage of the ship "Chalmers"

Occupation: Hubert became a coachman for the well to do  Wiseman family (a distant cousin of his future wife Eliza). The Wiseman brothers had an importing business in Melbourne. They were anxious to acquire farming land but the law of the time was you had to reside on the land while improving it and they had to live close to the warehouse in Melbourne making this  impossible, so Hubert Hollis and George Parker were sent looking for a suitable selection. When they succeeded in finding land they were to fence it and do some clearing and build themselves a home there. The Wiseman's would pay half the half-yearly instalments and when the government granted a title to the land they would buy the properties from Hubert and George, who would then have enough money to take up smaller holdings themselves.

Married: Hubert married ELIZA SUCKLING 05 Jan 1867 in Collingwood Victoria. They had met while both working for the Wiseman family and married prior to Hubert building his hut on the Wiseman selection.

Wife Born: ELIZA SUCKLING daughter of CHARLES SUCKLING and ELIZA RISTE, was born 27 Aug 1839 at Widford in Hertfordshire England. Eliza was only about four when her parents and elder sister died from influenza. She and her siblings Elizabeth, Sarah, George  & Charles  were put into the Ware Union orphanage.

1851 English census: Union Orphanage Ware Hertfordshire: Eliza Suckling 12yrs, Charles Suckling 8yrs, George Suckling 6yrs, Sarah Suckling 10yrs.  sister Elizabeth is the only sibling not on this census] About this time story has it that the Eliza & Elizabeth ran away from the orphanage and were taken in by their Aunt Parker and shared the Parker home with their seven cousins. Eliza went to work as a scullery maid and became a cooks assistant.

UK 1861 Census: Eliza was then aged 22years and living at 112 Mount Street St George, Westminster, London, Eng where she was employed as a general servant to Frances Fitzherbert.

Arrival Australia: Eliza & older sister Elizabeth sailed for Australia aboard the ship "Sam Ceans" arriving Melbourne 29th December 1865.  They already had two cousin sisters married to prosperous Wiseman brothers living at the Wiseman estate in Yarra Street Collingwood. Mrs Wiseman had sponsored the girls voyage and agreed to find work for them. Eliza became the Wiseman's cook and Lizzie (Elizabeth) became a seamstress. Their brother Charlie Suckling arrived Australia some time after his sisters and worked as head groom for his Wiseman  cousins. They were later joined at the Wiseman's by a cousin George Parker from Hertfordshire England who also became employed by the family.

Original Selector & Berry Farmer /Fruit Grower: Hubert Hollis was an original selector of Lot 136 in the parish of Wandin Yallock in 1879 and also 67acres along the banks of Stony Creek in Wandin from the Crown.  Hubert was a first pioneer of (Burleigh) South Wandin. By 1886 he had established his leasehold as an orchard and described himself as a Fruit Grower. The major access to his property was the road facing the northeast boundary known as Hollis Road. Hubert would cart his raspberries to Melbourne in wooden tubs by dray. He would leave bright and early in the morning and walk most of the way to make it easier for the horse, arriving in Melbourne at dusk. He sold raspberries on the way but most went to Red Crofs factory (later A.J.C.). When the raspberries started to froth in the heat he'd stir them with the whip handle.

[Information from Wayne Knoll 2004: My brothers Daryl & Craig Knoll own a part of the original Hubert Hollis Crown Grant and my aunty Kit, who married my Uncle Charl Knoll in 1933 lives there in the farmhouse, my great uncle Charl Knoll was a grandson of Hubert Hollis through his daughter Ada who married Karl Wilhelm Knoll. Aunty Kit has lived there since 1926 from when she was 12yrs of age.]

Link bottom of page to Burleigh (South Wandin) & Voyage of the "Chalmers"

Hubert's Death: Hubert had been sick for some time prior to his death on 12 Nov 1888 in Prince Alfred Hospital Melbourne age 47yrs. No.15365. He was buried at Melbourne General Cemetery with his little daughter Annie.

Eliza carried on with the farm for some years after Hubert's death and raised her family.

Eliza's Death: Eliza had suffered for years after a horse and jinker accident, lack of medical attention had left her permanently crippled. Eliza died 11 Feb 1924 in Wandin Nth. Vic. age 84yrs

Me Barb Hollis at the sign post 

of Wiseman & Hollis Roads

Map showing Hubert's property

1. ANNIE FRANCES HOLLIS, b. 1867, Collingwood Vic (no. 14085); d. 1868, Collingwood Vic age 1yr.(no.6926).

2. CHARLES FREDERICK HOLLIS, b. 1869, Collingwood Vic reg/no11026

Occupation: Charles became a blacksmith with his maternal uncle, Charlie Suckling, in Prahran.

Married: ALICE ROSE LANGLEY in 1900. Rose was daughter of William John Langley and his wife Eliza.

Death: Charles died a young man aged 36yrs in 1903 (no.7039).

Remarriage: Alice Rose married Edwin Cole at Bendigo in 1908 reg/n0 5457

Death: Alice Cole formally Hollis died Melbourne aged 77yrs in 1948 reg/no 1551

Family:

1. LESLIE CHARLES HOLLIS b. 1901 reg/no 30099 d. Prahan Vic. 1904 aged 2yrs1904  reg/no 6278

3. EMILY FLORENCE HOLLIS known as "Florrie", b. 1871, Collingwood Vic (no.08201); d. 1907 Campbells Creek Vic. 

Marriage: Florrie married ALBERT STEWART a mine manager in 1903 at Collingwood reg/no 519.

Family:

1. ROBERT ALBERT SEWART b. 1905 at Campbells Creek reg/no 1338

6. GEORGE HUBERT HOLLIS, b. 21 Nov 1877, Wandin Yallock Vic Aust (no.5847); d. Mar 1955, South Africa. He married (1) HELEN BOWLES d.13 Dec 1950. He married (2) MARY WINIFRED BAILEY 1955 in South Africa. George went to Sth Africa to serve in the Boer War and never returned to live in Australia.

To see more detailed information on George & his family clink on this link or the link below.