The Hussey's of Dorset
Robert Spiller was born on 17 March 1790 in St Marylebone, London. The sixth child of William and Sarah Spiller, Robert was christened on 4 April 1790 at St Mary Church, St Marylebone, London.
Robert Spiller married Mary Ann Reynolds in about 1810, possibly in Chichester, Sussex. Mary Ann was the eldest daughter of Thomas Reynolds and Sarah Arnold. Robert and Mary Ann's first child, Sarah, was born on 26 September 1812 in St Marylebone, Middlesex. Two years later, their second daughter, Mary Ann, was born on 8 September 1814. On 12 February 1816, a son was born, they named him William after his grandfather. It is likely that William died as an infant as another son was born on 15 February 1817 in St Marylebone, Middlesex and he was given the name William Robert. John Spiller was born in about on 22 June 1818 and christened on 22 July 1818.
It was five years before their sixth child was born on 22 July 1823, he was named Emanuel. Another son arrived on 13 August 1826, Alfred was christened on 3 September 1826. And to complete their family, Charlotte was born in about 1828 in Chichester, Sussex and was christened on 26 July 1829.
Robert Spiller married Mary Ann Reynolds in about 1810, possibly in Chichester, Sussex. Mary Ann was the eldest daughter of Thomas Reynolds and Sarah Arnold. Robert and Mary Ann's first child, Sarah, was born on 26 September 1812 in St Marylebone, Middlesex. Two years later, their second daughter, Mary Ann, was born on 8 September 1814. On 12 February 1816, a son was born, they named him William after his grandfather. It is likely that William died as an infant as another son was born on 15 February 1817 in St Marylebone, Middlesex and he was given the name William Robert. John Spiller was born in about on 22 June 1818 and christened on 22 July 1818.
It was five years before their sixth child was born on 22 July 1823, he was named Emanuel. Another son arrived on 13 August 1826, Alfred was christened on 3 September 1826. And to complete their family, Charlotte was born in about 1828 in Chichester, Sussex and was christened on 26 July 1829.
Robert Spiller was employed in the building trade, in 1826 he said he was a slater (most likely laying slate tiles on roofs of buildings) The Spiller family were living at 13 Harcourt street, St Marylebone, Middlesex in 1826, however by the time of Charlotte's birth in 1828, they had moved to Chichester in Sussex.
On 5 June 1839, the Spiller family boarded the ship Price Regent which was bound for South Australia. On board were Robert and Mary Ann, together with their children Mary Ann, Emanuel, Alfred and Charlotte. Robert said he was a builder and brickyard worker, necessary trades in the new colony of South Australia. The ship reached Port Adelaide, South Australia on 24 September 1839. Also on board the Prince Regent were the Ewens family. Sarah Spiller had married William Ewens in 1832 in Chichester, Sussex and they arrived with their three eldest children, William Robert, John Reynold and Woolford.
On 5 June 1839, the Spiller family boarded the ship Price Regent which was bound for South Australia. On board were Robert and Mary Ann, together with their children Mary Ann, Emanuel, Alfred and Charlotte. Robert said he was a builder and brickyard worker, necessary trades in the new colony of South Australia. The ship reached Port Adelaide, South Australia on 24 September 1839. Also on board the Prince Regent were the Ewens family. Sarah Spiller had married William Ewens in 1832 in Chichester, Sussex and they arrived with their three eldest children, William Robert, John Reynold and Woolford.
Robert Spiller had purchased and eighty acre Land Order for £80 before embarking and after his arrival he selected Section No. 193 in the Willunga District. However, he did not take up the land and sold his right to the Union Sheep and Cattle Company. Robert then purchased a home at Tam O'Shanter Place in the city of Adelaide on Part Acre No. 132. There he built workshops and commenced operations as soon as his cargo of stock-in-trade arrived in December 1839 from England. Robert's work was in great demand in the colony, especially his speciality sets of doors and windows for 2, 3 and 4-roomed cottages.
The financial difficulties of the South Australian Government greatly affected business in 1841. Robert decided to visit New Zealand to ascertain the prospects for settlers there. He returned eight months later not being satisfied with the outlook. |
In about March 1844, Robert purchased and remodelled the old Cornwall Hotel building on Acre No. 40 Rundle street, Adelaide. He took out a General Licence and reopened the Hotel as the Plough and Harrow. Due to ill health, Robert transferred the license to his son-in-law, William Ewens before moving on to the Emu Hotel at Morphett Vale, South Australia.
The first Emu Hotel in Morphett Vale was built in 1840 by Alexander Anderson on Section 609. The hotel traded successfully on this site until 1864 when the license was transferred to a public house on Section 640 which had also been owned by Alexander Anderson. The principal two-storey section of the surviving hotel is likely to be what remains of the 1864 hotel. |
Emanuel Spiller married Elizabeth Hamlyn on 5 April 1844 at Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide. Emanuel had been apprenticed in 1840 to Robert Thomas and George Stephenson, printers of the Adelaide newspaper "The Register." On 16 April 1849, Emanuel was appointed clerk and proof-reader to the Government Printing Office. In 1879, after the resignation of Mr. W. C. Cox, Emanuel Spiller was appointed to the office of Government Printer.
Emanuel was also deeply interest in the South Australian Choral Societies. His musical education had commenced as a chorister in Chichester Cathedral. He was, for a considerable period, Conductor and also Secretary of the Adelaide Philharmonic Society. He also was volunteer organist at St. Peter's College and later Church organist at All Souls Church, St Peters. |
Emanuel and Elizabeth Spiller had a family of seven sons and two daughters. Three of their sons died in childhood. 6-month-old William Thomas died on 15 January 1850, Walter Charles died from a lung infection on 4 September 1853 aged 3 months and eleven-year old Alfred Emanuel died from rheumatic fever on 3 July 1858.
Robert Spiller was in a precarious state of health before his sudden death on 13 May 1847. He was found in his bed at the Emu Hotel at two o'clock in the morning. The State Coroner, Dr. Wyatt, happened to be in the area the following day and made some inquiries but deemed that his death was caused by "gradual decline." Robert Spiller was 57 years old.
The death of her father is quite possibly the reason Mary Ann Welcome and her children left England for South Australia on 1 September 1847. They arrived in Port Adelaide just after Christmas 1847. Her husband James remained in England. Mary Ann was too late to see her youngest sister, Charlotte, marry John Lavers Liscombe Sole on 18 July 1847. John was a solicitor from Stoke Damerel in Devon. After the birth of their eldest daughter, Mary Eliza in 1848, John and Charlotte Sole returned to England where they had four more daughters. Charlotte died on 19 April 1854 in Devonport, Devon after giving birth to their fifth daughter Charlotte Spiller Sole. Little Charlotte did not survive the birth either. John Sole remarried in 1855 and had ten more children with his new wife Eleanor Southwell Baldy.
Alfred Spiller married on 16 June 1849 at St John's Church, Adelaide when he was twenty-two years old. Alfred married Eliza Moyle and they went on to have a very large family of twelve children, however only six of the children survived to adulthood. Their eldest son, Alfred Reynolds, died on 15 June 1858 from scarlet fever, just after his eighth birthday. They lost 4 children as infants, tragically George Leonard died the day before his first birthday. Emily died just after her 18th birthday.
Alfred held various occupations in his lifetime, including Post Office Worker, Mail Guard, Butcher and Publican, before his death in 1890 at the age of 64 years. Eliza Spiller died at her son's residence in Halifax street, Adelaide on the 20th May 1899 at the age of 74 years. Both were buried in the West terrace Cemetery, Adelaide. Mary Ann Welcome died on 15 June 1861 at the home of her mother, Mary Ann Spiller, in Grenfell street, Adelaide at the age of 47 years. |
Mary Ann Spiller died on 12 September 1877 at the residence of her son Emanuel, in Collegetown, South Australia. She was 91 years old. She was survived by her son's Emanuel and Alfred. Emanuel Spiller died on 4 April 1888 in Collegetown, South Australia at the age of 64 years.
Descendants of Robert Spiller
Robert Spiller was born on 17 March 1790 in St Marylebone, London, was christened on 4 April 1790 in St Marylebone, London and died on 13 May 1847 in Morphett Vale, South Australia at age 57 years. Robert married Mary Ann Reynolds in about 1810 in Chichester, Sussex. Mary Ann was born on 7 December 1785 in Donnington, Sussex and died on 12 September 1877 in Collegetown, South Australia at age 91 years.
- Sarah Spiller was born on 25 September 1812 in London, Middlesex, was christened on 10 January 1813 in St Marylebone, Middlesex and died on 21 June 1860 in Unley, South Australia at age 47 years. Sarah married William Ewens in 1832 in Chichester, Sussex. William was born on 2 September 1811 in Chichester, Sussex and died on 7 July 1848 in Unley, South Australia at age 36 years. They had eight children: William Robert, John Reynold, Woolford, Thomas Charles, Sarah Catherine, Mary Ann, Emily and Alfred.
- Mary Ann Spiller was born on 8 September 1814 in London, Middlesex, was christened on 25 September 1814 in Chichester, Sussex and died on 15 June 1861 in Adelaide, South Australia at age 46 years. Mary Ann married James Welcome on 4 June 1835 in Manchester, Lancashire. James was born on 8 January 1815 in Oving, Sussex and died on 29 April 1869 in Kingston-upon-Hull, Yorkshire at age 54 years. They had four children: Robert James, Charlotte, Alfred and Sarah Ann.
- William Spiller was born on 12 February 1816 in London, Middlesex, was christened on 1 March 1816 in St Marylebone, Middlesex and died in 1816 as an infant.
- William Robert Spiller was born on 15 February 1817 in St Marylebone, Middlesex and was christened on 9 March 1817 in St Marylebone, Middlesex.
- John Spiller was born in June 1818 in London, Middlesex and was christened on 22 July 1818 in St Marylebone, Middlesex.
- Emanuel Spiller was born on 22 July 1823 in London, Middlesex, was christened on 24 August 1823 in St Marylebone, Middlesex and died on 4 April 1888 in Collegetown, South Australia at age 64 years. Emanuel married Elizabeth Hamlyn on 5 April 1844 in Adelaide, South Australia. Elizabeth was born in about 1820 in Devonport, Devon and died on 30 August 1919 in North Adelaide, South Australia at age 99 years. They had nine children: John Robert, Alfred Emanuel, William Thomas, Liscombe Sole, Walter Charles, Harriett Mary, Eliza Hamlyn, Arthur Edward and Frank Albert.
- Alfred Spiller was born on 13 August 1826 in London, Middlesex, was christened on 3 September 1826 in London, Middlesex and died on 16 December 1890 in Adelaide, South Australia at age 64 years. Alfred married Eliza Moyle on 15 June 1849 in Adelaide, South Australia. Eliza was born in about 1825 and died on 20 May 1899 in South Australia at age 74 years. They had twelve children: Alfred Reynolds, Charlotte Ada, Emily, Amelia Eliza, Charles Robert, Ellen Jane, Walford Emanuel, George Leonard, Herbert William, Arthur James, Laven Alexander and Vincent Frank Reynolds.
- Charlotte Spiller was born in about 1828 in Chichester, Sussex, was christened on 26 July 1829 in Chichester, Sussex and died on 19 April 1854 in Devonport, Devon at age 26 years. Charlotte married John Lavers Liscombe Sole on 18 July 1847 in Adelaide, South Australia. John was born on 8 April 1824 in Stoke Damerel, Devon and died in March quarter 1912 in Plymouth, Devon at age 87 years. They had five children: Mary Eliza, Susan Catherine, Charlotte, Edith and Charlotte Spiller. John next married Eleanor Southwell Baldy on 18 June 1855 in Plymouth, Devon. Eleanor was born in about 1831 in Plymouth, Devon and died in June quarter 1891 in Plymouth, Devon at age 60 years. They had ten children: Eleanor E Louisa. Edward John, William Baldy, Louisa Florence, Frederick Henry, Alice Maud, George Liscombe, Victoria Beatrice, Arthur Southwell and Emily Blanche.