Jump to: navigation, search

John Silvester Hitchcock (b. 1864)

(Redirected from John Silvester Hitchcock)

Biography

John Silvester Hitchcock married Sophia Magdalen Scholles in 1906 and established John Hitchcock Ltd., Fishmongers & Poulterers in the early 1920s.

His middle name is sometimes given as "Sylvester" and he appears to have used both spellings throughout his life.[1]

According to biographer Patrick McGilligan:

[John] had a pair of devilish eyes that twinkled in an angelic face. The burgeoning family fortune bought him education at the Douai School for Boys in Woolhampton; the priests who administered the school hoped that John might take the vows. Not to be: a financial wizard, John returned to the greengrocery trade to buy a string of stores near open street markets, which he turned into fish shops, often fronted by pavement stalls. These shops were then linked into a fish-greengrocery combine called John Hitchcock Ltd. Uncle John was married to a well-educated linguist who had taught English in France and Germany. Though childless, they doted on their nieces and nephews [...]

The home of Uncle John was the family locus: a posh Victorian, five bedrooms on three floors, located on Campion Road in Putney, and equipped with chauffeur, maid, cook, and part-time gardener. All the Hitchcocks gathered there to celebrate important birthdays and holidays. Every summer Uncle John rented a boarding-house in Cliftonville, a seaside town on the southeast coast, with rooms set aside for family members. Even after Hitchcock was famous, he still came to visit Uncle John on holidays and at summertime, sometimes staying at a local hotel with his wife and daughter [...]

Uncle John, the tricky, flamboyant Hitchcock, inspired flamboyance in his nephew. Hitchcock’s father, William, existed in the shadow of his younger brother’s success and legend. There is a lasting impression that William Hitchcock was a habitual drinker, and not always an efficient shop owner. On occasion, it is likely, he would have had to be bailed out by Uncle John.

By 1923, John had established John Hitchcock Ltd., Fishmongers & Poulterers with a head office located at King's Head, Billingsgate, and another 23 other depots and shops listed in the October 1923 London Telephone Directory. These shops included properties that were owned by his brothers Alfred and Charles John, but not the fishmongeries on Salmon Lane owned by his later brother William.

From the mid-1920s until his death, John's address was 11 Campion Road, Putney, SW15, and the head office of his company was initially 27/30 Pudding Lane, London, EC3.[2]

He retired at the end of 1935, aged 70.[3]

John's nephew Alfred Charles was living at his house when he died in December 1944, aged 57.

John Silvester Hitchcock died in 1949 aged 84. His estate was worth the considerable sum of £23,231 1s. 2d., much of which he distributed to his relatives in his will.[4]

John Hitchcock Ltd., Fishmongers & Poulterers continued to be listed in the London telephone directory until at least 1979.

Genealogy

Siblings

Birth

Marriages

Sophia Magdalen Scholles (b. 1882)

  • born 1882[6]
  • daughter of German publican Martin Scholles (b. ~1844) and Sophia Scholles (b. ~1848) née Pausey
  • sister of Joseph Martin Scholles (b. 1876)[7], Martin Valentine Scholles (b. 1881)[8] and Amelia Christina Scholles (b. 1885)[9]
  • married in 1906 to John Silvester Hitchcock[10]
  • died 1945 aged 65[11]

Children

  • none

Death

  • died 04/Jan/1949 aged 84[12]
  • probate granted 09/Apr/1949 to Rev. Joseph Arthur Scholles (clerk) and Gordon David Brewster (solicitor), estate worth £23,231 1s. 2d.
  • Last Will and Testament

Family Tree

23

Census Data

1871

  • address: 80 Windmill Lane, Stratford
  • Joseph Hitchcock (aged 42) — head, occupation: greengrocer (employing 2 men)
  • Ann Hitchcock (aged 44) — wife
  • Alfred Hitchcock (aged 10) — son
  • Charles Hitchcock (aged 18) — son
  • Ellen Hitchcock (aged 4) — daughter
  • Emma M. Hitchcock (aged 2) — daughter
  • John Hitchcock (aged 6) — son
  • Joseph Hitchcock (aged 14) — son
  • Mary Hitchcock (aged 17) — daughter
  • William Hitchcock (aged 8) — son

1881

  • address: 80 Windmill Lane, Stratford
  • Alfred Hitchcock (aged 20) — head, occupation: greengrocer
  • William Hitchcock (aged 19) — brother, occupation: greengrocer
  • John Hitchcock (aged 16) — brother, occupation: railway clerk
  • Isabella Herbert (aged 65) — housekeeper

1891

John is helping out at his brother's business in Islington.

  • address: 36/37 Chapel Street, Clerkenwell, Islington
  • Charles Hitchcock (aged 37) — head, occupation: fishmonger
  • Catherine Hitchcock (aged 34) — wife
  • Kate Hitchcock (aged 20) — sister, occupation: assistant fish monger (unmarried)
  • John Hitchcock (aged 26) — brother
  • Amy Hitchcock (aged 5) — daughter
  • Theresa Hitchcock (aged 2) — daughter
  • John Hitchcock (aged 6) — son, occupation: assistant fish monger (unmarried)
  • Mary Linneham (aged 54) — servant (widow)
  • Mary Rock (aged 70) — mother-in-law (widow)[13]

1901

John is now helping his brother Alfred.

  • address: 79 Bermondsey New Road
  • Alfred Hitchcock (aged 36) — head, widower, occupation: fishmonger
  • John Hitchcock (aged 30) — brother, occupation: fishmonger
  • Thomas Gollop (aged 23) — step-son, occupation: fishmonger
  • Ettie Gollop (aged 21) — step-daughter, occupation: housekeeper
  • Nellie Fitzpatrick (aged 7) — niece
  • Lizzie Satchell (aged 16) — domestic servant

Alfred's wife Emma and his son Alfred are living on Station Road, East Ham, with Emma's sister Alice Booker (née Kipping). She is listed as "living on her own means".

1911

John is now married and running his own business. Alfred Hitchcock's older brother William is helping out his uncle, alongside his future wife, Lilian Farmer.

  • address: 395 North End Road, Fulham
  • John Silvester Hitchcock (aged 46) — head, occupation: fishmonger and poulterer
  • Sophia Magdalen Hitchcock (aged 28) — wife, occupation: assisting in business
  • William Hitchcock (aged 22) — nephew, occupation: assisting in business (unmarried)
  • Lilian Farmer (aged 31) — occupation: cashier in business
  • Mary O'Hagan (aged 30) — occupation: assisting in business
  • Erma Ledwell (aged 35) — servant (general domestic)

1939 Register

11 Campion Road, Wandsworth, London

  • Alfred C. Hitchcock (born 16 December 1888) — fish merchant (retired)
  • John S. Hitchcock (born 21 October 1864) — director of fish company (retired)
  • Sophia M. Hitchcock (born 29 June 1882)
  • closed record
  • Ellen Albert (born 24 December 1897) — widow
  • closed record
  • closed record
  • Emma Rhodes (born 9 January 1869) — widow

Other Documents

Probate

Research Notes

  • John is listed residing at his brother's shop at 79 Tower Bridge Road on the 1906 and 1907 Electoral Registers.
  • The 12/Dec/1924 edition of The Times reported that "Richard Barr, 38, a manager in the employ of John Hitchcock, Limited, charged with stealing various articles, the property of his employers" was found not guilty and acquitted. Richard Burls Barr (born 04/Aug/1887) is listed in the 1911 Census as a "fishmonger manager" living at 297 New Cross Road, Deptford, London, and married to Ethel Alice Barr (b. ~1886) née Young.
  • The 14/Dec/1935 edition of the The Times carried a classified advert placed by John's driver: "EXCELLENT Chauffeur, age 32, recommended by gentleman retiring from business: 13 years' daily driving without accident; civil, honest, clean, willing; disengaged January 1. — Apply by letter to Mr. John Hitchcock, 11, Campion Road, Putney, S.W.15." The advert was repeated on 16/Dec/1935.

Notes & References

  1. ↑ On his last will & testament, John initially signed his name as "John Sy..." before crossing it out and signing it "John Silvester Hitchcock" instead.
  2. ↑ 1944 London Telephone Directory.
  3. ↑ The 14/Dec/1935 edition of the The Times carried a classified advert placed by John's driver: "EXCELLENT Chauffeur, age 32, recommended by gentleman retiring from business: 13 years' daily driving without accident; civil, honest, clean, willing; disengaged January 1. — Apply by letter to Mr. John Hitchcock, 11, Campion Road, Putney, S.W.15." The advert was repeated on 16/Dec/1935.
  4. ↑ This would be approximately the equivalent of £720,000 in 2014.
  5. ↑ Birth registered Q4 1864 West Ham. Date of birth given on 1939 Register.
  6. ↑ Birth registered Q3 1882 Edmonton.
  7. ↑ Birth registered Q1 1876 Kensington. Worked as a baker. Married in 1902 to Anna Josephine Stilz (b. 1878) [reg. Q2 1902 Islington]. Father to Joseph Arthur Scholles (b. ~1907), Doris Sophie Scholles (b. ~1908) and Marie Elizabeth Scholles (b. ~1910). Died 1960 aged 84 [reg. Q4 1960 Essex South Western].
  8. ↑ Birth registered Q1 1881 Camberwell. Married in 1912 to Edith Caroline Bamford (b. 1888) [reg. Q2 1912 St. Olave Southwark]. Died 1941 aged 60 [reg. Q2 1860 Bermondsey].
  9. ↑ Birth registered Q2 1885 Edmonton. Likely married in 1911 to Henry A. Stilz [reg. Q1 1911 St. Olave Southwark].
  10. ↑ Marriage registered Q3 1906 St. Olave Southwark.
  11. ↑ Death of Sophia M. Hitchcock registered Q3 1945 Wandsworth.
  12. ↑ Death of John S. Hitchcock registered Q1 1949 Wandsworth.
  13. ↑ Also listed as "sick".
Retrieved from ‘http://the.hitchcock.zone/w/index.php?title=John_Silvester_Hitchcock_(b._1864)&oldid=195870’