FatherJohn Williams1 b. c 1822, d. 6 Mar 1898
MotherMary Ann Crapp b. c 1835, d. 6 Jun 1920
Pedigree

Birth, Death, Marriage

Thomas Henry Williams was born on 19 November 1861 in Creswick, Victoria.2,3,4 
He married Amy (?) 

Family

Amy (?)
Child
ChartsWilliams, John, descendant chart

Story

We have limited knowledge of Thomas Henry Williams. Adele Livingstone/Jenkins/Hobill told us that his wife's name was Amy and they had a son, Cecil. A search of indexes in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia has so far failed to find likely candidates. Thomas Henry went to the West with his brother, John Joseph, though we don't know when. He looked after John Joseph's affairs following his death in 1902.
 
Thomas Henry was born at Long Point in Creswick on 19 November 1861. He was the fourth child of Mary Ann and John.3,2,4
 
Most of the family moved from Creswick to Shepparton between February 1877 (when William Charles was buried in Creswick) and August (when John's Crown land application stated he lived in Shepparton). It is possible some of the older children travelled separately, or with John Joseph and his young family. The oldest child Maria was aged twenty and on her March 1878 marriage registration, gives her usual address as Creswick. The youngest child to move was Richard aged six.5,6,7
 
Death of Brother John Joseph
Thomas Henry's brother John Joseph 'JJ' Williams, died in Leonora in June 1902. Thomas Henry was at Diorite King at the time.
Thanks
Mr TH Williams, on behalf of the relatives of the late Mr JJ Williams, tenders his sincerest thanks to members of the various Masonic Lodges and others for their letters of condolence.8,9,10

 
Estate of John Joseph Williams
Thomas Henry settled his brother John Joseph's estate on behalf of the newly widowed Sarah.
 
John Joseph had not made a will.

On 13 July 1902, Sarah, now living in Burnley in Victoria, appointed Thomas Henry as Power of Attorney. Thomas Henry prepared a statement of assets and liabilities. Real estate assets included town lot 42 in Leonora (£100) and a half share in the Kurrajong Hotel at Diorite King near Leonora (£300). Personal estate assets included goodwill, stock and furniture in the Central Hotel in Leonora (£780); interest in the Kurrajong Hotel (£300); money in the bank or in hand (£114/0/9); personal effects (£50); horse, sulky, saddlery, etc. (£45); and tools (£20). Total assets were £1709/0/9. Liabilities included money lent to Mrs Macdonald of the Kurrajong Hotel (£657/2/6); balance owing on the Central Hotel (£100); and 'other liabilities' (£100). This left a balance of £851/18/3.

On 12 August 1902, Thomas Henry presented these and other Letters of Administration documents to the Supreme Court, and was duly granted Letters of Administration of John Joseph's estate.11
Image: State Records Offica WA
One document, the administration bond of £1703/16/3, was later rejected. It was made by 'Thomas Henry Williams of Leonora hotel manager, Henry Corné of Leonora jeweller and Daniel Joseph Meade of Leonora aerated water manufacturer' and was rejected on the grounds that 'sureties could or would not justify'. A second administration bond of £2000 was made by 'Thomas Henry Williams of Leonora Hotel Manager, Alfred Tucker of Leonora Butcher, William Albert Snell of Leonora Solicitor'. This bond was prepared on 28 August and accepted by the Supreme Court two days later.11
 
In the four months following John Joseph's death, management and operation of the Central Hotel involved several people. Thomas Henry took charge of the estate, but following a Supreme Court action by a creditor, Annie McDonald, a receiver and manager was appointed.

A 25 July 1902 newspaper edvertisement shows William Lowes as manager. But by early August he had to retire:
'Billy' Lowes had cleared a road from the railway station to the Central Hotel, which he then kept, but untoward circumstances caused Lowes to retire, and others will reap the benefit of his foresight.

On 9 August 1902, Alfred Edward Shannon, as receiver and manager of the estate, applied for a Publicans' General Licence for the serving of alcohol for the Central Hotel. This was granted on 6 September.

By October 1902, Thomas Henry announced that he was licensee and that:
... the hotel has undergone a thorough renovation.

In November, he applied for a "Publican's General License" and "Householders' Certificate for a Publicans' License". In his application he stated that the hotel contained:
... three sitting rooms and six bedrooms, exclusive of those required by the family, which house is now licensed and occupied by me, rented from Linton Robert Ritchie, and is held by me on transfer from Albert Edward Shannon ...

He also stated he had held a license for the Central Hotel for three months.12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19
[There was an action in December 1902 against Annie McDonald who claimed to be a creditor to the extent of £776. After John Joseph's death, she went to the Central Hotel to examine his affairs and stayed there for five weeks. The court action was to establish 'whether a creditor of an intestate estate is entitled to investigate the affairs of the intestate at the expense of the State'. Judgment was given for £11/8, which was 18s short of the amount claimed.]
 
In December 1902, Thomas Henry offered for sale by tender:
the purchase of the lease, good will, furniture, fixtures, and stock-in-trade of the Central Hotel, Leonora.

In January 1903, it was auctioned.

Auction Sale
S MURPHY, Auctioneer, Leonora, having received instructions from Mr T Wilkinson, solicitor, for the
administrator in the estate of JJ Williams, deceased, will sell by public auction, to the highest bidder, on
JANUARY 10th, 1903,
As a going concern, the Goodwill, Furniture, etc. of the Central Hotel, Tower-street, Leonora.

This is a genuine bargain, being one of the best appointed hotels in Leonora. An eight months' lease, with the option of a further term of two years. Also Leonora town lot No 42,
NO RESERVE.

It was purchased by Mrs Ancell, ending the Williams family's connection with the hotel:
On Saturday Mrs Ancell bought the goodwill and furniture and effects of the Central Hotel (8 months' lease) for £450.21,22,23

 
In April 1903, with the estate still not settled, Annie McDonald took an action against Thomas Henry:
SUPREME COURT
APRIL LIST
... A McDonald v. TH Williams (administrator of the estate of JJ Williams, deceased). (1) £776 6s 2d as a creditor of JJ Williams, deceased, or (2) to have the real and personal estate of the said JJ Williams administered;

The final entry in the Letters of Administration for John Joseph Williams is dated 24 December 1903.24,11
 
Thomas moved his family to live in the Central Hotel, which was described as:
... containing three sitting rooms and six bedrooms, exclusive of those required by the family, which house is now licensed and occupied by me ...19

 
Personal Interests
In September 1901, the Governor and Lady Lawley visited nearby Morgans. At the civic reception, it was noted that:
Mr TH Williams presided at the piano.

In July 1902, Thomas Henry was elected one of five vice presidents of the Leonora Jockey Club. The club had opened in 1900 with brother JJ as the vice president.25,26,27
 
[The information that follows is based on the assumption that the Thomas Henry Williams in Gwalia (Leonora) in the 1906 electoral rolls is our Thomas Henry Williams, who is last confirmed to be in Leonora in December 1902.]
 
In September 1904, Thomas was elected vice-president of the Leonora Literary and Debating Society at their inaugural meeting.29
 
In 1906, Thomas Henry was an engineer at the Gwalia mine, 4 km from Leonora.28
 
Mr T Williams, late engineer at the Sons of Gwalia, who recently joined the Golden Champion party, who are erecting a battery, has left for Broken Hill, where he will superintend the erection of an electrical plant. Mr Williams retains his interest in the mine, and returns to Leonora towards the end of the year.30
 

Citations

  1. [S3] Victorian Pioneer Index 1836-1888, CD-ROM, Macbeth Genealogical Services, 1998.
  2. [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, Thomas Henry Williams entry, birth registration no. 1848, 1862.
  3. [S297] Williams-Howard family tree, computer file, March 2000.
  4. [S619] Thomas Henry Williams, birth registration no. 1848, 19 November 1861.
  5. [S326] William Charles Williams, death registration no. 1025, 24 February 1877.
  6. [S324] '7925 Benalla', VPRS 626 Land selection files by land district, section 19 and 20 Land Act 1869, land selection files, John Williams, 8 February 1888, 'Certificate of Registration.'
  7. [S584] Alexander Livingston and Maria Jane Williams, marriage registration no. 211, 5 March 1878.
  8. [S77] John Joseph Williams, death registration no. 1535, 17 June 1902.
  9. [S180] 'Death of Mr JJ Williams', Mt Leonora Miner, 1899-1910, newspaper, 21 June 1902, p. 3, viewed 30 December 2017, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/233201584
  10. [S180] 'Thanks', Mt Leonora Miner, 1899-1910, newspaper, 5 July 1902, p. 3, viewed 30 December 2017, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/233201645
  11. [S654] 'John Joseph Williams', series S59 - Applications for grants of letters of administration 1832-1947, item 1902/105, letters of administration, 12 August 1902.
  12. [S496] 'News of the Week', Malcolm Chronicle and Leonora Advertiser, 1897-1905, newspaper, 22 August 1902, p. 2, viewed 29 June 2020, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/228044938
  13. [S496] 'Business advertisements: The Central Hotel', Malcolm Chronicle and Leonora Advertiser, 1897-1905, newspaper, 25 July 1902, p. 4, viewed 9 March 2021, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/228044853
  14. [S462] 'Out back', The Sun, 1898-1929, newspaper, 10 August 1902, p. 7, viewed 9 March 2021, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211099791
  15. [S180] 'Application for a publicans' general licence', Mt Leonora Miner, 1899-1910, newspaper, 16 August 1902, p. 3, viewed 9 March 2021, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/233201780
  16. [S462] 'Application for a publicans' general licence', The Sun, 1898-1929, newspaper, 16 August 1902, p. 3, viewed 9 March 2021, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/233201780
  17. [S655] 'Licensing court: Transfers', Laverton Mercury, newspaper, 6 September 1902, p. 2, viewed 9 March 2021, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204722122
  18. [S180] 'Advertising: Central Hotel, Leonora', Mt Leonora Miner, 1899-1910, newspaper, 8 November 1902, p. 3, viewed 22 June 2020, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/233202072
  19. [S180] 'Application for a publican's general licence', Mt Leonora Miner, 1899-1910, newspaper, 15 November 1902, p. 3, viewed 14 July 2020, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/233202102
  20. [S181] 'Items of news: Leonora local court', Kalgoorlie Miner, 1895-1950, newspaper, 8 December 1902, p. 4, viewed 14 March 2021, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/88863420
  21. [S311] 'Tenders: In the Supreme Court of Western Australia', West Australian, 1879-1954, newspaper, 11 December 1902, p. 2, viewed 13 September 2019, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/24850052
  22. [S656] 'Auction sale', North Coolgardie Herald and Miners Daily News, 1898-1904, newspaper, 6 January 1903, p. 3, viewed 14 March 2021, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/259795621
  23. [S180] '[no title]', Mt Leonora Miner, 1899-1910, newspaper, 17 January 1903, p. 2, viewed 15 March 2021, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/233202298
  24. [S311] 'Supreme Court: April list', West Australian, 1879-1954, newspaper, 11 April 1903, p. 4, viewed 29 June 2020, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/24859475
  25. [S180] 'Vice-Regal visit: Reception by the municipal council at Morgans', Mt Leonora Miner, 1899-1910, newspaper, 14 September 1901, p. 2, viewed 7 September 2020, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/251805984
  26. [S180] 'Leonora Jockey Club', Mt Leonora Miner, 1899-1910, newspaper, 12 July 1902, p. 2, viewed 4 October 2013, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/233201657
  27. [S180] 'Leonora Jockey Club', Mt Leonora Miner, 1899-1910, newspaper, 31 March 1900, p. 2, viewed 9 July 2020, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/233198156
  28. [S392] Australia, Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, online, division of Coolgardie, subdivision of Gwalia, 1906.
  29. [S180] 'Literary and Debating Society', Mt Leonora Miner, 1899-1910, newspaper, 17 September 1904, p. 3, viewed 7 September 2020, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/233204730
  30. [S181] 'Leonora mining', Kalgoorlie Miner, 1895-1950, newspaper, 28 March 1907, p. 3, viewed 9 September 2020, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/90392728