Solicitor and long term resident of Hong Kong
“The Late Mr H.J. Holmes.
The death occurred yesterday, at his residence at Kowloon, of Mr. H.J. Holmes, solicitor, one of the oldest residents of the Colony. Mr. Holmes came out to Hongkong in 1862 as clerk to Mr Justice Ball, and after serving in that capacity for a few years he was admitted to practice as a solicitor. At one time, he took a considerable interest in public affairs, and for many years held a commission in the Volunteer Corps. Till the last he took a keen interest in sport, and especially in rifle shooting, although he has not been seen so frequently on the range in recent years. He leaves a widow, and a grown up family, one of his sons – a lieutenant in the Royal Irish Fusiliers – being at present a prisoner at Pretoria. Much sympathy is felt for Mrs. Holmes and family. The funeral took place at the Happy Valley this afternoon, and was largely attended.”
Source: The China Mail, page 2, 4th December 1899 and The Hong Kong Daily Press, page 2, 4th December 1899
Comments
Further information
Freemasonary membership in Hong Kong
1884 Principal Residents
Kowloon Directory 1894
Holmes, H. J.
Source: The Directory & chronicle for China, Japan, Corea, ... 1894.
He was buried in Section 23, Row 2, Grave number 5 of the Hong Kong Colonial Cemetery, Happy Valley, Hong Kong 4th December 1899
23---/02/05-Sacred to the memory / of / Henry James Holmes / December 3rd 1889 / aged 59 years# 6195HolmesHenry James1889-12-0359540823---/02/05-Sacred to the memoryofHenry James HolmesDecember 3rd 1889aged 59 yearsSacred to the memory
of
Henry James Holmes
December 3rd 1899
aged 59 years
Henry James Holmes
Marriage Carl Smith Card
Henry James Holmes Clerk to Supreme Court married Jeannie Foster Kennard 16 October 1871 St Johns Cathedral
UK Probate Calendar 1962
Jeanie (sic) Foster Holmes of 117 The Grove Ealing widow died 6 February 1900 at St. Saviour's Home Osnaburgh Street Middlesex Probate to David Kennard surgeon the attorney of Harold Kennard Holmes.
Date of Death 3 December 1889 or 1899 ?
Carl smith Card 109987 gives date of death 3 December 1899
Date of death 1889 aged 59 conflicts with birth date of circa 1840
Initially I was confused but
Initially I was confused but then the penny droppped - I copied and pasted somebody's mistranscribed year of 1889. It's definitely 1899 - even the gravestone photo is clearly 1899. However findagrave says age is 39! (incorrect!)
What I have done is crossed off the original incorrect post and repasted with the correct year.
Thanks again for your sharp eyes ann
Age at Death
Over the years I have has many problems with age at death records. Often the informant is not a close family member or has a guess not knowing the date of birth. I enlarged the photo of the grave which is unreadable. Find a Grave only shows the death date. The comment aged 39 years is clearly visible on the enlargement but nothing else is clear.
“The first meeting of the…
“The first meeting of the Hongkong Rifle Association was held this afternoon in the Hongkong Hotel. There were present Lieut. Col. Anderson, Mr J.D. Humphreys, Mr Alfred Woolley, Col. Foster, Major Dempster, Mr E.L. Woodin, Mr G.T. Hopkins, Major Tripp, Mr H. Holmes, and Mr Ed. Osborne, honorary secretary and treasurer. A set of rules and byes laws were drawn up and adopted. The Hon. T. Jackson was appointed president for the ensuing year, and the Provisional Committee, with the addition of Mr Danby, was appointed a Permanent Committee for the ensuing year. It was agreed that Mr Jackson be requested to wait upon His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, and ask him to become a patron of the Association.”
Source: The China Mail, page 3, 17th March 1886