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John Brinkmann
USA
151 Posts |
 Posted - 27/05/2013 : 19:21:14
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Does anyone know whether Hugh Hamilton was married or engaged to be married?
J. Brinkmann
J3752 |
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George Eagle
United Kingdom
3228 Posts |
Posted - 27/05/2013 : 21:41:20
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Hi John
I do not know the answer to your question but welcome to the Forum.
George
Hon Sec. |
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Vitesse
United Kingdom
234 Posts |
Posted - 28/05/2013 : 09:18:07
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John: there's no sign of a marriage in English records so my instinct would say not, since he was buried in Berne. His father, Claude Caulfield Hamilton, had died in 1927 and his mother had remarried by the time of Hugh's death - probably in Northern Ireland, where there are no online records to check.
Offhand, I can't think of another British driver - in any era - who died abroad and whose body was not repatriated. Swiss press reports of his funeral also suggest it was a small and quite private event, the service being held on August 29th in the hospital chapel and conducted by an English priest: his mother and stepfather (not named, unfortunately) certainly attended, but the only other noted attendees were Dr Mende of the AC Suisse, who also represented the RAC, and Dr Perlet of the organising club, although presumably Whitney Straight (at least) was also there. No mention of either a widow or a fiancée. Automobil Revue was particularly struck by the large number of floral tributes.
Sources: Ancestry, Irish National Archives, Feuille d'avis de Lausanne Aug 30 1934, Automobil Revue issue 71/1934 |
Edited by - Vitesse on 28/05/2013 09:22:33 |
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Mike the M
United Kingdom
481 Posts |
Posted - 28/05/2013 : 10:57:34
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In the piece by Cecil Kimber in the September 1934 edition of the MG Magazine he only refers to "his Mother and relatives". The Tyrone constitution of 31st August 1934 also says "sympathy to his Mother , brother and other relatives".
So again no mention of widow or fiancee.
Mike Dalby |
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Dow
United Kingdom
490 Posts |
Posted - 28/05/2013 : 11:28:12
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I found his probate record if this helps. Who was the lady it was left to.
Regards
David D
Just found that Agnes E was a Hamilton, probably his mother as
His mother was Agnes Eliz Fenn.
Is this his mothers 2nd marriage ? 1930 so seems to all fit ! so maybe not Ireland.
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Edited by - Dow on 28/05/2013 11:54:02 |
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Vitesse
United Kingdom
234 Posts |
Posted - 28/05/2013 : 13:14:20
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Probate doesn't mean it was left to her - only that she was named to administer the will. CS Chaston appears to have been a merchant mariner at some point and his probate suggests that Agnes was his second wife, having been divorced: he left two widows, the other perhaps in Malaya.
I should have back-tracked on that probate, but I originally thought I'd traced her in New York, since there's a widowed Agnes Elizabeth Hamilton, born in Northern Ireland at the right time, on the 1940 Census! Hugh's brother's name was Arthur Caulfield Hamilton, BTW. |
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
744 Posts |
Posted - 28/05/2013 : 15:54:12
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His Mum certainly was a fan of her son as she visited him both at the 1932 and the 1933 Ulster TTs.
Here she is at the 1932 event, chatting to Oscar Paterson from Belfast, Goldie Gardner's riding mechanic who was thrown out and 'deposited on the road' during the first of three aerial somersaults when they crashed during the race:
And here at the 1933 event:
It seems to me that his Mum indeed lived in Northern Ireland at the time, making it convenient for her to come and watch, but then this is just a presumption, she may well have travelled there too.
Also, I thought it was common knowledge that Hammy was an Irishman, but Dolwaenydd is in Wales ... I take it they do mean his place of birth by that and that Great Bookham, Surrey was his place of residence? This too seems a bit odd though as he worked for UM in London ...
Regards,
Cat |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
5999 Posts |
Posted - 28/05/2013 : 16:41:27
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| I think that in his book Wilson McComb referred to the fact that Hammy came from Northern Ireland but as I don't have my books to hand I can't give the precise reference. And another puzzle as I recall is who was his riding mechanic in 1933? |
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
744 Posts |
Posted - 28/05/2013 : 17:12:03
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I have seen many -period- references stating he came from Northern Ireland, how he knew the TT roads like he did the back of his hand, that he was loud and sometimes 'Irishly' foul mouthed and all that, so I was always pretty sure he really did, but for this probate ...
Also, I seem to have convinced myself I have seen another photograph of the riding mechanic from the 1933 picture in which he is actually named, but I may well have just made it up ... Will keep digging though!
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Vitesse
United Kingdom
234 Posts |
Posted - 28/05/2013 : 17:33:35
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No, Cat, Dolwaenydd would be the house name. The same address appears on Hugh's stepfather's probate notice in 1950. Great Bookham is now a built-up area, but in the 30s it would still have been quite rural.
He was born in Northern Ireland and can be found on the 1911 Census of Ireland at 23 Campsie Road, Omagh, County Tyrone:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Omagh_Urban/Campsie_Road/875287/
His father's death is recorded as in County Tyrone too. |
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
744 Posts |
Posted - 28/05/2013 : 19:51:19
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| Ah, thanks for clearing that up, makes sense! |
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John Brinkmann
USA
151 Posts |
Posted - 28/05/2013 : 20:35:07
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Thanks all for the insight. In our conversations, Countess Moy made more than one reference to Hamilton's marriage or engagement. With no evidence to support the statements, she might have been confused while reaching back 50 years.
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John Brinkmann
USA
151 Posts |
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Vitesse
United Kingdom
234 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2013 : 11:30:33
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I have just re-checked Automobil Revue's report of the funeral. This is the only direct mention of his family:
"Aus England waren seine Mutter sowie sein Stiefvater um ihren Sohne das letzte Geleite zu geben."
However, later in the report, referring to Dr Mende's speech, this passage (which I confess I originally overlooked) appears:
"Er versicherte die gebeugten Eltern und die Braut des Verstorbenen ..."
Now, "die Braut" - at least in modern formal German - means "bride". However, it can also be translated more informally as "bird" - or "chick" in US usage.
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/german-english/braut?showCookiePolicy=true
Going back further, I have a 1950s Langenscheidt German dictionary which defines it as "fiancée, bride-to-be, betrothed". This seems to be confirmed by the definition at Reverso, which also adds "girlfriend" as an obsolete usage and "bit of skirt" as another modern usage:
http://dictionary.reverso.net/german-english/Braut
Some others here, proving just what a complicated language German is!
http://www.vokaboly.de/phrases/?q=Braut&lang=de
Even so, it is worth bearing in mind that Swiss German idiomatic usages - especially from 80 years ago - may be different again!
I also wonder if "Braut" may simply be a misprint, mistranscription or mishearing for "Bruder"? |
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Brian Kelly
USA
526 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2013 : 16:48:15
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Not wanting to be morbid, but as a matter of interest, I respectfully offer this photo of Hugh's grave headstone. R.I.P.
"In Loving Memory of Hugh Caulfield Hamilton At Rest Aug. 26th. 1934.
Aged 29 Years."
Brian.
Edited; middle name spelling.
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Edited by - Brian Kelly on 08/06/2013 18:17:32 |
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Paolo Bordini
Italy
44 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2013 : 05:52:46
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We may also remember Hugh Caulfield Hamilton with a living image of him driving at the 1931 Double 12 Hours of Brooklands, when MG score with the C Type a "Bulgarian" victory, 5 MG in the first five places in its class! Hamilton won the third award during the race. I think this image has already appeared on this site. As a matter of interest I point out the strange head of a supposedly driving mechanic which sounds as an intrusion in the original picture.
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