Jane Hire (buried 1940)

At a glance

At a glance
Surname: 
Hire
First name: 
Jane
Other Christian names: 
Cecily Winifred
Gender: 
Female
Children: 
No
Burial number: 
1718
Born: 
28/12/1857
Died: 
12/03/1940
Buried: 
15/03/1940
Occupation: 
Owner of the Carlton Hotel, Western Parade, Southsea.
Distinction: 
Hotel Proprietor
Heene Hallmark: 
No
Commonwealth War Grave: 
No

The Grave

The grave
Cemetery area: 
SB
Cemetery row: 
1
Cemetery plot: 
9
what3words location: 
https://what3words.com/policy.year.causes
Burial remains: 
Unknown
The headstone
Endowed grave: 
No
Headstone description: 
EndowedGrave: Cut grass and keep tidy
Headstone inscription: 
In loving memory of Gertrude Eleanor wife of Capt. F. Hire R.N. who departed this life 24th July 1903 aged 45 years "Til death us join" and of his wife Ottilde Lisa 10th Jan. 1907. In loving memory of Frederick Hire Captain Royal Navy died 27th November 1911 aged 65 years R.I.P. Also of Cicely Hire 12th March 1940 "Make them to be numbered with Thy saints in Glory Everlasting"

Life story

Life story

Jane Cicely Winifred Ball was born on 23rd December 1857 in Aston, Warwickshire. Her parents were Edward John Ball, 52yrs, Silversmith, and Anne Ball, 35yrs, nee Potter; Jane had 2 older siblings, Edward H. 5yrs, and Margaret E. 3yrs.

Jane remained single until she was 51yrs old when she married Frederick Hire, 63yrs, a retired Royal Navy Captain who lived at Idlehurst, Winchester Road, Worthing, Sussex; he had been twice widowed, and Jane was his third wife. The marriage took place on 29th April 1909, at St. Peter's, Stratton, Gloucestershire, where her brother, Edward, was a clergyman.  Jane owned the 59 roomed Carlton Hotel, Western Parade, Southsea, where she was staying on census night 1911, she was the signatory on the census declaration. In 1914, the manageress of the hotel was Miss Edith Ball, almost certainly her niece.

Jane's husband died just two years later in November 1911, leaving estate of £3220 5s 7d. Value 2021 -£389K. Jane sold Idlehurst shortly afterwards and moved to London, living first at 144a, Abbey Road, Hampstead, and then at 17, Craven Hill Gardens, Lancaster Gate, London W2, where she died, aged 82yrs, on 12th March 1940.

Probate was granted to her nephew, The Reverend Edward Foley Ball, Clerk, and niece, Edith Mary Keith Ball, Spinster. Effects £16,458 15s 8d. Value 2021 - £945K. (Care of Barclays Bank, Southsea).

Burial researcher: 
Maggi Martin

Further information

Birth
Date born: 
28/12/1857
Marriage
Maiden name: 
Ball
Marriage 1
Spouse one first names: 
Frederick
Spouse one last name: 
Hire
Marriage one date: 
29/04/1909
Marriage one address: 
Stratton, Gloucestershire, England

Death

Death (details)
Date of death: 
12/03/1940
Age (at time of death): 
82
Cause of death: 
Unknown
Address at time of death: 
17 Craven Hill Gardens, London W2, Paddington, London, England
Personal effects
Executors: 
Edward Foley Ball status: Clerk in Holy Orders: Edith Mary Keith Ball status: Spinster
Probate pounds: 
£16,458

Census and miscellaneous information

Census information
1861 census: 

Living at Potters Farm, Walsall Road, Aston, Warwickshire. Edward J. Ball, 55yrs, Silversmith, wife, Anna, 38yrs, 3 children, Edward H. 8yrs, Margaret E. 6yrs, Jane C.W. 3yrs, plus 2 domestic servants.

1871 census: 

Living at Coleshill Street, Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire. Edward J. Ball, 65yrs, Silversmith, wife, Anna, 48yrs, 3 children, Edward H. 18yrs, Margaret E. 16yrs, Jane C.W. 13yrs, plus 1 domestic servant.

1881 census: 

Living at 26, London Road, Tunbridge, Kent.  Anna Ball, widow, 59yrs, Land and Houses, daughter, Jane C.W. Ball, 23yrs.

1911 census: 

Carlton House Hotel, Southsea, Hampshire
Carlton House Hotel, Southsea, Hampshire

Carlton House Hotel, Southsea, Hampshire. Jane Cicely Winifred Hire, 53yrs, Head, married.

1921 census: 

Living at the Carlton Hotel, Southsea, Hampshire. Jane Cicely Winifred Hire, 63yrs, widow, Hotel Proprietor.

1939 register: 

27, Shelley Road, Worthing. Jane C. W. Hire, widow, living on private means.

Miscellaneous information

Portsmouth Evening News – Thursday 10th December 1914,

Hotel Manageress Sued.       Before his Honour Judge Gye. Alice Bertha Churchill, of Clarendon Road, Southsea, for whom Mr. George Hall King, appeared, sued Miss Edith Ball, manageress of the Carlton Hotel, Southsea, represented by Mr. B. J. Gilbert, for   £1 6s. 0d., month's wages in lieu of notice. Plaintiff was stated to have been in the defendant’s employ for two years without complaint. She was given holiday from Monday to Monday but returned Tuesday. On the previous day she had been in Lyndhurst with her brother, and had missed her train back, owing to all the regular trains being required to convey troops. When she returned to the Carlton Hotel, she was told to pack her box and leave. She asked to be allowed to work out her month, but that was refused, and she had to leave the hotel between eight and nine in the evening. For the defence it was contended that the action referred to was necessary for the sake of discipline. ln giving judgment for the plaintiff, for the full amount claimed with costs on the C scale, his Honour said he had never heard anything more brutal than the act of the defendant in turning a young girl out onto the streets of Portsmouth late at night, when those streets were swarming with soldiers and sailors, and there were consequently many temptations. His only regret was that he could not give the plaintiff damages instead of only the amount she had claimed.

Pencil sketch of Jane Hire by Fred Roe
Pencil sketch of Jane Hire by Fred Roe

Fred Roe

(1864-1947) Artist of 224 portraits A genre painter and illustrator, Fred Roe studied at Heatherley's School of Art. He first exhibited his art at the prestigious Royal Academy in 1877 and was elected to the RBA in 1895 and to the Royal Institute of British Painters in 1909.