William Hilbers (buried 1939)

At a glance

At a glance
Surname: 
Hilbers
First name: 
William
Other Christian names: 
Gender: 
Male
Children: 
No
Burial number: 
1711
Born: 
14/7/1847
Died: 
28/10/1939
Buried: 
01/11/1939
Occupation: 
Scripture Reader Church of England
Heene Hallmark: 
No
Commonwealth War Grave: 
No

The Grave

The grave
Cemetery area: 
NB
Cemetery row: 
11
Cemetery plot: 
2
Burial remains: 
Unknown
The headstone
Headstone inscription: 
Alice beloved wife of William Hilbers died 15th July 1923 aged 75 Also William Hilbers died 28th October 1939 aged 92

Life story

Life story

William was born on the 14th July 1847 in Liverpool Lancashire to George James and Louisa Susanna Hilbers. William's Father George James was a Physician, Homeopathist and practioner. He was a student at Guy's Hospital, once his study was finished, he became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1841. He obtained the licence of the Apothecaries Company in 1842. He commenced his practice at Upton in Cheshire, while he was there, he formed a friendship with a Dr Chapman and Dr Chapman cured George's wife, Louisa, of neuralgia through homeopathy. This made George give the subject thorough study and led him to become a practioner of Homeopathy. In 1845 he took a degree of doctor of Medicine at the University of St. Andrews, and proceeded to Vienna to study homeopathy.  On his return to England, he settled in practice in Norwich for 18 months, then went to Liverpool to become the first physician which openly practised homeopathy. He was at Liverpool for 7 years and acquired a large practice.  He became poorly and moved to Brighton, possibly for the sea air, and his health rapidly improved. 

Headstone for George Hilbers' Father at St Nicholas' churchyard Brighton
Headstone for George Hilbers' Father at St Nicholas' churchyard Brighton

He established himself in practice where he stayed until his death in his 66th year. He was a very popular physician and there was a deep expression of grief when he died, a large memorial cross was erected by his friends in St. Nicholas churchyard in Brighton. (source The monthly homeopathic review 1883

In 1851 William Hilbers is shown to be living in 19 Bedford Street South, Liverpool with his Parents and siblings. The next time we find him is arriving in New York in 1874 and In 1880 he is living in Albemarle, Virginia, USA and was working as a Farmer. He married Alice Maria Stephens (who was also born in England) on 5th June 1883 in Albermarle, Virginia, USA, there are no record of any children being born.  William and Alice arrived back in Liverpool in December 1891. Then in April 1892 they went back to New York.  In 1901 they were finally back in England and were living at No. 2 Stratford Villa Leicester Road, Nuneaton, Warwickshire. William Hilbers was a Scripture Reader with the Church of England. In 1911 they were living at Kaiapoi, Heene Road Worthing. William is living on private means. 

On 15th July 1923 Alice died while living in Worthing and was buried in Heene cemetery. William moved to 18 Montpelier Road in Brighton, where he died on the 28th October 1939, and was also buried in Heene Cemetery with his Wife. He left £1859 5s 6d (£73144 in 2020) with probate to Lindsay Loraine Young and William Gilliatt Parkinson.

Burial researcher: 
Jackie Rooney

Further information

Birth
Date born: 
14/07/1847
Marriage
Marriage 1
Spouse one first names: 
alice Maria
Spouse one last name: 
Stevens
Marriage one date: 
05/06/1883
Marriage one address: 
United States of America

Death

Death (details)
Date of death: 
28/10/1939
Age (at time of death): 
92
Cause of death: 
Unknown
Address at time of death: 
18 Montpelier Road, Brighton, Sussex, England
Personal effects
Executors: 
Lindsay Loraine Young: William Gilliatt Parkinson status:
Probate pounds: 
£1,859

Census and miscellaneous information

Census information
1851 census: 

79 Bedford Street South Liverpool Lancashire

George James Hilbers (Head) age 33, Louisa (Wife) age 33, George (Son) age 7, Diana (Daughter) age 6, Louisa (Daughter) age 4, William (Son) age 3, Henrietta (Daughter) age 2, Emily (Daughter) age 5months, plus 4 servants

1881 census: 

This actually the 1880 census for Albermarle Virginia USA

Albermarle, Virginia, USA

William Hilbers age 33, (Farmer)

1901 census: 

No2 Stratford Villa, Leicester Road, Nuneaton, Warwickshire

William Hilbers (Head) age 53, Alice Maria (Wife) age 53, plus 1 servant

1911 census: 

Raiapoi Heene Road, Worthing Sussex

William Hilbers (Head) age 63, Alice Maria (Wife) age 63, plus 1 servant

1939 register: 

18 Montpelier road Brighton Sussex

William Hilbers age 92

Miscellaneous information

Monthly Homoeopathic Review - Dec. 1. 1883

George Hilbers, M.D. With a regret that will be widely felt do we announce the very sudden death of Dr. Hilbers, which took place at his residence in Brighton on the 80th of October. For some years past Dr. Hilbers had shown indications of cardiac mischief, together with symptoms of spinal exhaustion, rendering it necessary for him to pass a great portion of his time in a recumbent position. On the day preceding his death, he was driving about among his patients as usual. About 8 o'clock in the evening Dr Belcher received an urgent message to visit him, and found him suffering from rigors of a very severe type - indeed, it is supposed, by his exposure, in an open carriage, to the cold wind of the afternoon. Suitable measures were adopted to ensure speedy reaction, and Dr Metcalf saw him in consultation with Dr Belcher. During the night he had occasional attacks of vomiting, but slept well in the intervals. On the Tuesday morning he was apparently better, and continued to improve throughout the day, so much so, indeed, that it was with some difficulty that Dr Belcher succeeded in persuading him not to go down to dinner. Later in the evening, a bunch of keys he had was wanted; he got up and walked across the room to fetch them, gave them to his daughter, and when lying down again asked her some questions regarding her health, and before she had time to reply his hand fell back on the pillow and he was dead. Thus suddenly, in the midst of active professional work, passed away one who had for about thirty years been a conspicuous figure in the medical world of Brighton, a physician who was widely know and as widely loved and trusted by his patients, a generous hearted, highly honourable professional brother, a thorough homoeopathist, and a careful and successful practitioner. Dr Hilbers was the youngest son of H.G. Hilbers, Esq., and Diana, daughter of Sir T Whichcote, Bart. He was born in London, June 16, 1818. His early education was obtained at Totteridge, where he acquired that taste for classical literature which never left him. To the last, he favourite Horace was his daily companion. Having determined on entering the medical profession, he became a student at Guy's Hospital. His course of study being completed, he was admitted a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1841, and, in the following year, obtained the license of the Apothecaries Company. In 1843 he commenced practice at Upton, in Cheshire. Whilst there he formed a friendship with the late Dr Chapman, then practising in Liverpool. Dr Hilber's wife was, at this time, suffering an obstinate form of neuralgia, and it was the rapidity and completeness with which Dr Chapman cured her, through homoeopathy, that made him determined to give the subject that thorough study and clinical investigation the results of which led to his becoming a staunch defender and accomplished practitioner thereof. In 1845 he gave up his country practice, took his degree of doctor of medicine at the University of St Andrews, and at once proceeded to Vienna to study homoeopathy under Fleischmann. During his stay in that city he communicated an analysis of the annual report of the Hospital of Sisters of Charity at Linz - the patients in which were under the care of Dr. Reiss, a well-known homoeopathic physician at that day - to the British Journal of Homoeopathy. To this he added some observations on the position of homoeopathy in Vienna, on the condition of the Linz hospital, on the kind of diseases admitted, and the comparative mortality met with in similar cases treated homoeopathically and under the old system. On his return to England he settled in practice at Norwich, where he remained eighteen months, leaving to succeed Dr. Chapman in Liverpool. During his residence in Norwich, the death of Dr. Lubbock rendered vacant one of the appointments of physician to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. Hilbers at once offered himself as a candidate. In his address to the governors he gave a brief account of the spread of homoeopathy among the members of the medical profession, and instanced a few examples of its superiority over the ordinary methods of treatment. Out of this contest, we believe it was, that arose a series of letters relating to homoeopathy, which appeared from his pen in The Provincial Medical and Surgical Journal of the day. This was the first occasion on which a physician, openly practising homoeopathy, became a candidate for an honorary appointment in an established hospital. In Liverpool he acquired a large practice during his seven years residence there, one result of which was a serious breakdown of his health. More with the hope of a possible recovery that with any other object he went to Brighton in 1854. There he established himself in practice, and, as his health rapidly improved, he was able to throw himself into his work with a good deal of energy. Here he lived and laboured until, on the 30th of October, when he was, as we have described, suddenly called away in the 66th year of his age. It would be no easy task form a precise estimate of Hilbers as a physician. He belonged to a type of medical men but rarely met with now-a-days. It was a certain indefinable shrewdness, an almost intuitive knowledge of disease which led him to right conclusions rather than any cultivation of the more precise methods of enquiry pursued at the present time. He was an excellent illustration of the good effects of the old apprenticeship system of medical education upon a young man of naturally quick observation and perceptive powers, which had been well trained and developed previously to his entering the surgery. He was a singularly acute observer, not only of the phenomena of disease, but of character. He understood his patient as well as his patient's malady. Free from anything like affectation he impressed those who consulted him with a consciousness of his power, he made manifest a full sympathy with them in their sufferings and oftentimes their circumstances, and it was a sympathy which was thoroughly real; he felt all and often more that all he seemed to feel. When to this we dd his careful daily study of Materia Medica and his scrupulous adhesion to homoeopathy, his success as a physician is readily accounted for. Deep has been the grief expressed in Brighton among the classes of society at his death - multis ille bonis flebilis occidit. His hospitality, his conversational powers, his quaintly and strongly expressed convictions, his ready wit and humour, his fund of anecdote, his wide reading on all topics of public interest, his kind and generous sympathy with many in their hours of trial - apart from his medical skill- rendered him one of the most popular characters in that much frequented watering place. How highly appreciated he was has been manifested by numerous expressions of sympathy with his sorrowing widow and children, and the several touching references to his career in the local newspapers, one of which, referring to his burial in Preston parish churchyard, says:- "In this great town, on these cliffs where so many notable personages have passed in panoramic succession, the personality of the late Dr Hilbers was distinctly marked. None was more extensively known, and not will be recalled with a wider sympathy or deeper regret. Nor can the day be ever forgotten when, in the grey atmosphere of late autumn, but with golden clusters of leaves still adorning the trees, the solemn funeral procession passed along that magnificent road which bounds the new Park, whilst the graceful tribute of abundant flowers testified to universal respect and affection! "All present felt, no doubt, that a kind friend, a benevolent and upright man, would be seen amongst them no more. "And now the interesting mediaeval church, which contrasts so strongly with the streams of new buildings, ever flowing out from the great town, will have one attraction more for many a pilgrim who remembers with affection the kind and steadfast friend, no less than the distinguished professor of medical science." Dr Hilbers is succeeded in is practice by Dr Hale, who has recently been obliged to leave London on account of his health, It is a coincidence, not a little singular, that it was to Dr Hale that he introduced his patients when leaving Norwich thirty five years ago.