John Peter HOBKIRK was the son of John Peter HOBKIRK & Esther STONES
Read the family history as written by John Francis HOBKIRK
Go here to view some drawings of the location in Brazil where some of the children were born.
In 1817 John Peter HOBKIRK, Sr., sent his young son John Peter HOBKIRK,
Jr., to Bahia, Brazil to work as a clerk for Baring Bros.
(See John Francis HOBKIRK family history, linked above)
John Peter HOBKIRK married Frances Mary LECESNE in 1828
Frances Mary Lescene was the daughter of Louis Francois LeCesne and M'elle Eugenie de la Peronnière
John and Frances had nine children:
John Francis HOBKIRK, born about August 1829, possibly in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Mary Coralie Eugenie HOBKIRK, born about 1830 at Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro
Louisa Jane HOBKIRK, married Rev. S.B. Fookes (per John Peter HOBKIRK obit)
Harriet Wilhelmina HOBKIRK, baptised 27 August 1835 at St. Pancras, UK t.
William Alexander HOBKIRK, born 29 October 1837 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Fanny Helen HOBKIRK, born 10 Dec 1839 and christened
5 Nov 1840, British Chaplaincy, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Fanny passed away on 31 March 1858 at
Launceston, VDL.
Henry Selby HOBKIRK, christened 13 February 1842,
Bristish Chapaincy, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
(A Henry HOBKIRK left Launceston for Sydney
14 Sep 1860 on the boat "Lady Denison")
(Henry Selby HOBKIRK arrived Victoria,
Australia from Gravesend, UK March 1870 on "Somersetshire")
Alice Eliza HOBKIRK, born 11 July 1844 and christened
23 August, British Chaplaincy, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
She married a Chas. Baird, Esq. (per John
Peter HOBKIRK obit)
From a Baird genealogy source: their marriage
is listed as Tasmania in 1868.
Ernest Chamerlain HOBKIRK, born 1851. Ernest passed away in 1910 at New Norfolk, VDL
Horace Wakeman HOBKIRK, born 15 March 1854, in Launceston,
Van Diemens Land, (Tasmania), Australia
Horace passed away in Bendigo, Victoria
or Launceston, VDL on 16 Mar 1876, age 24 years.
From JFH's book, John Peter & Francis Mary returned with the family to England in 1838.
Around 1842 the young John Francis joined his mother and family at Portsmouth,
UK, while John Peter HOBKIRK remained in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
John, sisters Mary Coralie, Louisa & Harriet were schooling in Stoke
and mother Frances Mary remained in Portsmouth, UK for 6 months
Around 1844 mother Francis Mary and children left UK for Italy to visit her 1/2 sister at Ancona, on the northeast coast of Italy, and for one year lived with Mr & Mrs Kielchen. Mrs Kielchen was probably Frances Mary's 1/2 sister, and Mr. Kielchen was born in Finland and was the Counsul General for Russia in the Roman States. For more details, view John Francis HOBKIRK writings.
In August of 1848 the family moved back to Rio de Janeiro. John Francis HOBKIRK moved into his father's counting house, while the family lived in the Tijuca Mountains, 1100 feet above sea level. About 3 months later the family was moved to the Serra Mountains, 4,000 feet above sea level, to escape "the fever."
In August of 1850 John Francis had his 21st birthday party dinner and ball at his parents home at Tijuca Mountains.
At the end of August 1851 the The Hobkirk family, excluding father John P HOBKIRK, left Rio for New Zealand on a chartered ship, the "Heinrich", a Hamburg full-rigged ship. Flour was taken along board to sell in Sydney.
In 2 February 1852 the Hobkirk family arrives in VDL, having left Victoria in January 1852. Shipping records show an arrival at Launceston, VDL, from Victoria on the ship "William". The family name is listed as Hopkirk.
In late 1853 John Peter HOBKIRK arrived in VDL, by way of the Cape. At the cape, John Peter Hobkirk boarded the steamer England, which was on its way to Australia.
Records show a J. P. HOBKIRK arrived in Launceston, Tasmania in 1854. This is probably referring to John Peter HOBKIRK.
In 1854 John Peter and his son John Francis started a business "Hobkirk & Son."
In 1855 William Alexander Hobkirk arrived in VDL from England and became a clerk for "Hobkirk & Son"
Eventually the business was sold and John Peter bought some property, and John Francis partnered with a man opening a school.
On 14 September 1860 a Mr H. Hobkirk left Launceston for Sydney on the vessel "Lady Denison" Was this Henry?
From 1865 to 1876 In 1865 John Peter HOBKIRK returned to London to establish banks in Portugal and Rio de Janeiro
The 20 June 1866 London Times says John Peter Hobkirk is about to leave Rio, rersigning his post as Managing Secretary of brazilain & Portugese Bank.
On 20 December 1866 John P Hobkirk, AGED 50(sic), left on the True Briton from Gravesend, UK, bound for Melbourne and arrived in Victoria April 1867.
John Peter HOBKIRK passed away on 24 August 1882 in VDL, aged 82. His parents are listed as John Peter and Esther.
Frances Mary LECESNE HOBKIRK passed away on 28 May 1883 in VDL at age 75.
Following is the marriage notice for John Peter HOBKIRK and Mary LECESNE, from a book printed in 1836 and the marriage notice was reprinted in 1972 in a book written by Gilberto FERREZ in Portugese and titled "Pioneiros da Cultura do café na era da Independência"
John Peter Hobkirk, bachelor, native of the county of Middlesex, England and resident of Rio de Janeiro, and Mary Frances, spinster, (minor) native of Middlehill, parish of Box (?) Wiltshire, resident of Tijuca, near Rio de Janeiro, were married in this District, by Care in writing and with consent of Sir Henry Chamberlain (...) her guardian, this 16th day of August, in the year 1828, by me Robert P. Crane, M. A. British Chaplain. " Church of England - Book 1822 / 1836, p.93, n.o91, signing as witnesses: Alexander Cunningham - Lecesne Louis William (her brother) - C. Willis (?) Williams, MD - John Kenton – EE Vidal [Emeric Essex Vidal, English marine painter] - Geo. Marsh [English businessman and founder of Teresopolis] - and others.
Following is the obituary for John Peter HOBKIRK, from the Launceston Examiner, 25 August 1882, page 2 column 6:
"Obituary: the notice in our obituary column of the death yesterday
of Mr. John Peter Hobkirk, at the advanced age of 82, will recall memories
of bye-gone days to many of our readers, the deceased gentleman having been
well-known in business circles at a time when Lanceston presented a very
different appearance to that of the present day.
Mr. J.P.Hobkirk was born in London in September 1800, was educated for mercantile
pursuits, and when only 17 left England for Bahia, the ancient capital of
Brazil, afterwards removing to the present capital, Rio de Janeiro, where
he was for some years secretary to the British Minister, and afterwards engaged
in business there.
In 1828, he married the orphan daughter of Dr. Lacesne, a ward of the British
Minister, and in 1852 Mr. Hobkirk removed with his family to Tasmania, whither
his eldest son and a former partner in Rio, the late Mr. C. Weetman had preceded
him by about 18 months, and entered into business in Launceton in partnership
with Mr. Weetman.
About 1864, Mr. Hobkirk returned to London, and was engaged by some capitalists
to establish the first English bank at Lisbon and Oporto, in Portugal, and
at Rio, which he successfully accomplished.
On Wednesday last, the 54th anniversary of his wedding day, as he was chatting
in the evening with members of his family, Mr. Hobkirk was struck down by
paralysis, and gradually sank up to yesterday afternoon, when he passed
peacefully away, surrounded by all the members of his family resident in
Tasmania.
The deceased gentleman leaves a widow and 9 children, of whom the only ones
resident in this colony are his eldest son, Mr. J. F. Hobkirk, and 2 daughters,
one of whom is married to Rev. S.B. Fookes, and the other to Chas. Baird,
Esq."
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This page was last updated on 1 June 2014