Hugh Hogarth was something of a legend among his descendents and his story had been remembered for several generations.
Hugh Hogarth was born in September 1839 in Campbeltown, Argyllshire. His father, also Hugh Hogarth, probably a distillery worker, was born in 1806 and his was mother Janet Harvey; both from the Campbeltown area. They married in 1829 and had at least four other children besides Hugh, Robert born 1833, Mary born 1830, William born in 1832 and Elizabeth born in 1842. In the 1841 census they are living in Saddell Street in Campbeltown. By 1861 Hugh is living in Longrow with his mother and Robert, there is no mention of the father. Hugh is described as a ‘draper’s assistant,’ there are a couple of drapers trading in Longrow so it is possible he ‘lived above the shop.’
Campbeltown was a small town on the Kintyre Peninsula it was notable for its whiskey distilleries ( in Pigot’s National Commercial Directory of Scotland in 1837 there are 27 listed), ship building and fishing. It is celebrated in a folk song
Now Campbeltown Loch is a beautiful place,
But the price of the whisky is grim.
How nice it would be if the whisky was free
And the Loch was filled up to the brim.
It also had a tanning industry; Hugh’s brother Robert became a tanner with his uncle, James Harvey and later a grocer with premises at 42 Saddell Street which he occupied for almost 50 years. He died in 1921, aged 88, at his residence Craigowan House leaving a not inconsiderable estate valued at £1,186 11s 4d.
Unlike his brother, Hugh was a restless soul and did not settle in his native town. In 1862 he is on board The Queen of the North, travelling to New Zealand. The Daily Southern Cross describes the arrival on the ship in July of that year
The ship ”Queen of the North’ … arrived here yesterday evening from London, bringing with her over 100 passengers and general cargo. She left the Downs on the 9th April, and had easterly winds down the Channel. Caught steady North East trades in 30o north, which carried the ship to 2o north. Crossed the line on the 2ns May, in 20o west. On the 30th April, spoke the ship ‘Broadwater’, 90 days from China to England, by which a mail was sent. The run to the Equator was quick, occupying only 22 days. The South East trades were unsteady, Made the meridian of the Cape of Good Hope on the 8th June, and ran down the easting between the parallels of 42o and 45o south. The farthest southing made was 46o. From the meridian of the cape to Tasmania experienced heavy gales and unsettled weather. On the 9th June in 44o 26′ south, and 24o 58′ east, at 10.30am, shipped a heavy sea, which fell on the cabin and sent large quantities of water down the main and after hatches. On Monday, June 16, in 42o 2′ south and 53o 21′ east took a heavy sea on the starboard quarter, which washed away the binnacle, wheel, and gratings, and broke the glass of the skylights, sending down much water into the fore and after saloons, and almost washing away the man at the wheel. Another heavy sea was shipped after that, which did some damage, washing away some hen coops, and breaking in the fore and after cabin skylights. On Friday, the 27th June, 41o 36′ south, 95o 54′ east, signalled the ship ‘Gray’s', Liverpool to Melbourne, out 87 days. Sighted the South West Cape of Tasmania on the 16th July, at 9am, bearing N E, distant 26 miles. From thence to the New Zealand coast had more than a week of northerly weather. Sighted the Three Kings at 9am on the 28th; on Tuesday morning was off Cape Brett; was abreast of the Poor Knights at noon; passed the Little Barrier at 6pm; brought up at 7, and at 10pm, hove to close under Tiri. At daylight yesterday made way, and beat up against the wind, fetching the anchorage at 6pm. The passengers were healthy throughout.
Clearly, this was not a journey for the faint-hearted.
The New Zealand that Hugh reached was still in the early stages of colonial development, although around that time the first municipal rates were levied and basic utilities such as street lighting and mains water were put in place. His son Peter stated that Hugh had fought in the Maori Wars and his great-grandson clearly recalls souvenirs of New Zealand in the possession of the family. Since he was living in Auckland this is highly likely and confirmed in the archives of the war
Roll A. A – M Nominal Return of Officers and Men of the colonial Forces who have made application for the New Zealand War Medal for services performed prior to the 31st December 1866, and those whose claims are admitted by the Commissioners. Hogarth Hugh Private Auckland Volunteers
However, it may not be quite that clear-cut
1864/715 Mar 04 Applications for exemptions paying £10 for substitutes – Hugh Hogarth, Auckland Rifle Volunteers
Hugh returned to Campbeltown where he married. His bride was Jane Smith Bryce, the daughter of James Bryce, a Glasgow wine merchant. The Bryce family owned Davaar House, which still stands just outside Campbeltown, and Jane’s mother, Flora Clark had associations with the area. Flora Clark was born on 6th June 1813 and baptised on 10th June 1813 in Campbeltown, the daughter of John Clark, a farmer, and Jean Smith who were married 4th February 1808 in Campbeltown. The births of four of Flora’s siblings are recorded in Campbeltown, Jean born in 1811, Janet in 1815, and two younger brothers, Peter born in 1820 and John born in 1822. Davaar is the name of an island just off the nearby coast which is now famous for painting of Christ on the Cross dating to the late 1880s. Legend in the family claims that Hugh courted the governess in the house and eventually eloped with the daughter. Certainly, there was a social gap between Hugh and his wife’ They married in Campbeltown in September 1867; Jane was 27, which was relatively old for a woman to marry at that time.
This is the marriage certificate for the marriage of Hugh and Jane. (From material in possession of one of her direct descendents)
The newly married couple returned to New Zealand on board The Maori, arriving in Auckland Feb 6 1868. The Daily Southern Cross in October 1868 births page records
“On September 2, at Wakefield-street, the wife of Mr. Hugh Hogarth, of a daughter”.
Their first child must have been conceived on the voyage to New Zealand. There were four surviving children born in New Zealand, Henrietta, Janetta, Hugh, and James. In 1869 the Glasgow Herald records the death of Hugh Hogarth’s infant daughter, Flora. Life in what was effectively a frontier town must have been very tough for a woman who family memories suggest was refined and educated – her great-grandson was told that she liked to read in Spanish. It is unknown exactly how long they stayed in New Zealand, but by 1881 they are back in Jane’s native Glasgow, where the census records them at 16 Leven Street in the affluent Pollokshields area. The Bryce family also lived in this area. Hugh is still described as a draper.
In the 1891 Census the family is not living at the same address. Jane Hogarth is recorded at 20 Melville Street, a short distance from the address in the 1881 census. The head of the household is Flora Bryce (formerly Clark) now 77. Also at this address is Henrietta McLennan, Jane’s younger sister who had married into the wealthy whisky family, another daughter Flora Craig and son-in-law Daniel, a “writer” (this is a Scottish term for a solicitor). It is clearly a fairly well-off house, since two servants are also recorded. Flora Bryce died very soon after the census was taken, so it is possible that her close family were gathered at her house because she was dying.
In the same census Hugh Hogarth is living close by at 25 Kenmore Street. The census gives his age wrongly at 31. At the same address is Janette H. Hogarth, 21 a music teacher; Hugh Hogarth, 20, a draper like his father; Henrietta Hogarth, 19, a telephonist; and two younger sons James, 16 and Peter, 9. A niece, Mary Cook is also present; she is the grand-daughter of Hugh’s brother, Robert.
In 1901 the situation has changed again. Living at 73 Kenmore Street is Jane, now aged 60 and described as Head of the household. Also present are her daughters, Janetta and Henrietta, and her sons James, now a stock broker, and Peter C., an engineer. Hugh is not with them, he is a patient in Glasgow Convalescent Home.
Family stories about Hugh Hogarth suggest that by the later part of his life he was violent and aggressive. It was suggested that guns were hidden from him and that he was dangerous. It was recounted that on his deathbed he asked the Minister of Religion who was attending him if his dog, Maori, would go to heaven. When given a negative reply he threatened to kill the clergyman. These may not be true stories, but they give an impression of a violent and possibly troubled man.
Related names are Cringan, Bryce, Clark/Clarke, McLennan, Craig, Allan and Kirkpatrick.
