The purpose of this report is to provide biographical information on James Kippist,
who is buried in the Maesbury Cemetery. When Maesbury Cemetery was renamed
Pioneer Park the details of all residents of the cemetery went missing, including
James’ details. This short report will provide a factual history of James’ life, as
well as hypothetical inferences based upon knowledge of life in the 19th Century.
Information will include James’ marriage and children, his career, his children’s
deaths and marriage, his grandchildren and his and his wife’s death. However, due
to the moderately large amount of biographical information that was available on
James and his family, this report will focus mainly on the factual data.
The 1841 England Census reveals a James Kippist was born about 1826 in
Middlesex, England, with his residence in 1841 being Middlesex, England
(Ancestry.com™, 2009). The England Census also revealed a Susan Crawford
born about 1821 in Middlesex, England (Ancestry.com™, 2009). It is likely that
James Kippist married Susan Crawford early in 1846. James registered a marriage
in the Jan-Feb-Mar quarter in Hackney, Middlesex, London in 1846 (Ancestry.com
™, 2009). The marriage registration is assumed to belong to James and Susan as it
fits with the year their first child C.S was born (refer Appendix A). James, Susan
and C.S emigrated to South Australia on the Ramillies on the 25th March 1849
(Index to Ships from Overseas 1836-1900).
According to Statton (vol F-K, 1986, p.915), James and Susan had seven children;
it should be noted however, that Wm Ed was most likely not James and Susan’s
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child as Susan had already given birth to a child, Ann Susan, on the 15th March
1855 (refer Appendix A: ‘Family Details’).
Furthermore, on the Maesbury
Cemetery list a William Edward is listed as being born to George Marchant Kippist
and Eliza Price on 18th June 1855 and dying on 22nd December 1855. Therefore, it
is more likely that James and Susan had six children.
James’ occupation was a grocer, he lived in Adelaide and his religion was Church
of England (Statten, vol F-K, 1986, p.915). The following article found in The
South Australian Advertiser, Thursday the 26th December 1861 (NLA Australian
Newspapers beta) further verifies James’ occupation as a grocer and also narrows
down the Kippist’s possible home address to Pirie Street, Adelaide
KIPPIST.-On
Dicember
19,
at
Pirie-street,
James
Edmund, second son of James and Susan Kippist (grocer),
aged 8 years and u months.
As a grocer, the Kippist’s probable Pirie Street lodgings would have been
convenient for James. Fischer and Seamark (2005, p.38) state that ‘the earliest
markets selling garden produce were located at the corner of Rundle Street and
Gawler Place in 1840’, and that ‘growers and hawkers…congregated there to sell
their produce’. Pirie Street is located two streets away from the initial Rundle
Street markets (refer Appendix B) making it an ideal position from which James
could set out early in the morning to buy his wholesale produce from growers and
resell it from his own market stall.
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James must have worked hard at his small grocery stall. By 1874 James had
upgraded his occupation from ‘Grocer’ to ‘Storekeeper’ (Williams, 1874, p.145).
Fischer and Seamark (2005, p.38) claim that City Markets were eventually
established between Gouger and Grote streets in 1869. James may have opened up
his own store in the City Markets in or after 1869, making it possible for him to call
himself a storekeeper.
Unfortunately for the Kippists only one of their children, Adelaide Maria, survived
to adulthood (refer Appendix A). The unhealthy conditions in 19th Century
Adelaide could have played a major role in the children’s untimely deaths. The
Observer (in Colwell and Naylor, 1981, p.50) notes that in 1848 and even up to ‘as
late as 1856’ Adelaide was a ‘filthy city’ with ‘stagnant fetid water [and] dung
heaps’, and that the unsanitary conditions provided ‘employment for the
undertakers of the district’. It was lucky for Adelaide Maria that the family’s
fortunes soon began to rise.
With his growing business, and increased transport options, James and Susan could
have moved out of the city of Adelaide any time after 1870. As a result of
witnessing ‘horse tramways in use in Europe and America’ many colonists had
been pushing for a similar transport system to be available in Adelaide; a tramline
‘from Rundle Street to Kensington and from North Terrace to North
Adelaide…began operating in 1870 (Gibbs, 1984, p.168-169). With the availability
of transport, more dwellings were built around the city of Adelaide. From the early
‘humble dwellings’ that had been built around Adelaide, ‘rather grand stone
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houses’ began to be built from 1870 onwards (Whitelock, 1985, p.179). These
larger houses were usually built ‘on large blocks of at least a quarter of an acre
[and] proliferated in North and South Adelaide and in inner suburbs’ (Whitelock,
1985, p.179). By the time of James’ death in 1890 the Kippist’s were living in the
city in Norwood (District Norwood; Index to deaths, 1898). It is quite possible that
the Kippists moved much earlier than 1890, and, with a large block to run around
on and away from the perhaps unhealthy atmosphere of the city, Adelaide had more
of a chance at good health than her unfortunate siblings.
Adelaide Maria Kippist married Andrew Cumming (South Australian Marriages
Index of Registrations 1842-1916, 2001, Vol I-M, p.1026);
a further search
revealed that Andrew Cumming, 31 years old (father William Cumming) married
Adelaide Maria Kippist, 18 years old (father James Kippist) at the residence of
Reverend HJ Lambert in Norwood, Adelaide on the 11th June 1881 (South
Australian Marriages Index of Registrations 1842-1916, 2001, Vol A-C, p.412), a
fact which further suggests the Kippist family moved to Norwood much earlier
than 1890. Andrew Cumming arrived in South Australia by 1885 (Statton, vol AE, 1986 p.355). However, further searching revealed no record of the actual date of
his arrival in South Australia (refer Appendix C).
Registered in the South Australian Births 1842-1906 (Appendix D) are two
children to Andrew and Adelaide Cumming: Adelaide Mary Cumming, born on the
4th December 1883 and Andrew Alexander Cumming born on the 12th July 1881; at
the time of the children’s births, the Cumming family lived at Upper Kensington.
4
Adelaide Maria Cumming died on the 5th October 1885 at Statenborough Street,
Upper Kensington (home) of typhoid fever which she had for two weeks prior to
her death; at the time of her death Adelaide’s husband, Andrew Cumming, was a
‘Drapers window dresser’(District Norwood; Index to deaths 1885).
Andrew Cumming re-married on the 2nd August 1888 to Ellen Theresa McCullogh
at the Baptist Church, Adelaide (South Australian Marriages 1842-1916). Perhaps
Andrew was grief-stricken by the death of his first wife and could not bear to
continue to live near the city that bore her name, for the newly wed couple moved
interstate not long after their marriage. No births are recorded in South Australia for
Andrew and Ellen Cumming (South Australian Births 1842-1906). Search was
then widened to other states, which revealed the birth of Sydney G Cumming to
Andrew and Ellen T Cumming in 1891 in Sydney. reg No 1116/1891 (N.S.W
Registry of BDM 1842-1915). There are no marriages or deaths recorded for any of
the Cummings children in both 1842-1915 and 1917-1937 either in Victoria,
Tasmania, New South Wales or South Australia (Victoria BDM1842-1915 and
1917-1937, Tasmania BDM 1842-1915 and 1917-1937, New South Wales BDM
1842-1915 and 1917-1937 South Australia BDM 1842-1915 and 1917-1937).
James Kippist died on the 17th July 1890, he was 66 years old and his occupation
was a gentleman; he died at Sydenham Road, Norwood (home) of pleuro
pneumonia which he had for 5 days, and the undertakers were Pengilly and Knabe
(District Norwood – Index to deaths 1898, Book 8 # 183: Microfiche). Susan
Kippist, widow of James Kippist, gentleman died on the 16th September 1898, she
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was 77 years old; she died at Sydenham Road, Norwood (home) of pneumonia and
heart disease; the undertakers were Downs of North Adelaide (District Adelaide –
Index to deaths 1898).
As there is no record of James’ descendant’s deaths or marriages (after Adelaide
Cumming) it is possible that they either moved overseas, or to a state in Australia
where details are not yet available on the SAGHS database. However, a search of
the National Archives of Australia database (Australian Government, n.d) revealed
the following
HARRISON Edgar Thomas: Service Number 2256 : Place of Birth - North Kensington SA : Place
of Enlistment - Keswick SA : Next of Kin KIPPIST James Crawford
The above search was included due to the next of kin’s name which includes both
James’ name and Susan’s maiden name, Crawford, and, the district of North
Kensington.
Perhaps one of Adelaide’s children did eventually return to
Kensington to be near where their parents had lived and upon the birth of their
child named him after their deceased great grandparents. James’ legacy may still
live on through his and Susan’s namesake James Crawford Kippist.
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References
Ancestry.com 2009, UK Census Collection results for James Kippist,
viewed 16th April, 2009.
<http://search.ancestry.com/cgibin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=2&msT=0&gss=angsi&dbOnly=_F00027FE%7c_F00027FE_x%2c_F0003908%7c_F0003908_x&ne=2
&gsln=Kippist&gsfn=James&sourceid=8716&gl=UKICen&prox=1&o_iid=8716&
o_lid=8716&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0>
Ancestry.com 2009, UK Census Collection results for Susan Crawford,
viewed 16th April, 2009.
<http://search.ancestry.com/cgibin/sse.dll?MS_AdvCB=1&gl=UKICEN&rank=1&new=1&so=3&MSAV=2&ms
T=1&gss=ms_f77&gsfn=susan&gsfn_x=1&gsln=crawford&gsln_x=1&rg_81004010__date=1821
&81004010__date_x=1&msbpn__ftp=england%2C+middlesex&msbpn_x=1&msb
pn__ftp_x=1&msrpn_x=1&msrpn__ftp_x=1&_8000C000_x=1&_80008000_x=1&
_80018000_x=1&_80010000_x=1&gskw_x=1&ne=2>
Australian Government ND, National Archives of Australia, viewed 30th April 2009,
<http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/Items_listing.asp?S=6&F=1&O=0&T=I&C=8>
Colwell, M and Naylor, A 1981, Adelaide; An Illustrated History, Hong Kong, MCP.
District Adelaide; Index to deaths 1898, Fiche No 6, 16 July-Dec 1898, SAGHS
Microfiche viewed 21st April 209.
District Norwood; Index to deaths 1885, (Adelaide Cumming) Book 3 #359 – SAGHS
Microfiche viewed 21st April 2009.
District Norwood; Index to deaths 1898, (James Kippist) Book 8 #183 – SAGHS
Microfiche viewed 21st April 2009.
7
District Norwood; Index to deaths 1898, (Susan Kippist) Fiche No 6 of 16 July-Dec 1898 –
SAGHS Microfiche viewed 21st April 2009.
Fisher, P and Seamark, KH 2005, Vintage Adelaide, Adelaide, Custom Press.
Gibbs, RM 1984, A History of South Australia: From Colonial Days to the Present,
Blackwood, Peacock Publications.
Index to Ships from Overseas 1836-1900, Adelaide, South Australian Genealogy and
Heraldry Society Inc.
NLA Australian Newspapers beta ND, viewed 22nd April, 2009,
<http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/19193?zoomLevel=1.>
N.S.W Registry of BDM 1842-1915, SAGHS online, viewed 21st April, 2009.
N.S.W Registry of BDM 1917-1937, SAGHS online, viewed 21st April 2009.
South Australian Births 1842-1906, SAGHS online, viewed 21st April 2009.
South Australian Births 1917-1937, SAGHS online, viewed 21st April 2009.
South Australian Deaths 1842-1915, SAGHS online, viewed 21st April 2009
South Australian Marriages 1842-1906, SAGHS online, viewed 21st April 2009.
South Australian Marriages Index of Registrations 1842-1916, Vol A-C, 2001, Netley,
South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society Inc.
South Australian Marriages Index of Registrations 1842-1916, Vol I-M, 2001, Netley,
South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society Inc.
8
Statton, J 1986, Biographical Index of South Australians 1836-1885 A-E Vol 1, Adelaide,
South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society Inc.
Statton, J 1986, Biographical Index of South Australians 1836-1885 F-K Vol 2, Adelaide,
South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society Inc.
Tasmania, BDM 1842-1915, SAGHS online, viewed 21st April 2009.
Tasmania, BDM 1917-1937, SAGHS online, viewed 21st April 2009.
Victoria BDM 1842-1915, SAGHS online, viewed 21st April 2009.
Victoria BDM 1917-1937, SAGHS online, viewed 21st April 2009.
Whitelock, D 1985, Adelaide: A Sense of Difference, Adelaide, Savvas Publishing.
Williams, J 1874, The Adelaide Almanac, South Australian Directory, Adelaide, Williams.
9
10
11
Appendix C
Unsuccessful internet Searches
The National Archives Search Results
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/search/search_results.aspx?&st=q&aqgQueryText=k
ippist&queryText=kippist&searchText=kippist&queryType=ALL
No marriages for Kippest or Kippist recorded under: Marriages South Australia
http://www.familyhistorysa.info/births-marriages-deaths/marriages.html
The Ships List, 2009
http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/ No Kippist or Kippest
Online English Names Directory
http://www.list.jaunay.com/engnames/index.html No Kippist or Kippest
Australian Dictionary of Biography - Online Edition
http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/adbonline.htm accessed 30/03/2009. No results under
Grocer, Cummings or Kippest.
Tried this Website for shipping records for Kippist/Kippest or anything resembling mane:
Convictions Australian Shipping
http://www.blaxland.com/ozships/ No record.
12
Information from The SA Genealogy and Heraldry Society 21/04/2009
Kippist, Jas, Bookeeper, Sydenham Rd Norwood.
In: Sands and McDougall South Australian Directory 1885
Publisher: Sands and McDougall: Adelaide, 1885, p.277.
1874, James Kippist, Storekeeper, Pirie Street Adelaide.
In: The Adelaide Almanac, South Australian Directory, 1874
Publisher: J Williams, Adelaide. P.145.
Adelaide Maria Cumming, died 5/10/1885, 23yo. Wife of Andrew Cumming, Drapers
Window Dresser,
Died at Statenborough Street, Upper Kensington (home).
Cause of Death: Typhoid fever which she had for 2 weeks.
In: District Norwood – Index to deaths 1885, Book 3 #359. (Microfiche).
Andrew Cumming Re-married 2/8/1888 to Ellen Theresa McCullogh at Baptist Church,
Adelaide
In: South Australian Marraiges 1842-1916
Birth of Sydney G Cumming to Andrew and Ellen T Cumming in 1891 in Sydney. reg
No 1116/1891.
In: N.S.W Registry of BDM (online G&H Soc).
No births recorded in South Australia for Andrew and Ellen (South Australian Births –
online G & H Soc)
No South Australian deaths recorded for Cumming Children from (refer print out)
In South Australian Death 1842-1915 (on-line G & H Soc)
No Marraiges for Children recorded 1842-1915 or 1917-1937
In Vic/Tas or South Australia (Online SA G & H Soc)
James Kippist, 66yo, 17/07/1890, Gentleman,
Died at Sydenham Road, Norwood (home) of Pleuro Pneumonia which he had for 5 days.
Undertakers Pengilly and Knabe
In: District Norwood – Index to deaths 1898, Book 8 # 183. (Microfiche).
Susan Kippist, Widow of James Kippist, Gentleman
Sydenham Road, Norwood (home) of Pneumonia and Heart Disease.
Undertakers: Downs of North Adelaide.
In: District Adelaide – Index to deaths 1898, Fiche No 6 of 16 July-Dec 1898.
(Microfiche).
13
Kippist, James, Wife and Child (x3) in 1849
In: Key to Newspaper Index 1846-1887 H-K
Arrived from London on the Ramillies on 25/03/1849
In: Index to Ships from Overseas 1836-1900.
Information from Victor Harbor Public Library:
Nothing under Kippist, but all dates match for:
Kippest, James. par: C.S. b: c.1824. d. 17-7-1890. bd: Norwood S.A. arr: 1848.
occ: Grocer. res: Adelaide rel: Church of England. m : Susan
Kippest, Susan: b: c1821. d: 16/9/1898. Children:
C.S (1846-1851
Richd K 1850-1850
Jas Ed 1853-1861
Ann S c1855-1866
Wm Ed c1855-1855
(* look further into this one)
R.E 1856-1856
Maria Adelaide 1863Biographical Index of South Australians 1836-1885 f-k Vol 2
Editor: Jill Statton. Compiled and published by South Australian Genealogy and
Heraldry Society Inc. 1986: Gillingham Printers Pty Ltd of Adelaide South Australia.
P.915
**No marriages recorded for James and Susan Kippest (or Kippist), However marriage
found for:
Kippist, Adelaide Maria M Cumming Andrew
In South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society Inc, South Australian Marraiges
Index of Registrations 1842-1916, Vol 3 I-M, p.1026. South Australian Genealogy and
Heraldry Society Inc, Printed by Endeavour Print Document Service, Netley, South
Australia, 2001.
Which then led to…
Cumming, Andrew, 31y, s, (f. William Cumming) m 11 Jun 1881 Kippist, Adelaide
Maria 18y s (f. James Kippist) at Res of Rev HJ Lambert Norwood Dist Adelaide.
In South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society Inc, South Australian Marraiges
Index of Registrations 1842-1916, Vol A-C, p.412. South Australian Genealogy and
Heraldry Society Inc, Printed by Endeavour Print Document Service, Netley, South
Australia, 2001.
Which then led me to…
Cumming, Andrew. arr: by 1885 m: Adelaide Maria b c1862. d: 18-5-1885. bd:
Payneham, SA.
Biographical Index of South Australians 1836-1885 A-E Vol 1
14
Editor: Jill Statton. Compiled and published by South Australian Genealogy and
Heraldry Society Inc. 1986: Gillingham Printers Pty Ltd of Adelaide South Australia.
P.355.
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