25 November 1874 'Ewenhurst' 101 Elphin Road Launceston Tasmania Australia John Smithies Arthur & Margery Isabel

Hilda Annie Stephenson was born on 25 Nov 1874 in Hobart to Rev. Francis Ewans Stephenson (1829-1885), a Wesleyan Minister, and his wife Louisa Ann Hobday (1838-1922) who were married in Victoria in 1862. She was the seventh of eleven children. On 20 Dec 1906 Hilda married John Smithies, a clerk and public accountant, at her mother's house 'Ewenhurst', 101 Elphin Road. The marriage was performed by Hilda's brother-in-law, Rev. William R Cunningham, her sister Amy's husband. The Smithies moved to Lindisfarne where their two children were born: Arthur in 1907 and Margery in 1911. Dr Arthur Smithies was a Rhodes Scholar and a lecturer in Economics at Harvard University. Margery became a nurse. Hilda was cremated on 28 Apr 1950 aged 75. Her husband John had died on 5 Jan 1949 aged 69.

Sally Vandenberg & Marion Sargent Jun 2008