Hibbitt & Barnes Family History Blog by Annie Barnes

John Hellyer, HMS Topaze and the Easter Island Statue

Posted on 18 May 2026 by

I was recently digitising some old family photographs when I paused over an image I’d seen many times before. I suspected it showed my great‑great‑grandfather, John Gale Hellyer (sometimes spelt Hellier), but I wanted to be sure it was him and to ascertain when it might have been taken.

Photograph of John Gale Hellyer from the Family Collection

John was born in Tavistock, Devon, in about 1844 and served as a stoker in the Royal Navy. His service records trace his movements from ship to ship and so I began looking for clues. On his cap I could just make out the letters “OPA”, which immediately suggested HMS Topaze, the vessel he served on between 18th February 1866 and 1st September 1869. HMS Topaze was a wooden screw frigate, a sailing warship fitted with a steam engine. As a stoker, John would have worked deep in the ship’s engine room, shovelling coal into the boilers to keep the engines running whenever steam power was needed.

Another clue came from the backstamp on the photograph: “C. Baldwin y Ca., Fotógrafos, Calle de San Juan de Dios Nº95, Valparaíso”. This imprint matches the documented marks used by the Baldwin studio in Valparaíso during the 1860s, placing the photograph firmly within the period when Topaze was stationed there.

Backstamp on the reverse of the photograph

Realising my photograph captured him during those years opened up a much larger story – one that connected my ancestor, not only to a ship and a crew, but to one of the most remarkable episodes in the history of Rapu Nui (otherwise known as Easter Island) and the British Museum.

A Remarkable Photographic Archive

Photographs from the voyage survive today in a very rare collection known as the Photographic Album of H.M.S. Topaze: South Pacific 1866–69, which can be explored online by clicking here. Only two copies of the album are known to exist, and the one I’ve used comes from the National Library of Peru. It contains original photographs taken during the ship’s commission – images of the places the crew visited, from the Marquesas and Tahiti to Lima, Valparaíso, Santiago and, most famously, Easter Island. Among its pages are scenes documenting major events such as the aftermath of the devastating 1868 earthquake in Arica and Arequipa.

Photographic Album of H.M.S. Topaze: South Pacific 1866–69

Setting Out From Plymouth

In January 1866, HMS Topaze lay moored in the Hamoaze, the tidal estuary of the River Tamar adjacent to Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, awaiting the long journey ahead.

HMS Topaze. 31 guns. Commodore Powell CB in Hamoaze. Jany 1866.

HMS Topaze embarking powder & shell preparatory to sailing for South Pacific. 1866. Plymouth Sound.

Although the photograph of the ship in Plymouth Sound doesn’t show the men at work, the original caption hints at the activity taking place on board as the ship prepared for her deployment.

Across The World To Chile

From these early scenes in Plymouth, Topaze began her commission on the Pacific Station – a posting that would take her thousands of miles from home. By late 1866 she had reached Valparaíso, Chile, the headquarters of the station, and the album includes several photographs taken there. Knowing John was on board during these moments makes each image feel like a small window into his world.

Officers and Men. HMS Topaze. Valparaíso. 1866
(Click to enlarge)

Valparaíso, Chile

Easter Island And The Removal Of The Statue

In November 1868, Topaze visited Easter Island. The crew came across a partially buried basalt statue at the ceremonial village of Orongo. This figure, later named Hoa Hakananai‘a (meaning lost or stolen friend), was unlike the larger tuff statues seen along the island’s coast. It carried intricate petroglyphs and had deep cultural significance.

The crew excavated the statue, hauled it to the shore on a sledge, and brought it aboard ship on a raft. It must have been an extraordinary sight for John and his shipmates.

The crew of HMS Topaze posing with the Hoa Hakananai’a statue from Easter Island

The idol Hoa-haka-nan-ai brought to England from Easter Island by the “Topaze” and presented to the British Museum

The Voyage Home

HMS Topaze continued her service on the Pacific Station before returning to Britain, arriving in Plymouth on 16th August 1869. The statue, together with a second smaller one named Moai Hava, travelled with the ship. Hoa Hakananai‘a was presented to Queen Victoria, before being transferred to the British Museum. Its current location is in the Wellcome Trust Gallery (Room 24: Living and Dying). Moai Hava was donated directly to the Museum by the Admiralty but is generally not on public display.

The Hoa Hakananaiʻa figure in the British Museum
© The Trustees of the British Museum.

How The Removal Is Viewed Today

Today, many people of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) regard the removal of Hoa Hakananai‘a as a profound loss. The statue is considered an ancestor, a being with spiritual presence, rather than an artwork. In recent years, Rapa Nui representatives have formally requested its return, describing the statue as a “living being” taken without consent. Discussions between Rapa Nui authorities and the British Museum are ongoing.

Closing Reflections

Researching John Hellyer’s story has reminded me how family history often unfolds in unexpected ways. A single photograph led me from a name in a service record, to a voyage to the Pacific, to an album preserved on the other side of the world and to a moment that still resonates deeply with the people of Rapa Nui today. I’m grateful for the chance to piece together even a small part of his life and to share the journey with anyone who finds these stories as compelling as I do.

You can read more about John, beyond this voyage, on his dedicated page in my family tree: https://www.hibbitt.org.uk/familytree/fam1847.html

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Photograph of John Hellyer: Annie’s Family Archive.
HMS Topaze Album images: Álbum fotográfico de H. M. S. Topaze : South Pacific 1866-9
Source: Fuente BNP Digital / Biblioteca Nacional del Perú (BNP Digital / National Library of Peru).
British Museum Photograph: © The Trustees of the British Museum.
Shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) licence.

Posted in Ancestors Corner, Famous Connections | Tagged Hellier, Hellyer | (Leave a comment)

Through Fire, Desert and Earthquake: Grandad Ellen’s Escapades

Posted on 6 March 2026 by

Cyril Ellen standing on the footboard of a North Western Railway carriage, circa 1920. At the time, Cyril was serving with No. 31 Squadron in the North-West Frontier region of British India.

Cyril Norman Ellen wasn’t just a distinguished Air Commodore – he was Harvey’s grandad, a man whose life read like an adventure story. From dodging enemy aircraft in a burning seaplane to carving air routes across desert wilderness, surviving earthquakes and helping rebuild a nation after war, his integrity shaped every chapter of his extraordinary journey.

To Harvey, he wasn’t just a decorated officer with rare medals and a remarkable service record – he was a man remembered for his steadiness, his intelligence and the quiet strength that carried him through some of the most turbulent decades of the 20th century. His story is one of courage, resilience and duty, lived not for glory, but for the people who depended on him.

It’s an honour to share the remarkable life of the man Harvey knew simply as Grandad Ellen – steadfast, brilliant and unforgettable! Discover his full legacy on our family history page.

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Sapper George Harvey: 9th Battalion, Canadian Engineers (C.E.)

Posted on 5 November 2025 by

AI Generated Image

As Remembrance Day approaches, we pause to honour the countless individuals whose lives were forever altered by the First World War. This year, I’m looking closely at one such life – that of 2007216 Sapper George Harvey of “B” Company, 9th Battalion, Canadian Engineers, the great-grandfather from whom Harvey inherited his name.

Early Years

George Harvey, a mason and fisherman’s son, was born in Newlyn, Cornwall, on 23rd July 1884. He married Lizzie Annie Thomas on 5th April 1908 and their eldest daughter, also named Lizzie Annie, arrived in August. The following year he sailed to America on the Steam Ship Teutonic to join his brother-in-law in Houghton, Michigan.

After a period of more than five years away, George returned home to Newlyn, arriving on 6th June 1914 on the White Star ocean liner, RMS Olympic. A couple of months later the now bricklayer, embarked at Liverpool on the S.S. Merion bound for Bell Avenue, Braddock, Pennsylvania. While he was abroad, his second daughter, Marie, was born in Cornwall on 25th February 1915.

Military Service

George was still resident at Bell Avenue when, in December 1917, he enlisted at Toronto, Canada, for the Canadian Over-seas Expeditionary Force. His Attestation Paper notes four years of prior military service as a Gunner (details currently unknown).

On 11th March 1918, George arrived in England on the S.S. Metagama and was stationed at the training base at Seaford, East Sussex, before deploying to France on 23rd June. He likely arrived at Grosville, nearby Riviere, with the seventy-nine reinforcements joining the 9th Battalion on 5th July.

Mobilising for Amiens

The Battle of Amiens marked the beginning of the Hundred Days Offensive, a series of rapid Allied advances that would ultimately end the First World War. The war diary of the 9th Battalion, Canadian Engineers (C.E.) of the 3rd Canadian Division offers a compelling, day-by-day look into their intense activities. Led by Major N.R. Robertson DSO, the battalion played a critical and often perilous role in the preparations for, and execution of, the massive offensive that began on 8th August.

“B” Company’s Activities throughout July 1918

“B” Company (George Harvey’s unit) was engaged in a demanding schedule of engineering, construction, and movement during July.

The initial focus was on defensive and demolition work, including:

Patrolling.
Managing road mines: inspecting, repairing charges and fuses, and constructing and installing new ones (including a specific mine at Tank Bridge on July 14th).
Preparing points for demolition.
Constructing barbed wire concertinas.
Sawing pit props and performing carpenter work in Grosville.
Erecting shelters.
Operating and repairing the water trough system in Grosville.
Repairing the Light Railway and salvaging material and loading rails.

B Company’s July Tasks (click to enlarge)

The end of the month saw a major shift in location:

July 26th: The Battalion moved to Ecoivres.
July 30th: The 9th Battalion C.E. endured an 11-hour, 35-kilometre march in “great heat” to Brevillers.
July 31st: The 3rd Canadian Division C.E. began moving by rail and route march, with the 9th Battalion C.E. eventually billeting in the woollen mills at Saleux.

Preparations for Attack

Before the main thrust, the 9th Battalion C.E. was tasked with crucial engineering work in the forward area near Saleux and Boves. The work was high-stakes and done under enemy fire, often at night, with the added difficulty of maintaining absolute silence.

Key preparatory tasks included:

Bridging the River Luce: The battalion, particularly “A” Company, was responsible for almost all the bridging for the initial attack. This involved constructing footbridges and causeways across the swamp and the River Luce. The swamp was up to 300 yards wide, with water up to 10 feet deep in places, and the river itself about 20 feet across. The objective was to allow the Infantry to assemble on the far bank.
Creating Infantry Tracks: “B” Company constructed several miles of Infantry tracks using lines of stakes driven into the ground, about 50 yards apart, and plain wire that guided soldiers from the rear area across the fields to their assembly points and bridges over the River Luce. These tracks were essential for maintaining order and speed in the dark, chaotic landscape.
Road Work and Logistics: “C” Company worked on repairing and maintaining the main Amiens-Roye Road and other cross roads, including removing a barrier in Domart Village. Logistical challenges were immense, with the main Amiens-Roye Road experiencing traffic jams “solid for miles” at night, delaying material delivery.
Advanced Dressing Station: “D” Company converted a tunnel under the main Amiens-Roye Road, just west of Domart, into an Advanced Dressing Station. They also built a separate dry-weather Ambulance Road.

The engineers even prepared for contingencies: fascines were loaded onto tanks in case the main bridge was destroyed and signs were placed to guide walking wounded to medical aid. Their work ensured the infantry could move swiftly and that the wounded could be evacuated efficiently.

The Assault on 8th August

The diary records the commencement of the attack: The 3rd Canadian Division successfully attacked enemy positions between the Andrea Ravine and Hangard at 4:20 a.m. on 8th August 1918. The Engineers’ preparatory work was immediately validated:

Infantry Success: The Infantry assembled “undiscovered”, using the bridges and tracks laid by the Engineers.
Sapper Action: Sappers from “A” Company remained at the bridges to control Infantry traffic and repair them when broken.
Road Opening: Lieut. Jones and his section of “B” Company, assembled with the Infantry, and followed their fourth wave over, and assisted the Infantry to get over the barbed wire. They removed obstructions from the main Roye Road and had the road open for traffic, with most of the shell holes filled in up as far as Dodo Wood by about 6.30 a.m. This “exceedingly good work” allowed the artillery to move forward for the second phase of the attack. This party even captured an enemy machine gun crew of eight men and their gun near Dodo Wood.

Traffic on the Amiens-Roye Road.
Copyright © Canadian War Museum.
German prisoners carry Canadian wounded to the rear, passing a tank on the Amiens-Roye road during the Battle of Amiens. The Allies used 420 tanks during the surprise attack on 8 August 1918, but the majority had been knocked out or had broken down by the end of the battle.

Wounded in Action

Despite the success, the day was costly. The diary notes: “During the course of the operations, Lieut. Byron, and 4 O.Rs. [Other Ranks] who were with a party, under command of Lieut. Jones, were wounded“.

One of the men wounded with Lieut. Jones’ party of “B” Company was Sapper George Harvey. He received a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Despite being evacuated to No. 9 General Hospital in Rouen, George succumbed to his injuries two days later, on 10 August 1918. He is buried in St Sever Cemetery Extension in Rouen.

Honouring George Harvey

George Harvey’s story is one of countless lives shaped, and lost, by war. But through the lens of his unit’s war diary, we see more than just tragedy. We see a network of men working together under impossible conditions, building the literal and figurative bridges that carried the Allies toward victory.

As George Harvey is remembered, we also honour the 9th Battalion, Canadian Engineers, whose quiet heroism helped turn the tide of history. Their legacy lives not only in military records and battalion diaries, but in the hearts of descendants who continue to remember them.

May his name, and theirs, never be forgotten.

++ Click here to view a photograph of George Harvey, as well as his headstone and other memorials ++

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The War Diary has been digitised and can be viewed and downloaded from the Government of Canada Library and Archives website: https://www.canada.ca/en/library-archives/collection/search.html
Input the following in the search box: 9-52 war diaries 9th Battalion Canadian Engineers 1918

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Death Of A Son, Birth Of A Granddaughter

Posted on 8 September 2025 by

ON THIS DAY… 8TH SEPTEMBER

I’ve relayed the story of my great-grandfather, Henry James Weaver, many times whenever the anniversary of his death comes around. But recently, a newspaper clipping reminded me of something I hadn’t considered before – when Henry was killed, he didn’t just leave behind a widow and an unborn child. His parents, too, were mourning the loss of their second son.

The following notice appeared in the Langport & Somerton Herald on Saturday, 23 September 1916:

KILLED IN ACTION.– On Monday Mr. Henry Weaver received the sad news that his second son Pte. Henry J. Weaver of the Bucks L.I. had been killed in action. The deceased joined the army in March last and had been serving about six months. He proved an excellent and efficient soldier and a good shot gaining his “cross-guns” for marksmanship. Before going to France five weeks ago he was made a bomb thrower. He leaves a wife and one child, a girl born on the day the news of the father’s death was received. Much sympathy is expressed with the sorrowing parents and young wife in their great grief. The deceased was well known in the district and much respected. The following kind letter of sympathy conveying the news of Private Henry Weaver’s death was received from the chaplain of the regiment:- “Dear Mrs. Weaver, – I regret to have to inform you that your husband was killed last week. I buried him in a peaceful spot, where others of his fallen comrades lie. A cross will be erected to his memory and his grave will be well cared for. May God bless and comfort you. Yours sincerely, J. R. Foster.”

Langport & Somerton Herald – Saturday 23rd September 1916

Florence and the Timing of the News

Henry’s widow, Florence, was living with her parents in Tavistock, Devon, when he was killed on 8th September 1916. The newspaper reported that Henry’s parents (William Henry Weaver & Jane, née Arnold) in Curry Rivel, Somerset, received the news on the Monday prior to publication, which was the 18th September 1916 – the very day my gran was born. According to family legend, Florence wasn’t told the news for another ten days, likely because she was recovering from childbirth.

It may be that Henry’s parents received an official telegram or perhaps Florence’s parents, William Henry and Grace Smale, sent a telegram to Somerset, and later followed up with a letter that included a copy of the chaplain’s words. This would explain how the Langport Herald was able to publish the story so quickly, just five days later.

A family member still holds the original letter written by J. R. Foster. Until I saw this notice, I hadn’t realised he was the regiment’s chaplain. Interestingly, the wording in the original differs slightly from the version printed in the newspaper.

Letter from The Chaplain of the Regiment

Details Confirmed and New Insights

The article confirmed some facts I’d already known and helped to substantiate and expand on others:

Marksmanship: I knew Henry was a skilled shot, as the family still holds a silver teaspoon which he was awarded in 1914 by the North Cadbury Miniature Rifle Club. The inscription reads:
“N. Cadbury.
Miniature Rifle Club.
–1914–
February – H. Weaver.
Monthly Spoon.”
(view the spoon here.)

Army Service: I’d previously assumed Henry was conscripted, but the article says he joined the army in March 1916. While single men were “deemed to have enlisted” on 2nd March 1916, conscription for married men didn’t begin until later that year. Henry married in 1915 so he must have been a volunteer.

France: The article notes he went to France “five weeks ago,” which places his deployment around 19th August 1916. This aligns with Henry’s surviving letters. One, written from France on 25th August 1916 shortly after his arrival, fits the timeline perfectly.

The Date Of The News: My gran had always understood that the news of her father’s death arrived on the day she was born. The newspaper confirms this heartbreaking detail.

Bomb Thrower: I knew Henry had been killed by accident when a bomb (hand grenade) prematurely detonated during training at the base, but I hadn’t appreciated until now that he’d actually been assigned as a bomb thrower shortly before deployment. In the early years of the First World War, British soldiers improvised with jam-tin grenades but, by 1916, they were issued with Mills bombs. These grenades were powerful but unpredictable and bomb throwers faced enormous risks even before reaching the front line. The fact that Henry’s life ended this way underscores the harsh reality that danger for WWI soldiers was not confined to the trenches. He died alongside two others.

Closing Reflections

The cruel timing of events in September 1916 bound my gran’s birth and her father’s death together. Henry was killed on 8th September, yet the news didn’t reach his parents or his wife’s family until the 18th – the very day Florence gave birth. For Florence, the shattering reality of widowhood came a little later when she was finally told that Henry would never return.

Henry’s story is one of quiet bravery and deep loss. He was respected in his community, loved by his family and remembered with honour. Each new detail, whether from a newspaper clipping or a family keepsake, adds depth to the legacy he left behind.

Posted in Ancestors Corner, On This Day... | Tagged Smale, Weaver | (Leave a comment)

Balancing The Books – Joseph Dando: Philadelphia’s Bookkeeping Pioneer

Posted on 7 September 2025 by

Joseph Dando, the Younger (my 3 x great-grandfather), was a figure who navigated the competitive world of 19th century commerce and left a visible mark on history. Born in Bristol, Gloucestershire, and later active in Philadelphia, USA, during the 1830s and 1840s, Joseph built a career as a bookkeeper, teacher, and author. Contemporary newspapers praised his innovative bookkeeping methods and his efforts to train young men for careers in commerce. At the same time, like many entrepreneurs of his era, he was not without his faults, as I’ve found in other chapters of his life. He wasn’t simply a success story, but a complicated man whose ambitions, choices, and flaws are as much a part of his legacy as his innovations. This aspect of his journey is less about a flawless hero and more about a man navigating the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly growing American city.

From Bristol to New York and Philadelphia: The Rise of an Entrepreneur

Joseph began life in Bristol but his ambitions led him across the Atlantic and by 1835, he’d already developed his own method of bookkeeping in New York. The Journal of the Franklin Institute of Pennsylvania stated that his system, described in a series of four books, was a marked improvement over the traditional “Italian system” of double-entry bookkeeping, long criticised for being tedious and cumbersome. At the heart of his innovation was a “Journal of Settlements”, which streamlined accounting procedures and made it far more efficient. This early recognition paved the way for his eventual move to Philadelphia, where he would cement his reputation.

8th August 1839 - Public Ledger (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

One of Joseph Dando’s Advertisements –
Public Ledger (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) dated 8th August 1839

By 1839, Joseph had been in Philadelphia for about three years and he’d opened the “Institute for Book-keepers” and “Dando’s Institute for Accountants” at the southeast corner of Fifth and Walnut Streets. Advertisements from this period show him as a respected figure, with multiple “Recommendations” from prominent local businesses. These included Sampson Tams who was a merchant and importer specializing in selling various wares, primarily china, glass, and other goods and who ammassed a significant fortune, and also Frederick Fraley who was an American businessman, politician, and civic leader from Philadelphia, a co-founder of the Franklin Institute and who served as president of the American Philosophical Society. These endorsements not only reinforced Joseph’s credibility but also positioned him as a trusted source for aspiring accountants.

Educator, Author and Mentor

Joseph’s contributions went beyond his own bookkeeping. He trained young men in the practical and theoretical skills they would need in Philadelphia’s commercial sector. His advertisements served a dual purpose – inviting young men to study bookkeeping under his guidance, while also informing local businesses that competent and trustworthy bookkeepers were available through his institute. Students praised his method for combining hands-on experience with solid theory, preparing them for real-world work in the counting houses of the city.

In 1842, he published “A Complete and Infallible System of Book-Keeping by Double Entry”, allowing his innovative methods to reach an even wider audience and setting a standard for accounting practice at the time. An article in the New-York Spectator from 2nd November 1842, highlighted his reputation as a “scientific and practical accountant and teacher of book-keeping, of the very first class” in both New York and Philadelphia. It stated the book was “beautifully printed on fine paper” and was for sale by the author in Philadelphia and was also available through Stephen Dando (Joseph’s uncle) at 401 Pearl Street, New York.

A Shrewd Businessman

Joseph was not only a teacher and author but also a keen businessman. By 1844, he’d relocated to No. 31 Merchants’ Exchange on South Third Street. In 19th century Philadelphia, the Merchants’ Exchange was a prominent hub for commerce – a central building where merchants, brokers, and financial professionals conducted business. Being located there would have been a strategic choice – it placed Joseph at the centre of the city’s commercial activity, making his bookkeeping instruction highly visible and convenient for the businesses and students he served. Advertisements show he adjusted his fees to be more accessible – “five dollars below the former charges” – showing his adaptability and understanding of the city’s changing economic landscape.

The Merchants’ Exchange, Philadelphia
Lithograph published by J.T. Bowen in 1840

The Merchants' Exchange - 2017 (Google Maps)

The Merchants’ Exchange – 2017 (Google Street View)

The Merchants' Exchange on S 3rd Street - 2024 (Google Maps)

The Opposite Side of The Merchants’ Exchange on S 3rd Street – 2024 (Google Street View)

Through his teaching, publications, and ability to adapt, Joseph Dando was more than just a bookkeeper. He was a pioneer in commercial education, a respected author, and a vital link between aspiring young men and the businesses that needed their skills.

Later Career

After his years in Philadelphia, Joseph returned to England, probably around 1845, and spent a period of time working in the family’s hat-making business in Bristol. He established an accountancy firm in Manchester in around 1857 and later entered into a brief partnership with his son, William Elbert Dando, running an auditors and accountancy business there. During the mid 1860’s, he relocated to Belfast, Ireland, where he resumed practising on his own until he died in 1870. These later years show a man still engaged with his profession, adapting to new circumstances, and passing on his skills to the next generation.

Posted in Ancestors Corner | Tagged Dando | (Leave a comment)

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