Last Updated-March 14 2001
At this stage each family will be unrelated, unless otherwise stated
The Box family were one of a small group of influential families who dominated the City Government in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth century London.
Thomas Box, Sheriff in 1279--1280- and Alderman of Walbrook Ward, 1285--1293 and Henry Box Sheriff 1294--1295 were probably members of the same family as Martin Box and Hammo Box listed below.
Our earliest traceable records so far are Martin Box was Sheriff of London in 1283--1284. He was Alderman of Cornhill Ward, 1285--1301 and was a Woolman (merchant) He died in 1301 and his will survives. From that we learn he had three sons and four daughters. they are Richard; John; Isabella; Cristina; Ellena; Adam and Petronilla.
We have more records for Hammo Box Sheriff of London, 1291--1292. He appears to have died in 1298 and left a will. He names his children John; Margery; Alice and Margaret. John born about 1265 married Alice// they had a son John born about 1290 & died 1370, married Johanna. Their son John born about 1325, married Alice//, they had a son William born 1399, married ?? had a son George born 1430 married Miss Caverly. The records of this line from here to the 1600s. get rather scrappy and are difficult to confirm.
Our next records come from the visitation of London 1568; Phillip Box of Witney, married Dorothy, daughter of Payne, son Thomas Box of Witney, married Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Rankell of Witney. Children of Thomas Box and Elizabeth; William Box; Henry Box; Ralfe Box; and Alice Box ( With the same spelling of Box, and the names William, Thomas and Alice, this family could well be connected to the family of Hammo Box.)
Our next record also is from the visitation of London, 1633--34; ( Note the e added to the name) William Boxe Esquire, Alderman of London, married Ann, daughter of Henry Phillips of London Haberdasher. Children; William Boxe; Edward Boxe; Thomas Boxe; and Martha Boxe married Robert Ford.
Family 1/ Thomas Box
The son of Josiah Box born about 1773--1815 married Ann Dixon 1-1-1794 born abt 1770. They had Mary Box 1800--1821; Robert Dixon Box born 1801--1880; , married 1825 Martha Reed; Ann Box 1803--1871; John Box 1805--1882; married 1/ Charlotte Williams, 2/ Hephziban //; Jane Box 1807--1869; Josiah Drew Box 1810--1844; and Thomas Box ? 1815--1861. I have found the baptisms at Salford, Hoy Trinity, Lancaster for the first 4 of these children, but not the last two. This raises the question of did they move in England or emigrate before 1810. Our main interest is in Thomas who married Margaret Marshall in Australia in 1844, so could he have been born in Aust. He was a sea captain and is said to have died at sea in 1861. However I have only been able to find records of his shipping activities up to 1855, so did he die earlier than 1861, another possibility is a Thomas Box at Eureka nothing else known of him, could this have been our sea captain?? John Dixon Box and Margaret Marshall had 4 children( that I know of )John Dixon Box, 1844-1921; Ann Marshall Box 1846; Mary Drew Box 1850; Thomas Robert Box 1853. .
Of the Children
Ann Marshall Box was born in Sydney; Mary Drew Box was born in Melbourne; Thomas Robert, was born in Melbourne in 1853.
John Dixon Box, was born in Cumberland, New South Wales, Australia, abt 1844; he came to Melbourne with his parents when he was about,4 years old. He married Eliza Bentick in Melbourne in 1866. His death certificate in 1921 list his occupation as an Auctioneer, he was buried in the Frankston Cemetery 18-11-1921.
John must have taken to Auctioneering later in life as the following extract is taken from a book in the State Library of Melbourne, recording pioneers of Melbourne
John Dixon Box, J.P. (Justice of the Peace ) Frankston, is a native of N.S.W. who came to Victoria in 1846. In 1867 Messrs Wren Bros. fish dealers, of Melbourne with whom he had been for many years, retired, and he in compunction with Messrs Croskell, Ritchie, and Renouf, bought the business, and also started a bakery in Frankston, the firms office is in the Fish Market Melbourne, trading under the name of Coskell, Ritchie & Co, and they average a turnover of 20,000 Pounds yearly.
Mr Box is President of the Mornington Council as well as a J.P. for the Central District.
Children of John Box & Eliza Bentick
Annie Eliza b.1864; John Thomas b. 1868; Charles Henry b.1872, married Emma Matilda Walman, Issue- Eric Dixon b. 1903; Edith Emily b.1874; Arthur Duncan b. 1875; Benjamin Baxter b. 1877; George William b. 1877 (twins ); George pre-deceased his father; Bertha Marian b. 1879; Blanche Martha b. 1881, married 1908 at Frankston Fredrick Arthur Echberg; Albert Oliver b. 1883; Olive Amelia b. 1885; Ruby Alma b. 1888.
Family 2/ Eliab Box
Eliab was an Architect, from Bexley Heath, who came to Australia 1912. Only known son Gerald Box, Gerald's son Ronald Box, and Ronald's son Gary Box.
Family 3/William Henry Box
William was born 3rd.Jan. 1851 in Barrabool, Victoria. He Married Mary Swain about 1875. At his 102nd.birthday party, a Journalist from the local press was present. Following is an extract of his interview with William Box.
Mr Box asserted the reason for longevity, was hard work....Mr Box claims to have blazed the trail from Deans Marsh to Lorne, and speaks of the slab huts which were the only buildings in that area then. He also worked as a contractor, and handled a contract for 900 piles, some up to 63 feet in length, which were used in the construction of the Portland Pier. He also supplied the piles for the Appollo Bay and Lorne piers and poppet heads for Ballarat goldfields.
He has worked at cattle grazing, reaping, shearing, bullock driving, droving, etc. He says he reaped one acre per day with a reaping hook, has shorn 140 sheep in a day with blades.
Mr Box is a native of Australia, which he always claims a great honour, and the only time he left it, was for a brief period when he went to the South Island of New Zealand to do some shearing. He has spent the majority of his 102 years in the Western District.
He talks reminiscently of his bullock-driving days, when he wielded a mighty whip, and was regarded by many as the champion bullock driver of his day....
William Box married Mary Swain 1878. After dairying for about 20 years at Elliminyt, where he came 47 years ago, he retired to McLaughlin St, where Mary died 13 years ago, they had a family of 10 children He now lives with his daughter in church St.
Of the Children
Henrietta Euphem b.1878, Deans Marsh, married 1900 Samuel Lewis Lowe
Mary Janet b. 1881,Birregurra, (near Colac), married 1903 Edward Jas Lowe
Margaret Alice b.1887, Deans Marsh, married 29/6/1921 James Edgar Scott.
Albert b.1892,Deans Marsh, married 1919 Ida Jessie Lowes
Benjamin John b.1891, Deans Marsh, married 1911 Ruby Maud Darcy , Issue Greeta Mary b. 1912- -Warrocknambool
William
Gladys Winifred Maria b.1898 married Mr. McMasters.
Isabella married Mr. Bartlett
Elizabeth married Mr. Gaylard.
Lena married Mr. Davis.
Family 4/ Alfred Thomas Box
All I have to date on Alfred Thomas is he married Lilian May Poteus, abt. 1890. Their son Alfred Edward Married 1919, Alice May Boulton.
Children of Alfred and Alice.
Alfred Ernest b. 1917 Lilydale.
David William b. 1919 Croydon.
Family 5/ William Box, occupation Merchant.
Here I start with William's son, Henry, also a Merchant, born 1797 or 1800 Manningtree Essex, he married 16-12-1834, Ann Strongitharm born 23-6-1805, at Rushall. Henry arrived in Australia, with his family, as paying cabin passengers, aboard the 'Condor', on the 25-1-1850.
Children of Henry & Ann
Rebecca, deceased;
Ann Bap. 16-3-1836, Wallsall St. Mathew
Henry Bap. 11-10-1837, married 1864, Rebecca Armstrong, Australia.
Fanny Rebecca Bap. 12-6-1839, Walsall, married 1867 George Cain
William Draper Bap. 7-7-1841 Walshall, died 28-1-1904 , Hadley's Hotel, Hobart Town.
John Burnett Bap. 12-4-1843 Walshall.
George Hayward Bap. 19-1-1848, married 1884 Margaret Annie Pollock.
Charles Villatte Bap. 4-12-1844 Walshall, married Alice Jesi Price
Mary Elizabeth deceased.
Children of Henry Box and Rebecca Armstrong.
Annie b.1865-d.1866, Richmond; Aimee Rebecca,b.1867, Kew; Mable Edith b. 1868, Kew; Ethel Mary b. 1870 Kew Lorna b. 1872 Kew; Henry b.1875 Kew, married 28-6-1905, Ann Fraser Mitchell, sister of Dame Nellie Melba, famous Australian Opera singer
Children of George Hayward Box and Margaret Pollock
Olive Helen Elizabeth b. 1888 Hawthorn; Gladys Margaret b. 1885 Hawthorn.
Children of Charles Villatte Box and Alice Jessie Price
Edward George b. 1876 Hawthorn; Bertram Allen b.1878 Hawthorn; Phillip John Murr b. 1879 Hawthorn; Constance Alice b. 1880 Hawthorn.
Family 6/
James Henry Box
James Henry was the son of William Box, of whom nothing else is known. James was born abt. 1827, it is not known when he came to Australia, or whether his family came here. In 1861 James married Mary Anne Sheath, who was born 11-11-1827, Middlesex, London, arrived in Victoria Dec. 1856.
Children of James Henry Box and Mary Anne Sheath
Marian Jane b. 23-12-1861--d. 4-3-1862; Eleanor Margaret b. 8-7-1863 Fitzroy, married George Clement Stone, Issue Herbert William Box, b.1879 Carlton, father unknown; Henry George b. 11-11-1864--d.20-8-1951; Elizabeth Mary b. 9-8-1869 Fernshaw, married 11-4-1886,George James; William Charles b. 12-5-1866,married 19-1-1891, his cousin Ann (William Joseph Box's daughter)
Children of William Charles Box and Annie Elizabeth Box
Charles Rowland b. 1886 Colac-Father unknown, married Lily May Fisher. Issue- Robert, Lill, Ivy and Laurie. William Henry b. abt.1891 married Lucy May Hislop, issue-Keith b. 11-1-1929-d.2-9-1989; Arthur George b. 1896 married Doris Mabel Hislop, Issue- David
Jessie Emma b. 19-4-1872 married 1-12-1894 Harold Parry, Issue Alice.
Family 7-Contact-" Nigel Roberts' e-mail < Nigel.Roberts1@tesco.net> Richard Box born 1871, Milton, Gravesend, married Harriet Box, born in Borden, Kent. Children; Eliza and Cecelia (1881 census), Alfred, Thames Police Inspector, born 1854, Gravesend, married Lucy Caroline Findon; Thomas W. C. Box
Children of Alfred and Lucy Caroline Box;
(1)Florence Harriett Emily Box, born 1874 at 244 High St. Wapping, married Herbert William Knight. Florence died in 1950.(2) Celia R. Box.
It is believed Thomas had a son Frank, who died on the Somme in 1916,his name is on a commemoration on a memorial in Gravesend.
Family 8/ William Box- Shoemaker-b.c. 1790's
Contact- Paul Box < boxpaul@hotmail.com >William's son John, born 1820's, married Mary Kenton at Stokes Bishop, county Hereford in 1840.John was a Tailor.
Children of John and Mary.
(1) John 1843 Shelsley, Beauchamp, Worcester, married Hannah Dorse in 1870 at Netherton, Worcester. John was a bricklayer, Hannah's father a builder. (2)Emma 1845; (3) Jane; (4) Ellen 1855.
Children of John, died 1918 in Sydney, Australia. and Hannah Box, died 1891 in Sydney Australia.
(1)Abigail, born in Birmingham 1871; (2) Susannah 1874, aboard the ship on the family's way to Wellington, New Zealand; (3) Rosetta, born 1876, Wellington; (4) George, born 1878 Wellington; (5) John 1881, Wellington. The family then moved from Wellington to Sydney, Australia. (6 &7) Arthur and Edward, twins born 1883; (8 )Fredrick 1884, Sydney; (9) Florence 1885, Sydney; (10) Violet 1888, Sydney; and (11)Thomas 1891, Sydney. All the girls survived to adulthood but George was the only male to survive. George married and his son Paul, is the contact for this family.
