Portrait of Mrs Zillah Smith Gill soon after she was decorated with the insignia of the cross of St John of Jerusalem and the active service medal of St John during the First World War.   Photographer Unknown ca1940s  PAColl-6348-19

   Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mätauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.
   

The Fifth Child of Neiles Boynton Billany and Charlotte Ann Morfitt Cleveland.   Zillah Smith Billany born Hull, Yorkshire, England,  29th May 1859.   Early life and schooling was spent in the Staniforth Place, Hessle Road District of Hull, Yorkshire, until the age of 17 when Zilla emigrated to the United States of America with her brother Rusling in 1876.   

Zillah probably married Edward Keimig, a bookkeeper, it is believed about 1885 at Baltimore, Maryland, USA.  Edward died suddenly on  28th February 1888.   

     It is known that Zillah returned to England for Zillah became a member of a St John Ambulance Brigade nursing division in Hull and on the 3rd January 1891, at the Hull registry office, Zillah married Christopher John Gill, (a joiner).    

    Christopher John Gill (Callum) was born at Whitton Park, Durham, England c.1859.   His mother was Mary Callum b.c. 1834 at  Cleasby, York, England.  He was the stepson of James Callum b.c.1828 at Sunderland, Durham, England (A moulder).  At the census of 1881 he is residing at  20 Cowper St, Stockton On Tees, Durham, England.
                    (Source: FHL Film 1342178 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 4896 Folio 150 Page 31)

     This couple produced at least  two children.  Elma E.B. Gill born Hull 1892 died 2nd May 1893 aged 13 months and was buried with his grandparents Neiles Boynton and Charlotte Ann Billany in plot 3185 at the Western Cemetery Hull, Yorkshire.  A further son Elvet Billany was born at Hull in 1894. 

         At the Census of 1901 Zillah is found to be residing at  12 Grove Villas, Grovehill, Beverley, East Yorkshire with her husband, son and widowed mother Charlotte.

(Source extract RG_13_4462_49_7)

  On the death of her mother in 1904 Zillah is known to have emigrated to New Zealand in 1904 with her family and her cousin Harry Rusling Billany(1875-1939). Zillah died in New Zealand on 17th August 1937. 

A record from The Auckland Weekly News of New Zealand dated 23rd September 1915 - WW1 Roll of Honour shows an entry of:  GILL, Elvet Billany,   on Aug 27, was wounded in the shoulder  whilst serving with the Field Engrs.  His next of kin was declared to be C J Gill, of Church St, Palmerston North.

       New Zealand Profile

Billany Family Historical Data/Index

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