Claude Septimus Hope was born in New Town, Hobart on 11 September 1884, the seventh son of John Thomas Hope and his wife Lucy Elizabeth (nee Smith).
On 11 July 1908 he married Wilhelmina Clara May White, although they already had a son, Cecil Bingley White who was born in Launceston in 1902. By this time they were apparently living in New Town, a suburb of Hobart.
On Wednesday 4 November 1908 he attended a meeting of the metropolitan committee of the A.N.A. Friendly Society as a delegate from the New Town Branch and was appointed assistant secretary to the committee.
It would appear that they had three daughters, one born in 1911 and twins born in 1913 before Claude Septimus left for New South Wales in 1914.
During the next ten years he visited the family only once for three weeks and gradually stopped exchanging letters with them. As a result Wilhelmina in 1927 petitioned for the dissolution of their marriage.
What was Claude Septimus doing in New South Wales? There is one newspaper account of him being taken to court in 1920 for an alleged breach of contract where he is described as “Claude Septimus Hope, of Military Road, Neutral Bay, manufacturer”. However after that date nothing is known–perhaps with one exception.
The following news item appeared in the “Sydney Morning Herald” on Tuesday 23 January 1923.
As reported in the “Albury Banner and Wodonga Express” on Friday 9 February 1923, an inquest was held on the 1 February 1923 and evidence was given that the fire had started in the bootshop and that next morning when Sergeant Kersley was examining the building he retrieved some partly burnt papers which related to a man called Claude Septimus Hope.
The owner of the shop, Thomas Edward Balfe claimed that there was no such person but that “he had conducted a saw business at Courabyra, in the name of Claude Septimus Hope, which name he took because the business was a new venture… Was in financial difficulties at Courabyra a little over 12 months ago. Had an account in the Bank of Commerce at Tumbarumba and had an overdraft unsettled of about £39, as near as he could remember.”
He then stated that what Sergeant Kersley had found was a letter he had received from the manager of the Bank in November 1921.
“The only reason for telling Sergeant Kersley that the papers he had picked up were those of a friend was because he, witness, was trying to make good so that he could discharge the liability he left behind at Tumbarumba.”
The coroner concluded that the fire had been caused maliciously but could not say by whom. He also thought the Balfe’s evidence “was somewhat unreliable” and should be drawn to the attention of the authorities.
Note: Do you think that he might have changed his name when he left Courabyra rather than when he went there?
