A brief outline of one of Lyndhurst's former residents: David Hillyar, Shoemaker
A transcription of an article by James Hillyar published in "Hampshire the county magazine" January 1995

David hillyar 1817 -1879

Born at Eling, near Southampton on 18th August 1817 David Hillyar worked and lived at the top of Lyndhurst High Street, possibly at No.14 where he worked as a shoemaker and it is recorded that in 1851 he was already employing an apprentice, William Lewis fro Eling, aged 20 who lived in and three journeymen shoemakers.

David married Elizabeth Ann Read at Eling who had a brother already at Lyndhurst so that may be their reason for them moving there. Over the next nine years they had six daughters and a son.

Emma born in 1843 (who later married Walter Louis Ansett though died without issue)
Elizabeth b. 1845
Ellen b. 1847
Jane b. 1849
Kate b. 1850
Alice Ann (who died in 1882) and George in 1852

The demand for his fathers hand-made shoes was failing when George married in 1877, since in that year David was working as a grocer. On October 21 1879 he died aged 62 and four years later in 1883 his wife Elizabeth followed. Their bodies were buried in Lyndhurst churchyard alongside two of their daughters Jane and Alice Ann.

Around 1895 daughters Elizabeth and Ellen (who were both known as Liz and Nell) were still spinsters and had by this time taken over 14 High Street as a 'Fancy Repository' which included a lending library and high quality stationery and confectionery. It seems that one of them in 1910 continued in a partnership with a P. R. Jenkins at the shop now selling high-class confectionery until 1927.

By this time George had decided to set up business as a Publican in Brentford near London, his children and grandchildren settling in the South east counties. During their fathers time their surname was variously spelt in the records, and at some time an 'a' was introduced and remained there. Their several healthy Great-Great-Grandsons currently live in counties either side of Hampshire today.