In 1846 James Hissey, a wealthy farmer and landowner, married Amelia Sorby from a well known Sheffield family and moved to London to take up residence in North Audley St. The following year James John Hissey (known to his family as “JJ”), was born in London.

In 1865 JJ’s uncle William died and left him property in the USA (Block 43 City of Chicago). In 1868 J.J. and his father travelled to Chicago perhaps so that JJ, now 21, could register his ownership and it seems that James remained there. Unfortunately the great Chicago fire of 1871 destroyed City Hall and all the records so James called his son over again in 1872 so that they could re-establish their claims. Whilst the lawyers were drawing the documents and they were awaiting a court date. James and J.J. travelled to the West on the newly opened railroad and visited the recently discovered Yosemite Valley, San Francisco and Yellowstone Park.

It seems that James remained in the USA for some time as J.J. was left the job of looking after his mother. In 1880 J.J. married Elizabeth Bouch, the daughter of Sir Thomas Bouch (of Tay Bridge disaster fame) and they lived in Courtfield Gardens, Kensington. They had two children, Maud Mabel and John (known as Jack). J.J.’s first book was published in 1884 (An Old Fashioned Journey Through England and Wales) and in it he describes how his wife was taken seriously ill on the journey so her heath must have been frail. Sadly, she died in 1885.

J.J. moved to Eastbourne and lived at Raven’s Moat. He was an artist of no little accomplishment as will be seen from the illustrations in his books. He attended painting classes and there met his second wife to be, Katharine Pidcock and they were married in 1890. More children arrived so J.J. built a large house to his own design, Trevin Towers, in Eastbourne, where he lived until his death in 1921.

JJ’s uncle William’s property investments both left to him directly, and subsequently reaching him through his father James, along with the property James left him in Longworth (now in Oxfordshire) made him a man of some wealth and he wrote his books more as a pastime that for profit. He paid to get them published and it is doubtful if the royalties did more than cover the costs. J.J.’s publisher, Richard Bentley, became a great friend and many of the letters JJ wrote to him have survived. Both Richard and J.J. were early motoring pioneers and exchanged information on their vehicles. JJ lived in a period of great change and was one of the first on the South Coast of England to own a motor car and especially to drive considerable distances.

Although he published 14 books there was a 15th. He finished the manuscript during the war but found the cost of publishing then too high so it was left “in his safe” and is now lost.

J.J. was also a keen photographer, his later books substituting photographic illustrations instead of his earlier engravings. By the First World War, J.J. seems have to become somewhat known also as a pioneer in X-Ray photography as there are references to him experimenting in the local hospital with this new technology.

Following J.J.’s death, the family sold Trevin Towers as none could afford to keep it. For some years it was a nursing home and it is now owned by Sussex University being their property management offices.