Daisy and Violet Hilton

AKA:

The Hilton Sisters

Birth Name:

Birth Date:

February 5, 1908

Birth Place:

18 Riley Road, Brighton, England

Death Date:

January 4, 1969

Place of Death:

2204 Weyland Avenue, Charlotte, North Carolina

Age:

Cause of Death:

Hong Kong flu

Cemetery Name:

Forest Lawn West

Claim to Fame:

The Odd and the Interesting

Daisy and Violet Hilton, born in the early 1900s in Brighton, England, were conjoined twins joined at the hip and buttocks. Their lives were a blend of exploitation and fame, marked by challenges and achievements. Born to an unmarried barmaid, Kate Skinner, the twins were sold to her employer, Mary Hilton, who saw their potential as a spectacle. Under Mary Hilton's care, they were trained as performers and toured extensively, particularly in the U.S., where they were exhibited as "freaks" in sideshows and carnivals. After Mary's death, the twins became the wards of her daughter and son-in-law, Edith and Meyer Myers, who continued exploiting them financially and refusing to allow them out in public unless they were performing. They later gained legal independence in 1931 after suing the Myers family, receiving $100,000 in restitution (far below what they earned). The Hiltons became vaudeville stars, captivating their audiences with their talents including dancing, singing and playing instruments. Despite their fame, the Hilton sisters faced significant personal challenges. Exploitation in their early years left them unprepared to manage their finances and lives independently. They attempted romantic relationships, but societal prejudice and legal barriers prevented marriage. Their brief appearance in Tod Browning's 1932 cult classic film Freaks and the 1951 biopic Chained for Life showcased their lives but didn't lead to lasting success. As vaudeville declined, the sisters struggled financially. They ended up working in a grocery store in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1969, they died of the Hong Kong flu, passing within days of each other due to their physical connection.

What an Interesting Life …

The Hiltons’ last public appearance was in 1961, at a drive-in theater in Charlotte, North Carolina. Without warning, their tour manager abandoned them there with no means of transportation or income. They applied for a job in a nearby grocery store called the Park ‘n Shop, offering to work for one salary. The owner Charles Reid hired them at two full salaries and designed a discreet two-person cashier station so that customers could not tell the sisters were conjoined. The Hiltons rented a small two bedroom home courtesy of the shop owner’s church, Purcell United Methodist, and settled into a quiet life, involving work and church. During the holidays they remembered fellow employees and favorite customers with Christmas gifts.

At the time of their birth in 1908, Daisy and Violet Hilton were not separated because the Sussex Medico-Chirurgical Society unanimously decided that the operation would likely kill one or both of the twins. The twins were the first conjoined twins to be born in the UK and survive for more than a few weeks. However today the conjoined twins could have been separated through a low-risk surgery as they didn’t share any vital organs or blood vessels. ⁠

While declared dead on January 4th, in late December Violet caught the Hong Kong flu but recovered. Daisy then caught the flu and lingered for a week. When found it looked like Violet dragged Daisy to the heating grate in the living room of the small house to keep her warm. Daisy died on approximately January 1, 1969 while Violet died 2 days later. They never answered the phone as they lied dying in there home.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Forest Lawn West

4601 Freedom Drive

Charlotte, North Carolina, 28208

USA

North America

Map:

Map of Forest Lawn West in Charlotte, NC

Grave Location:

Thompson Family Plot, Section M, Lot 313, Grave 2

Grave Location Description

As you enter the cemetery, drive straight ahead until the road ends at Section L. Turn right and drive 200 feet to the end of the road and turn left. Drive 100 feet (6 rows of monuments) and park. Look to your left and count 2 memorials in and look for the “Thompson” upright monument. The Hilton Sisters rest together as in life.