Susannah Larb(e)y (1833-1907)

SUSANNAH LARB(E)Y (1833-1907) is thought to have been born shortly before 10 February 1833. She was christened in Godalming, Surrey, England, on 10 March 1833. The parish register records her as the daughter of John, labourer and widower, of Mead Row. Her mother, Susannah Portsmouth, was buried on 10 February 1833 in Godalming cemetery having died at about 30 years of age. John would later marry Lucy Legg.

Susannah emigrated from Plymouth, England on 5 November 1851 on the Joshua - arriving at Port Phillip, Australia, on 30 January 1852. The shipping documents show she was a domestic servant, her native county Surrey, parents John and Susan, her religion as Church of England, that she was single, aged 19, and could read and write.

Also on the Joshua was Edward Andrew. The ship's papers show his calling as shepherd, his native county Lincolnshire, parents Thos and Elizth, his religion as Church of England, that he was single, aged 27, and could read and write.

It is thought whilst still in England Susannah had formed a relationship with her travelling companion Edward. The son of Thomas (Edward) Andrew and Mary Elizabeth Boyd, he was christened in Welby, Lincolnshire on 28 November 1824.

Although the shipping documents for both parties show they were single, Susannah was some two months pregnant at the time of departure with their (presumed) first child, Elizabeth. On the birth certificates of some of their later children they are recorded as having been married in Godalming in February 1851 but as no record of the event can be found this is thought to be a fiction.

An account of the voyage may be found in the book The Somerset Years written by Florence Chuk and published approximately 1987 by the Australian firm Pennard Hills Publications - ISBN 0 7316 0136 X:

"Ship: 1250/804 tons, sailed from Plymouth November 5 1851, arrived Hobsons Bay January 30 1852.

Master: Henry Hudson VARIAN.

Surgeon Superintendent: Eustace W. Walshe.

Built at Bideford in 1851, the Liverpool ship Joshua carried a very large general cargo as well as 297 emigrants on her first visit to Melbourne. She left Gravesend on a cool day with a west-nor'westerly wind. The temperature was only 57 degrees as she entered the Strait of Dover, and had dropped to a chilling 47 degrees by the time she reached Plymouth on October 30. After five days spent in Plymouth Harbour she sailed for Victoria, with a strong nor'nor'easterly behind her, and her emigrants shivering in 46 degrees of bracing sea air.

Joshua suffered some storm damage during the voyage. Just off the Canary Islands she lost her fore and main topmasts, which had to be tongued and sent up again. They were then so short that it was only possible to set double reefed topsails on them. She sighted numerous other vessels on the way out, taking a modified Great Circle Route. This took her down as far as 47 degrees South, safe from ice in the southern summer, and resulted in a swift passage of only 85 days from Plymouth. Passengers enjoyed good health; three babies were born at sea, and only five deaths occurred.

The Immigration Board was concerned at some lack of attention to the rules of the Charter by the Surgeon, and withheld 28 pounds of his bounty payment of ten shillings per statute adult. As a result he received only 120 pounds ten shillings for his services. In an explanation to Earl Grey, the Colonial Secretary wrote that Dr WALSH had employed a single female emigrant as a servant during the passage, and had also encouraged the Master's officiating at a "so-called sanctification of marriage" between the schoolmaster, Mr LEVER, and a female emigrant. (The LEVERS were urged to marry on arrival, to legitimise the shipboard marriage.)

The single women were not properly cared for by the Matron, Mrs LEWIS, who disliked them because she felt herself superior to them. Said to be a natural daughter of George the Fourth, her appointment as Matron had been arranged as a means of removing an embarrassing presence from England. As well as calling the girls by foul names and using bad language to them, she refused to consult the Surgeon when they were ill, would not help the schoolmaster with their education, and made no attempt to supervise the cleanliness of their quarters or their persons. Her neglect may have been partially due to her illness for much of the voyage. As well, the group of 70 lively young women was rather large for one Matron to supervise. On arrival, she complained of injustice when her gratuity was stopped for non-compliance with her duties.

At Melbourne, the Master received 29 pounds 14 shillings as his gratuity, two shillings per adult, and the third officer, J.A. MERRITT, who had so capably dispensed the provisions and water, received one shilling per adult, and a total of fourteen pounds seventeen shillings.

The Melbourne "Argus" expressed some criticism of regulations which prevented reporters boarding immigrant vessels on arrival to obtain overseas news for publication."

In July 1852 Edward and Susannah were living at South Yarra, Victoria, where Edward was a butcher. In November 1854 Edward was digging for gold at West Digging, Waranga, Victoria. Then, in November 1855, he was a stockkeeper at Shepparton, Victoria, in June 1857 a stockman at Mulwala, N.S.W., and in December 1860 a stockman at Wahgunyah, N.S.W. In January 1864 he was a contractor at Buroogo Station, Deniliquin, N.S.W. then, in September 1865, he was still a contractor but residing at Narrow Plain, Momolong, N.S.W. By February 1873 he was a miner of Junction Point, N.S.W.

It was at Junction Point, Carcoar, on 27 May 1873, aged 48, that he died of Bronchitis - 7 days. He was buried there the following day. The informant was his wife, Susannah Andrew, of Junction Point.

Shortly after Edward's death, in 1874 or 1875, Susannah entered into a relationship with James Marshall who is thought to have been born in Elgin, Scotland about 1832/1834 and to have arrived in Australia about 1860. His death certificate records that at the age of 38 he had previously married Mary Nolan at Goulburn, N.S.W. However, no record of such a marriage can be found nor a record of Mary's death. James and Susannah claimed to have married at Bathurst, N.S.W., on 25 April 1875 but, once again, there is no record of the event.

In April 1876 James described himself as a miner. Then, in 1897, when he was a witness at the marriage of his daughter Barbara, he was a railway fettler.

James died in Orange, N.S.W., on 17 November 1900, aged 68, and was buried two days later in the Orange Presbyterian Cemetery. The cause of death was Heart disease and Brights disease, Dropsy. The informant was his stepson E Andrew of Newbridge.

On 4 September 1902, aged about 68 (although showing her age as 65 on the certificate) and using the surname Marshall, Susannah married Edward McKivat, (miner and widower) in the Baptist Parsonage, Orange. Edward was born in Newry, County Down, Ireland, about 1837 to parents Edward and Mary Harney. He had previously married Susan Billett on 8 February 1859 in Buninyong, Victoria, (where he was a miner) with the family moving to N.S.W. about 1864. After bearing ten children Susan passed away on 20 September 1889. In 1890 Edward was still a miner (and possibly a farmer) living at Hawkin Street, East Orange. In 1903 Edward and his new wife were living at Byng Street, East Orange.

Susannah died in East Orange on 28 September 1907, aged about 74, from Valvular disease of heart - several years, Gangrene (senile) 2 months. She was buried in the East Orange Church of England Cemetery on 1 October 1907.

From the Orange Leader of Monday 30 September 1907:
Death of old resident Mrs Susannah McKivatt, an old and highly esteemed resident of Byng Street East Orange, aged 73 years, died suddenly on Saturday last, while setting in her chair by the fireside. Deceased had been ailing for sometime, had been seen by a medical attendant some 3 weeks ago, and was then suffering form gangrene in the leg, senile decay, and heart failure. A coroner's inquiry was dispensed with. The doctor was of the opinion that death was the result of senile decay and heart failure. Deceased leaves a husband and a grown up family of sons and daughters, one of whom is the popular Chris McKivatt, representative footballer, to mourn her loss. "The Leader" extends its sincere sympathy to the bereaved ones.

(Chris McKivatt - amongst other feats - led the "Australian Wallabies" against Cornwall at the London Olympic Games in 1908. The Australians "won gold".)

Edward McKivatt died on 2 November 1921 at Sydney, N.S.W., aged 84, with the cause of death fibroid heart. He was buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery, Rookwood, N.S.W., on 4 November 1921.

Susannah and Edward Andrew had eleven children:

1. ELIZABETH ANDREW (1852-1854), born in South Yarra, Victoria, on 29 May 1852 and christened in St Peter's parish church, Melbourne, on 30 July 1852.

Elizabeth died before 3 November 1854.

2. MARY ELIZABETH ANDREW (1853-1921), born in Main Gully, Waranga, Victoria, on 8 December 1853.

On 10 May 1871, Mary married James Lynch at Wagga Wagga, N.S.W., in a ceremony performed according to the rites of the Church of England. The groom, a carter of Corrowa, N.S.W., was a bachelor, born in Melbourne, Victoria, about 1848. The bride was a spinster of Wagga Wagga. The witnesses were Edward and Susannah Andrew (parents of the bride). Mary and James were still in Wagga Wagga in 1873, however, by 1891 James is known to have been a carter in Corrowa.

Mary died in the Warren District Hospital, N.S.W. on 8 August 1921, aged 67, from Carcinoma of stomach, Exhaustion - 9 months. She was buried in the Warren Church of England Cemetery on 9 August 1921.

Mary and James had eight children:

3. SUSANNAH ANDREW (1855-1919), born in Shepparton, Victoria on 10 September 1855 (her death certificate gives her place of birth as Broken River). One witness was the nurse, Miss Wilson of Shepparton.

It is a strong possibility that Susannah was the first white baby born in Shepparton. In the book Early Families Of Shepparton And District published by the Shepparton Family History Group in 1998 - ISBN 0-646-36389-1, mention is made of Agnes Ellen Wilson holding this honour. However she was born after Susannah in 1856. It is also a strong possibility (given the population of the time) that the "Nurse by whom certified" at her birth (Miss Wilson) was the mother of Agnes.

On 21 January 1874, in Peelwood, N.S.W., Susannah married William Henry Smith, son of William Henry Smith and Catherine Hand. Born in 1848 in N.S.W., William was a blacksmith. The ceremony was performed according to the rites of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. The witnesses were W H Smith and Ellen Andrew. (W H Smith was father of the groom and Ellen Andrew sister of the bride.) William died in Sydney, N.S.W., in 1894.

In 1912 Susannah was living at Bridge Street, Lithgow, N.S.W. She died in Oakey Park, Lithgow, on 21 July 1919, aged 63, of Malignant disease of stomach - 2 years, Senile decay. Two days later, after a Salvation Army service, she was buried in the Bowenfels Methodist Cemetery.

Susannah and William had eight children:

4. EDWARD ANDREW (1857-1915), born in Mulwala, N.S.W., on 20 April 1857. (His death certificate states he was born at Chiltern, Victoria.)

Edward was employed as a railway ganger and fettler, and was residing at Trangie, N.S.W., on 10 October 1884 when he married Lydia Sarah Ford. The marriage was performed according to the rites of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. The witnesses were Mary Jane Ford (sister of the bride) and Charles Hall. Lydia was born in Cooks Vale, N.S.W., on 27 December 1860, the daughter of James Ford and Elizabeth Rowcliffe.

In 1887 Edward and Lydia were at Nyngan, N.S.W.

Edward died in the District Hospital, Parramatta, N.S.W. on 30 December 1915 from Pernicious anaemia-1 year and 5 months. After a Methodist service he was buried in the Parramatta Presbyterian Cemetery, Western Road, on 1 January 1916.

Lydia died at Wentworthville, N.S.W., on 13 March 1925 from Carcinoma of breast - 4 years. After a Methodist service she was buried the next day in the Parramatta Church of England Cemetery, Western Road.

Edward and Lydia had six children:

5. ELLEN ANDREW (1856-1915), born in either N.S.W. or Victoria about 1856/1859.

On 31 December 1874, when Ellen was aged 16 or 18, she married James Sampson Carkeet, bachelor, aged 24, occupation miner, in Peelwood, N.S.W. The marriage was performed according to the rites of the Wesleyan Church. The witnesses were Henry Naylor and Susannah Smith. (Susannah Smith was sister of the bride.)

James was born about 1851 in Linkinhorne, Cornwall, to John Carkeet and Julia Hannah Richards. He left London, England, with his elder brother John (and John's family) on the 1 March 1873 on the Countess Russell arriving in Keppel Bay, Queensland, Australia, on 28 June 1873. Both brothers were miners. It is not known what caused James to move from Queensland to N.S.W. as the rest of his relatives remained in Queensland. James died at Junction Point, N.S.W., on 7 August 1889 of peritonitis - 2 days. He was buried there three days later.

With thanks to Kenneth Carkeet for providing information regarding the Carkeet family.

On 9 June 1891, in Lithgow, N.S.W., Ellen married Israel Hall, son of William Hall and Mary Ann Phillips. Israel was born in Braidwood, N.S.W., in 1867. The marriage was performed according to the rites of the Primitive Methodist Church with the groom being a miner of Lithgow, bachelor, and the bride recorded as Ellen Carkett, widow, (servant) of Lithgow.

Ellen died at Wollongong District Hospital, Wollongong, N.S.W., on 11 April 1915 from Carcinoma of stomach - 6 months. Two days later, after a Church of England service, she was buried in the Wollongong Cemetery.

Israel died in Lithgow in 1943.

James and Ellen had three children:

Israel and Ellen had three children:

6. ANN EMMA (Annie) ANDREW (1860-1946), born in Wargunyah, N.S.W., on 18 December 1860.

On 31 March 1883, Ann was living in Warne, N.S.W. On that day, she married George Webb, son of Stephen Webb and Carolyn Oliver, in Spring Hill, N.S.W. Born in Cornish Settlement, N.S.W. on 11 September 1858, George was a miner of Long Swamp, near Cadia, N.S.W. His parents had come from Camborne in Cornwall, where they had married in April 1852. The marriage took place at the Wesleyan Parsonage and was performed according to the rites of that church. The witnesses were Stephen Webb and Mary Ann Webb. Others present were Susannah Larby, Edward Andrew and Mary Jane Webb. (Susannah Larby was mother of the bride, Edward Andrew brother of the bride and Mary Jane Webb sister of the groom. It is of interest that Susannah appears as Larby rather than Andrew - reinforcing the view that she and Andrew never formally married.)

Laurel Stacey-Green said that George had a bullock team and delivered goods to Orange. She remembers her mother (Lavina) telling her that she had gone on the dray with her father on one occasion and her mother being horrified that she had done so - obviously it was considered unladylike. She also remembers that she was taken to the site of (she thinks) the Bushman Mine and being told that George and his brother Stephen had held shares in the mine but sold them just prior to gold being discovered. It may be that it was the Peak Hill mine as a photograph is held of George and Stephen there.

In July 1884, George was a miner of Nymagee, N.S.W. In April 1886, he was a woodcarter there, and in October of that year was of Rose Valley, near Cadia. In November 1889, he was a miner of Orange, and in July 1895 he was mining at Parkes, N.S.W. In 1906, he was of Peak Hill, and about 1907, when his brother Stephen was admitted to a sanitorium, he was at Webb Street (named after the family) in Parkes. In 1912, George was employed as a farmer.

He died at Mount Larby, near Parkes, on 11 March 1917, aged 58, from Carcinoma of pancreas - about 6 months, Haemateonesis exhaustion - 2 days. After a Salvation Army service he was buried in the Parkes Methodist Cemetery, on 13 March 1917.

Ann died in Dulwich Hill, N.S.W., and was buried in the Rookwood Cemetery, N.S.W., after a service at the Dulwich Hill Salvation Army Citadel.

George and Ann had four children:

7. JANE ANDREW (1862-1945), born in Corowa, N.S.W., on 20 August 1862. Jane does not have a Birth Certificate as the birth was not registered. The particulars are recorded on a "Declaration lodged in the Registrar General's Office, Sydney, N.S.W., on the 2 July 1912, too late for the birth to be registered in accordance with the Act." Susannah Smith, her elder sister, of Bridge Street, Lithgow, N.S.W., witnessed the Declaration on 28 June 1912.

On 27 October 1883, Jane married Stephen Webb, son of Stephen Webb and Carolyn Oliver, in the Public School, Nymagee, N.S.W. He had been born at Wentworth Gold Field, Orange, N.S.W., on 27 June 1856. The marriage was performed according to the rites of the Wesleyan Church. The groom was a miner of Nymagee and the bride a domestic servant of Sydney. The witnesses were George Webb, brother of the groom and Annie Webb, sister of the bride. Annie later married one of the groom's brothers.

Stephen died in the Waterfall Sanatorium, N.S.W., on 26 November 1917, at the age of 61 from Pulmonary Tuberculosis-1 year. A Minister of the Methodist Church performed the service. He was buried in the Wollongong Methodist Cemetery, N.S.W., on 27 November 1917.

About 1918, Jane married James Cobbin, in Pomona, Queensland.

Jane died on 1 December 1945 at the age of 83. Her Death Certificate shows the place of death as Home of Peace, Municipality of Marrickville, N.S.W., and she was late of the same address. The cause of death was Carcinoma of the uterus and secondaries in the brain. A minister of the Salvation Army performed the service after which she was buried in the Rookwood Cemetery, N.S.W., on 3 December 1945.

Stephen and Jane had three children:

8. THOMAS WILLIAM ANDREW (1863 - ), born in Deniliquin, Buroogo Station, N.S.W., on 30 December 1863.

9. CHRISTOPHER CHARLES ANDREW (1865-1933), born at Narrow Plain, Momolong, N.S.W., on 13 July 1865.

Christopher died in Liverpool, N.S.W., in 1933.

From Bailliere's N.S.W. Gazetteer and Road Guide-1866
"Momolong Plains Station" (Murrumbidgee district); occupier, Osborne, J.H; area, 22,400 acres; grazing capability, 640 head of cattle. The nearest post town is Deniliquin. The old charges were £30; the recently appraised rental is £65.
Momolong Plains, S., Station (Murrumbidgee district); occupier, Osborne, J.H; area, 32,000 acres; grazing capability, 640 head of cattle. The nearest post town is Deniliquin. Charges, £208.

10. Unknown ANDREW

11. John Herbert ANDREW (1873-1886), born at Junction Point, Tuena, N.S.W. on 18 January 1873.

John died in Phill's Creek, N.S.W., on 8 December 1886. The cause of death was accidentally drowned in Phill's Creek on the 8 December 1886 whilst bathing. The informant was William J E Watson, vide Coroners Inquest, Burrowa. He was buried in Frogmore, N.S.W., on 10 December 1886.

Susannah Larbey and James Marshall had a daughter:

12. BARBARA MARSHALL (1876-1944), born in Orange, N.S.W., on 16 February 1876. The Birth Certificate shows the date and place of the parents' marriage as 25 April 1876 crossed out and replaced by 1875 at Bathurst. No previous issue are shown.

On 21 February 1897, Barbara married William Williamson who was born in Molong, N.S.W., in 1871. The marriage took place at Redfern, Sydney, according to the rites of the Presbyterian Church. The groom was a produce merchant of Carlingford, N.S.W., and a bachelor. His parents John Williamson (deceased, produce merchant) and Mary Hawk. The bride was a spinster performing home duties and residing at Stone Creek, near Orange. The witnesses were James Marshall and Susannah Larby, parents of the bride.

William died in Newtown, N.S.W., in 1942 aged 71.

Barbara died on 9 February 1944 at the House of Peace, Municipality of Marrickville, N.S.W. After a Church of England service she was buried in the Botany General Cemetery, N.S.W., on 10 February 1944.

Barbara and William had nine children: