Caroline Neeves was my great great great grandmother who travelled out from Sussex on the ship the Fairlie in 1841. On arrival in Sydney on November 5 she was listed as a housemaid and that she could read. On board she had met Edward Burgess also from Sussex and they married in 1845.
Harriet Burgess was born in 1845, then followed Charlotte(my gggrandmother) in 1847 and then Edward in 1849. Unfortunately Caroline lost her husband in August 1848 as a dray ran over him. Now she had 3 children and no husband. What did a single mum do in those days? She had to find a husband and she did in 1850 she married Henry Brown and had another daughter Emma Louise Brown.
Then tragedy strikes again little Edward dies aged 3.
After the trials of losing her first husband and losing her son in 1852 she dies at an early age too-only 39 years of age in 1865.
Such a hard life- travelled half way around the world, marries, 3 children, husband killed in an accident, marries again, another child and then dies before she's 40.
However she has left a lasting legacy in all the descendants her daughter Charlotte produced.
Charlotte married Richard James Chamberlain and had 12 children but that is for many stories later.
Thanks Judy.I understand Caroline had a further 7 children to Henry Brown only one of whom Emma survived her. Her issue numbers more than 500.Caroline's life was indeed tragic.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pat, Without buying certificates I would have trouble trying to work out which Brown children were from this couple of Henry & Caroline Brown. When I searched NSW BDM's it seemed like there was more than one couple. From correspondence with another relative we were able to put Emma Louise with this couple so she was the only one I mentioned. With more children then the story gets more tragic.
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