52 Ancestors in 52 weeks: Week 1 Foundations

 

Alex and Barbara CONNER standing on foundations of 3 Nungara Street Aranda

 

 

 

 

Barbara and Ethel CONNER in front of foundations at 3 Nungara St Aranda

Welcome

Happy New Year everyone.  This year I'm going to do my best to participate in the 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks theme run by Amy Johnson Crow.  You can participate too.  Just sign up here.

Amy has done something a bit different this year, giving each month a theme. January's theme is Foundations, which I love.  You can interpret this theme anyway you like.  We all want great foundations for our Family History so, strictly speaking, you could argue that family history starts with you.

Instead, I've chosen my 3rd great-grandfather George Henry CARRETT because he was a bricklayer by trade and I like to reflect on the work the CARRETTS have done over the years both in England and then Australia, when they emigrated here.  

The two photos above show my mother and me stepping on to the foundations of our new home in Canberra circa 1967.  I am wearing my school uniform.  My father was an architect by profession and designed the house, engaging a builder to build it.  That's a whole other story.  I chose to show you the blurry slide of Nungara Street as well, because it includes, standing on the right side of the photo, my father's mother, Ethel CONNER (nee CARRETT).  George Henry CARRETT was her 2nd great-grandfather.  

This coming year I am attempting to get my family history into some sort of shape or order.  There will be massive amounts of digitising and making sure the foundations are good as well as recording as many stories of my ancestors as possible before I pop off this mortal coil.  Which I hasten to add I am not intending to do so anytime soon, but you just never know, do you?

So here, we go, a potted biography of my 3rd-great-grandfather.  You should also know that a cousin of mine, Peter Brian Carrett, has already written a very comprehensive family history of the Carretts, aptly named Bricks and Mortar.  I am indebted to his thorough research which include recording oral histories from the older generation back in the 1970s. Writing this biography makes me realise that I need to order more certificates. I would also love to visit Dubbo when I am able to have a look at where it all began in Australia.

I am grateful for the  Genealogy Timeline Prompts suggested by Katherine R. Willson of SociallMediaGenealogy.com which has helped frame this potted biography.

George Henry CARRETT

Ancestor or Ahnentafel Number 40

 

The first four Georges. On the back of this photo is my Grandmother's writing - "My father and brother George, Grandfather standing and great grandfather with beard."

 

Context for research:

George Henry CARRETT is my 3^rd great-grandfather. 

Birth Date/Place:

George was born Friday 25 July 1834.  He was the third child of William and Susannah.  His siblings were: William born circa 1828, John born 1832, Matthew born 1840, Susannah born 1842 and Harriet born 1845. 

Baptism Date/Place:

© Copyright John Salmon and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

George was baptised Monday 30 May 1836 at St Paul Deptford, Kent England - father William and mother Susannah CARRETT.[i] 

Major World Events/Disasters/Wars etc

Peter Carrett in his family history called "Bricks and Mortar" (unpublished) gives a great account of the tremendous changes that were taking place.  For example the exponential growth of the population in London which might have prompted the Carretts to seek less polluted and healthier environs.  Auckland in the 1860s would still have been very much a frontier town at the time of the Carretts arrival. Once the Carretts arrived in Australia we believe that they and their descendants were integral part of the development of not only the railway network but also the towns and cities of New South Wales as George's obituaries testify. 

Schooling

I have not been able to find records of schooling for George but I think it is reasonable to assume he would have been working by the age of 13 given that census records for that period show children as scholars until about that age.

Marriage Dates/Places:

© Copyright John Sutton and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

The earliest parts of the church date from c 1300, the brick chancel from 1685, built at the behest of Sir George Downing, who was also the builder of 10 Downing Street, and whose childless son's estate endowed Downing College, Cambridge. According to the church guidebook, the chancel windows are Victorian replacements of the original Grecian ones. (source Geograph)

I have the marriage certificate for George Henry CARRETT, aged 21 for 24 September 1855, bricklayer of Croydon marrying Mary Ann PASKY (transcription – we believe the name is PASBY – perhaps I need to order another original certificate now), aged 21, also of Croydon.  George Henry is listed as the son of William CARRETT Bricklayer.   They were married at Church of All Saints in the Parish of Croydon. Rupert Montague Browne officiated.  Witness were John and Mary CARRETT.

Children’s Birth Dates/Places:

George Henry Senior and his wife Mary Ann had the following children:

1. George Henry Carrett born 1856 Brickston Hill
2. Mary Ann born 1858 but died in 1862
3. William Thomas born 1860
4. Charles Alfred born 1864
5. Catherine Anne born 1866 Auckland, NZ
6. Susannah Florence Carrett born 1869 Sydney, Australia
7. John Carrett born 1871 Sydney
8. Matthew Charles Carrett born 1872 Hill End, NSW
9. Henry George born 1876 Orange, NSW
10. Thomas born 1877 Dubbo, NSW
11. Benjamin born 1880, Dubbo, NSW

One of the handwritten descendant charts I have from one of my cousins also lists three stillborn children born in 1862, 1868 and 1875. 

Immigration/Migration Dates/Places:

Scene on the deck of the Pegasus, with canvas rigged up to provide shelter. A man (the Captain?) is reading from the Bible, using a flag-draped object as a lectern. Men, women and children are seated listening, with at least one holding a prayer book or hymnal. Artist unknown :[Album of an officer]. Divine (?) Service, Ship Pegasus. 1865. For more lovely images of the voyage go to the National Library of New Zealand here.

George and Mary Ann and their sons George Henry, William Thomas and Charles Alfred emigrated to Australia via New Zealand on 17^th December 1864 on the clipper ship Pegasus. [ii] George kept a daily diary of the voyage which some members have a copy of and have transcribed.  They were assisted passengers. 

However they did not stay long in New Zealand.  Peter suggests that George left for Australia on the Prince Alfred arriving 8^th May 1866. When I look at the Shipping List on Ancestry it says William Carret rather than George Henry.  I cannot find any other record of George entering Australia.

It is conjectured he came to do work on the railway from Lithgow to Dubbo. 

Mary and the four children arrived in Sydney 10^th July 1867 on the steam ship Auckland.

Residence Dates/Places:

UK

1841 Census George (aged 7) is living with his parents William (aged 48), bricklayer and Susan (aged 35) and brothers William (aged 14), John (aged 12) and Matthew (aged 2) in Windmill Street St Mary Lambeth, county of Surrey[iii]

1851 Census George is living with his widowed mother, brothers John and Matthew and now two sisters, Susan and Harriett aged 9 and 6. I think his mother’s occupation is listed as seamstress.  George is listed as a General Labourer and his birthplace as Shadwell.  They live at 12 Orchard Place Clapham. Younger brother Matthew is listed as a scholar at the age of 12.

1861 Census – Mary is living with the children at 38 Lyam Road Lambeth.  The surname is spelled CARRIT.  It is noted that she ws at work in Kent.  George is listed as 5 years old.  Mary Ann as 3 years old and William as 4 months.  I have not been able to find George in the Census.

Australia/New Zealand

From children's birth certificates and newspaper articles:

Auckland

Sydney

Hill End

Orange

Dubbo

 

Military Service Dates/Places:

I have not been able to determine that George Henry served in the military, although his grandsons certainly did.

Occupation Dates/Places:

George’s obituary gives testament to his occupation as potter and bricklayer.  Peter Carrett’s Bricks and Mortar account of the family also records some of the buildings that he and his sons were responsible for building.  I am particularly interested in the account that George worked for Doulton pottery at Lambeth.  See newspaper articles about clay at Whylandra.

Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate (NSW : 1894 - 1954), Wednesday 24 February 1904, page 2

My search for employment/apprenticeship records in this area has so far been unsuccessful.

Organizations/Associations Dates/Places:

George’s sons and grandsons were active members of the local community including Freemason’s and other organisations. His obituary mentions that he was one of the original founders of the Bricklayers Operative Society.

While this is a photo of the Victorian Operative Bricklayers Society, I thought it would give you a flavour of the time.

Operative Bricklayers Society Eight Hours Day Delegates, Victoria, circa 1920s Museums Victoria Public Domain

 

Death Date/Place:

George died 1 July 1912 in Dubbo, NSW which means my grandmother may have known him.  He died when she was 11 years old. 

I’m not sure if the Sydney Carretts ever went to Dubbo to visit their family.  I imagine they must have but at the same time, Gran was from a large family so it may have been just too difficult.  What a shame I did not ask her more about him and her grandfather, his son, when I was growing up. 

 

 

 

1912 2 July Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate courtesy of Trove

1912 2 July Obituary GH Carrett Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent page 3 courtesy of Trove

Burial Date/Place:

You can see George’s tombstone here on the Find a Grave website.  His wife Mary Ann died nearly 9 years later in 1919. He is buried in the Church of England section L2C Row 3 right at the southern end. [iv]

You can access a map of Old Dubbo Cemetery here.  The tombstone says George was 78 years old which places his birth at about 1834.  It also says “native of London, ENG”.

Other records which provide insight are a Bankruptcy Notice in the November-December 1898 Government Gazette.  He’s address is given as Sandy Creek near Dubbo, bricklayer.

 

Advertising (1899, April 18). Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent (NSW : 1887 - 1932), p. 3. Retrieved January 8, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article228218511

Whilst it would have been a very difficult time for George and his family the notice gives a fascinating insight into the tools of his trade and what he needed for his work, not to mention his personal interests e.g. organ and pictures. 
 

FAN CLUB (Friends and Neighours)

Baptism sponsors/godparents – not recorded or unable to find a record of same

Marriage Witnesses Officiants – brother John and his wife

Accompanying passengers on shipping list – see newspaper cutting

Newspaper – other people mentioned in articles – George’s sisters Annie and Susan placed advertisements in the local papers under missing friends.

1893 21 Feb Brisbane Courier Page 7 Missing Friend

Census – other lodgers/neighbours

City directories – others living in household/on street

Land Deeds – witnesses/buyers/sellers

Maps – neighbours

Military – unit members

Death – informant/undertaker

Obituary – survivors

Probate – executor/Heirs/Witnesses

Cemetery – others in plot

Different spellings of surname

Carrett

Carrit

Carrott

Cassatt

Conclusion

Obviously there is so much more to explore but that will have to do for the minute or I won't get done all the other stuff I need to do  like scanning and digitizing.  Thank you if you have got this far today.  Bear with me while I find my rhythm for this process.

 

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[i] Ancestry.com. England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

[ii] New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 431, 31 March 1865, Page 9

[iii] 1841 Census, Ancestry.com, Class: H0107; Piece: 1054; Book: 4; Civil Parish: Lambeth; County: Surrey; Enumeration District: 8, Golio: 27; Page: 9; Line: 1; GSU roll: 474652

[iv] Ancestry.com. Australia Cemetery Index, 1808-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Compiler: Dubbo and District Family History Society; Collection Title: Dubbo and District Cemeteries, Vol. 5; Reference: Dubbo Cemetery