merrick.doc 27 May 2020

CHARLES BARNES MERRICK

by Ken STEWART

Charles Barnes Merrick was baptised on 4^th April 1824 at St James Clerkenwell in London, the son of Barnabas Merrick and Ann (nee Bowden), a turner of Aylesbury Place in Clerkenwell.

His father Barnabas Merrick was born 23^rd April 1792 and baptised 2^nd September 1792 in the Spitalfields Christ Church in Stepney, the son of Barnabas Merrick and Martha (nee Box) of Spitalfields in London. Barnabas & Martha had seven children – Martha Mary (1786 - ), Barnabas (1791 - 1792), Barnabas (1792 - 1856), Martha Elizabeth (1794 - ), John (1795 - ), William (1803-), and Joseph (1805 - ). John (1795) with Elizabeth Higgs had a family of 8 children in Spitalfields.

Charles Barnes Merrick’s grandfather, Barnabas Merrick (born 2 Aug 1763), was the son of Barnabas Merrick (born c1735) and Mary Marshall, who also had a family of seven children in London.

Barnabas (1792) was married three times. His first marriage was 12^th April 1815 in Wanstead in Essex to Ann Bowden who was possibly born 23^rd October 1793 and baptised 1^st December in 1793 in St Leonards Shoreditch in London, the daughter of Thomas Bowden and Eleanor. (see earlier family and other marriages in the Merrick3 file). From the first marriage of Barnabas and Ann, there were 5 known children –John Barnabas (1816 - ), William George (1818 - ), Ann Martha (1820 - ), Charles Barnes (1824 - 1878) and Mary (1826 - ), although only Charles has been found to have a future. The mother Mary Ann (nee Bowden) apparently died sometime early in 1826. There was a death recorded of Mary Ann Merrick, aged 35 years, in 1827 in the workhouse of St Leonards Shoreditch. She likely died of childbirth as the youngest, Mary, was born on the 7th March in 1826. The fact that the year of death was in 1827 points to a lingering ailment after the March 1826 birth.

The father Barnabus (1792) married just three months after March 1826 to his second wife Sarah JONES on 3^rd June in 1826 at St Ethelburga Bishopgate in London. There were no children from this second marriage.

The third marriage of Barnabas (1792) was on 19^th March in 1837 in Radford in Nottinghamshire to Sarah Rockley and they raised a family of three children in Leicester – Joseph Rocklea (1838 - 1897), Henry (1840 – 1921) and Charles Barnabas (1846 – 1925). A grandson from this third marriage, a son of Joseph Rocklea, was Joseph Carey Merrick, the renown Elephant Man.

Barnabas (1792) died on the 12^th April in 1856 at the Union Workhouse in St Margarets Leicester with Sarah Coltman of the Union Workhouse in attendance. He was a journeyman bobbin turner aged 64 years and died of heart disease and dropsy.

With the third marriage of his father in Nottinghamshire, and their subsequent young family growing up in St Margarets Leicester, Charles was left to fend for himself in London. He does not seem to be installed into an apprenticeship, as later records show he was not a turner like his father. He may have been apprenticed to a bootmaker, as his later life showed he was quite skilful at that occupation, but that boot making trade may have been learned in Australia.

Charles Barnes Merrick is first seen in London records at the Old Bailey.

CHARLES MERRICK was indicted for stealing, on the 5th of March, 6lbs. weight of pork, value 3s., the goods of Jane Wing.

JANE WING. I live in John's-row, St. Luke's—I am a widow, and keep a pork-shop. On the 10th of March, I had two bellies of pork, one on each side of my window—I saw them safe a minute before one of them was taken—I merely walked into my room from the shop, when a little girl called me, and told me something—I ran to the door, and a witness brought back the prisoner, and the pork, which was one of the bellies I had in my shop.

GEORGE STOCKSLEY. I am a butcher, and live in Bath-street, opposite John's-row. I saw the prisoner and three others come down John's-row—they stopped near my shop—the prisoner then went and took the pork out of the prosecutrix's window—one of the other boys took it from him as soon as he had taken it out of the window—they came towards my shop—I took the prisoner, and the other boy threw down the pork—one of the other boys picked it up, but they were pursued, and he dropped it again —a man took it up, and gave it to me, and I took it back—the other boys escaped.

Prisoner's Defence. I saw two boys go and take the pork—they began to run, and this man took me—I am innocent.

SENTENCE: GUILTY. * Aged 16.— Transported for Seven Years.— Convict Ship.

Charles was convicted at the Central Criminal Court (the Old Bailey) on 8 Apr 1839.

Charles was firstly detained in Parkhurst Prison, but immediately ran foul of the prison authority when he attempted to steal the sum of ₤15. For this he received an additional sentence of 3 months. This sentence was apparently added to his 7 years transportation.

Charles was transported on the “Runnymede” departing London on 20^th December 1839 and arrived in Van Diemans Land on 28^th March 1840, after a voyage of 99 days. On arrival he claimed that he was 17 years old and said that Clerkenwell was his native place. He was actually just 16 years old.
A physical description gave the following – height 4 ft 11 inches in bare feet, brown hair, clean shaven, hazel eyes, fresh complexion with freckles, a long visage with small mouth, nose and chin. His 4 ft 11 inches as a 17-year-old was very small, but probably just a sign of those lean times.	The “Runnymede” and with the “Briton”, both troop-ships were wrecked on the morning of the 12th of November 1844, upon one of the Andaman Islands, in the Bay of Bengal

During his early years of servitude he had a few run-ins with the authorities.

2 September 1841 - Misconduct making away with some tobacco. Three days of solitary confinement

9 January 1843 - Absconding from Newtown Station. Three months hard labour, the first and last 30 days of which to be passed in solitary confinement.

2 January 1843 - Insubordination, no sentence stated. T.S. Cathy on the Bench, Confirmed by Lieut Governor’s decision 6 Jan 1843

19 April 1843 – Newtown farm - Absconding, to be kept to hard labour 3 months the first and last months in solitary confinement. Approved by Lieut Governor’s decision 21 Apr 1843

6 Nov 1843 – Glenorchy Facility - Disorderly Conduct, 10 days solitary confinement and then kept to his station.

The New Town farm was the Government farm about 4 kilometres north of the CBD in Hobart. It operated with convict labour until 1 Sep 1843, when it was put up for lease.

TO BE LET: The Government Farm at New Town, comprising about 120 acres of land, 60 of which are under crop. The property consists of a good dwelling house, barn, cow house, piggery, fowl and pigeon houses, a two stalled stable and men’s huts. The whole is securely fenced and in the best possible condition. The tenant will be allowed the run of all. Application and full particulars contact Mr Bagot A.D.C. Hobart Town Gazette of 1 Sep 1843.

Later the farm was made into a female Probation Station, and then by 1849 it was the Boys Hiring Station. But after 1843 the farm operation was suspended so Charles had moved to Glenorchy.

He served out his remaining sentence in Tasmania with just these few sessions of hard labour and solitary confinement. These were not overtly the actions of a criminal, more the actions of a restless lad growing up away from home, but enough to keep him in the scrutiny of the authorities. He was eventually awarded a Free Certificate on 4^th July 1846, being 7 years and 3 months after his sentence. He was a free man in Tasmania for the Convict Muster of October 1846.

Fifteen months after getting his free certificate he was on the “Thomas Lord” bound for Sydney. He left Launceston on the 22^nd October 1847 as a free man, “free by servitude”, and headed to Sydney. The “Thomas Lord” was a 72 ton schooner carrying flour from Launceston to NSW, and on that trip carried 8 passengers, landing in Port Jackson on the 28^th October 1847.

After spending some time in NSW, he moved to Victoria and took up residence in Cumberland Street, Geelong, in about 1854. When he died his family stated that he had been 6 years in NSW and 29 years in Victoria. There was no mention of the 7 years he spent in Tasmania, so this may have been in their ignorance, or more likely the concealment of his early convict ways.

There is a Charles Merrick with a shop in 86 Queen Street in Melbourne in 1856. This does not quite fit with his Geelong location for his marriage in 1857, so there may be another Charles Merrick in Melbourne Town.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE - ROBBERIES: Stolen on the morning of the 7^th inst, from the shop counter of Charles Merrick, 86 Queen Street, Melbourne, a silver plated three branch candle stick. Information to the superintendent of detective police Melbourne

The Argus, Melbourne, Monday 23 June 1856, page 5

On the 20th July 1857, at the age of 28, Charles married Mary Ahern. The ceremony took place in the house of the Reverend Alfred Scales on Virginia Street in Geelong, performed by the Rev. Scales of the Independent Denomination.

Mary Ahern was a 23-year-old spinster from Youghal, County Cork, Ireland, daughter to James Ahern, a baker, and Elizabeth Lee. Mary was baptised in Youghal parish Church on 1^st February 1831 and arrived in Victoria close to May 1857 aged 22. She was married on 20^th July 1857 aged about 23, so was in Australia very few months before she was married. Her address was also Cumberland St when she was married and she could write her name but Charles signed his name with a mark.

These dates point towards Mary's arrival on the "Arabian" - on 27th January 1857 aged 25 which is about the right age. (Another younger Mary Ahern aged 22 arrived on 6th June 1857 but was from County Clare.)

On her arrival, Mary Ahern was engaged by Mrs Graham of Mercers Hill in Geelong from Jan 30^th, 1857 for 3 months for wages of 20 (shillings?). It is likely that the Hannah Ahern aged 19 years also from Cork, who appears next on the “Arabian” shipping list, was her sister. Hannah Ahern was engaged by Mrs Carman of Little Pyramid in Geelong from 31^st Jan 1857 for 3 months for wages of 20 (shillings?).

Charles Merrick and Mary Ahearn's family were

David b 1858 Melbourne (#10212/1858 Melbourne) d.1905 aged 47 years

Charles b 1859 Brunswick (#16853/1859 Brunswick) d.1924 aged 64 years

James b 13 May 1861 Brunswick (#5411/1861 Brunswick)

Mary b 1862 Brunswick (#13034/1862 Brunswick) d.1862 aged 1 day

Ann Martha b 1863

William Edward b 1865 Melbourne (#23551/1858 Melbourne)

Mary Ahearn died in childbirth, with the stillborn child, on 27th October 1867 leaving four boys and a surviving girl, all under twelve years of age.

Charles Merrick remarried quite soon after the death of Mary, when in 1868 in London Victoria, he married to Bridget Cunningham, the thirty-year-old daughter of an Irish farmer, Thomas Cunningham and Bridget O'Connell of County Clare, Ireland. Charles had a further three children to Bridgit Cunningham, all sons.

Thomas b 1869 South Melbourne (#23835/1869 Melbourne)

Michael b 1871 Brunswick (#14442/1871 Brunswick) d.16 April 1897 aged 26 years

George b 1873 Brunswick (#7765/1873 Brunswick) d.1943 aged 69 years

Charles Merrick worked as a bootmaker for many years in his place at 248/250 Elizabeth Street. He had the same postal address from 1865 until he died on 9th July 1878. He was lucky not to lose the lot in a massive firestorm on the 15^th May 1868, which destroyed a lot of property around him.

GREAT CONFLAGRATION IN ELIZABETH STREET: (between Franklyn Street and A’Beckett Street) – “Illustrated Australian News for Home Readers”, Melbourne, Saturday 20 June 1868, page 8.

“About ten o’clock on the night of the 15^th ult, a fire broke out at the Albion sawmills and timber yard, owned by Halstead & Kerr, corner of Elizabeth & A’Beckett Streets. The fire brigades were quickly on the spot, but for several hours their efforts to subdue the flames were perfectly futile.

Mr Hoad’s official report of the injury caused by the fire .... No. 248, C. Merrick, boot and shoe maker: Stock damaged by removal. Insured for ₤100.

The evidence adduced did not tend in any degree to solve the mystery as to how the conflagration arose. ... The jury returned an open verdict but expressed an opinion that the fire occurred accidentally.”

Two years later Charles was declared insolvent in 1870.

Charles Merrick of Melbourne, bootmaker. Causes of insolvency: Sickness and death in family, losses in business, and the high price of leather. Liabilities £313 3s 11d: Assets £14 10s 6d: deficiency £300 13s 5d. Mr Shaw official assignee.

The Age – Wednesday 6 April 1870, page 3 (Trove details from Janis O’Loughlin)

In 1878, his eldest son David, then aged 20, took over as the family breadwinner operating as a bootmaker from Sydney Road in Brunswick. He was soon joined by his brother Charles.

Bridget died at 31 Wilson Street, Brunswick on 10th October 1905, where the youngest son George was living. At this time James, the third son was living nearby at 41 Wilson Street, and William, the fourth son was at 57 Wilson Street.

THE SONS OF CHARLES MERRICK

The two eldest sons David and Charles both became bootmakers in Brunswick. David Merrick, Bootmaker, appears continuously in the Melbourne Post Office Directories for the 42 years from 1879 til 1911 with quite a few changes of address - the principal changes being

Sydney Road, Brunswick 11 years

Burnley St, Richmond 9 years

441 Swan St, Richmond 6 years

Charles Merrick junior does not appear in the directories, however in the 1899 Electoral Roll prior to Federation, Charles is given as a bootmaker of 382 Burnley Street, one of the earlier addresses of his brother David.

From 1895 until 1904 the "EBC Boot Company" operating from various street numbers, mainly at 378/380 of Burnley Street, and would have been the employer of David and Charles both living along Burnley Street

The third child of Charles and Mary Ahern was James Bond Merrick, my grandmother's father. He was a potter in Footscray. His story continues below.

The fourth son of Charles and Mary Ahern, William Edward Merrick was living in 57 Wilson Street, Brunswick according to the 1899 Electoral Roll, and was like brother James, practicing as a Potter.

The youngest of the family, George is given as a labourer of 31 Wilson Street, Brunswick in 1899. He would have been aged around 26 at this time so had not taken up a trade. His mother died at this address in 1905

JAMES MERRICK James was a Potter, aged 21, of Richmond when he married on the 20th August 1881 at the Registry Office, to Margaret O'Mahoney, daughter to Thaddeus Mahony and Jane Stafford. In 1894 he was a potter of Montague St Footscray when his youngest daughter Ethel Margaret Merrick (my Grandmother) was born. James assumed the middle name of Bond for the births of some of his children, but I have yet to find out where this supposed family name originates from. James Bond Merrick is a well-known Victorian potter, but I have not found much on his potting fame. He is not located in the 1899 Electoral Roll, however two different entries for James Merrick appear in Brunswick after this date, one of which is this James at 41 Wilson Street, Brunswick in 1904. Indeed, a third James arrived in Brunswick firstly in 1910 - James T. Merrick - at 15 Goodman Street, the next generation moving in to reside.

James and Margaret MERRICK (circa 1886) with children James (1882) Maud (1880) & Lillian (1886)

Margaret Merrick is remembered by several of her grandchildren as the active old girl who liked her drop of beer. In her desires she was known to have hocked anything she could lay her hands on - tablecloths, silverware and whatever - for another jug or two. At one time she broke her leg climbing over a fence to get a jug of beer.

James Bond Merrick and Margaret Mahoney had nine children born in different parts of Victoria, Tasmania and NSW, (see family on Merrick2 file)

Maud Christina Merrick (1880 Vic) m. 1905 m/to Con DE ZOETE

James Thaddeus Merrick (#18191/1882 Prahran) d. 1967 aged 86 years

Mary Jane Merrick b. 29 May 1884 Emu Bay in Tas, d. 3 Jan 1885 Vic aged 8 months

Lillian Myra Merrick b. 12 Mar 1886 Chatswood, North Willoughby, NSW. – 1970)

Doreen Merrick b. 1888 Brunswick (#18135/1888 Vic) (see Dora's story below)

Annie Merrick (#28373/1890 Wandong) d. 1890 aged 4 years

John Henry Merrick (#1595/1892 Brunswick) d. 1893 aged 1 year

Ethel Margaret Merrick b. 26 Feb 1894 Montague St, Footscray. (#3511/1894 Footscray)

see Ethel's story in the KITTO family history file [link]

William Charles Merrick (#1295/1898 Brunswick – 1977)

Six are known to have reached adulthood, and four have descendent families, but none are Merricks.

The family did not always operate harmoniously. It seems that James was at some stage separated from Margaret. There was at one stage a need for Margaret to claim maintenance from James.

BRUNSWICK COURT – Wednesday. Claim for Maintenance

Margaret Merrick v. James Merrick claim by a wife for maintenance. As the police had not been able to serve the summons in this case, it was extended for seven days.

The Argus - Saturday 29 September 1883, page 2

This was some time after their first two children born in Victoria. They did not settle in Victoria but moved interstate for a while.

Their first move was to Hampshire Hill in North of Tasmania. Their third child Mary Jane was born there in Hampshire Hill in 1884 and a letter was sent to the Registrar at Emu Bay to notify him of her birth. Unfortunately this third child died in Richmond Victoria in 1885 aged just 8 months, so may have been the stimulus to continue on and move out of Victoria. The reason for the family movements is not now known, but it seems that pottery was the likely reason. In Emu Bay in Tasmania, there was early pottery production, dating back to convict times nearby in Chudleigh.

The fourth child Lily was registered in 1886 in Chatswood, North Willoughby, NSW. They eventually settled in Brunswick and were together for five more children.

On 3^rd Augusts 1895, when they had 5 surviving children Margaret placed a personal ad in the Evening News Sydney.

“Will Mrs Fred Wilcox of Woolloomooloo, painter. Please call on Maggie Merrick née Mahoney At Phoenix Pottery. North Sydney.”

This Phoenix Pottery is the North Sydney area where Lily was born 9 years earlier, so the family may have been temporarily living there or just visiting. Their last child was registered back in Brunswick in 1898.

(Trove details from Janis O’Loughlin)

to be continued

Dora MERRICK from Claire DUNCAN written 1996

Dora MERRICK married William WILSON in 1911 at the Methodist Manse in Adelaide.

Dora, the grand-daughter of two convicts, was working as a housekeeper in Burra, SA. a bustling copper mining town, when she met William. He was the first Australian-born child of William WILSON and Agnes SMITH who had emigrated from Scotland in 1877 on the ship "Forfarshire"

Dora and William returned to the Richmond area and lived in rental homes until 1930, as their three children grew up.

Doris, born in 1912, was apprenticed to the Richmond Tailoring Company, but ventured into the country-side to become a lady's companion in Wangaratta at the age of 18 years. Later, while working in Lithgow, she met and married Austin RYAN.

Frank was born in 1915. He worked as a trainee conductor on the Melbourne tramways. He was unemployed for most of the 1930's and helped his father build a shack in Hurstbridge. He joined the army in 1940, training at Seymour Army Camp, but died as a POW in the fall of Singapore.

Lorna, born in 1920, remembers her father giving her twopence to cheer her up when he went away to attend William senior's funeral in Adelaide. She had a strong bond with her father and was treated as his favourite. Lorna gained her merit certificate from Richmond Central School after several house and school changes.

William was quite clever despite his lack of training. His father was a chair carver, no doubt introducing woodworking skills to his sons. William devised a folding stool which was a popular item among his football loving friends. While he worked as a shunter on the cable trams in Elizabeth Street during the 20's and 30's he used his spare time following Richmond Football Club and rabbiting. He also built a six-valve radio, the first in the street.

The family owned a Fiat car by 1926 which allowed for picnics, especially to Ferntree Gully, and rabbiting trips to Sunbury and beyond. The Fiat was sold when the family bought a house in Campbellfield in 1930. Dora drove William to and from the Fawkner Railway Station using the horse and cart. While there was a motor rail from Fawkner to Somerton, it was very unreliable. The horse and cart was replaced by a Harley motorbike with a

sidecar to cope with the odd times of his shift work.

William, Lorna, Frank, Doris, friend, Dora. (Photo 1926)

The Campbellfield house has no fond memories foe Lorna. It cost $120 and they were paying it off at 1 pound per week. The house was very small, had hessian-lined walls and was home to many unwanted vermin. The acre of land allowed for chooks and a house cow. More than once, Dora would find a drowned mouse floating on the cream in the milk separator.

William was hit by a car while at work and was moved to lighter duties of cleaning buses for the Tramways-owned Clifton Hill Bus Depot. At this time, electric trams were beginning to replace the cable trams.

They separated during the 30's. He was living at Hurstbridge while Dora, with Lorna, became cook and housemaid t a variety of sheep stations. They were at Chumley Station near Euroa during the Black Friday Fires, and later at the Fairbairn Station in Albury.

William died in 1957.

Dora continued as a housekeeper until she was 75. She retired to Rye, living in a small home built by Lorna and Lloyd. She died in 1984 at 96 years.

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