23 Sep 2012

THE FRANCIS REYNOLDS STORY

by Ken F. Stewart

LATE Mr F. REYNOLDS,

Mayor of Port Adelaide, 1863

Chapter One

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THE EARLY REYNOLDS

INTRODUCTION

Francis REYNOLDS was born in the small town of Hunston near Chichester in Sussex on the 6th June 1823,[1] and just over fifty years later he also died there, and was buried on the 12th February 1874 in the "Old Bosham Cemetery"[2] which was St Leodegar's Church in Hunston, West Sussex, about three kilometres South West of the town of Chichester.[3]

But in that fifty years of his short lifetime he was a very successful pioneer of South Australia, and his legacy is a large family of Australian descendants. In the photograph it reads: /-----------------------------\ / IN \ / memory of \ I FRANCIS REYNOLDS I I who died I I 12th February 1874 I I aged 50 years I I I and on the reverse side is written[4] "Grandfather Reynolds, Old Bosham, Sussex"

THE EARLY FAMILY

The origins of Francis Reynolds were deep in Sussex and can be traced back for several generations.[5] In 1746, on the 3rd of July, John REYNOLDS married Mary MORLEY in Chidham, a small community about 5 miles West of Chichester. John Reynolds was a yeoman and animal husbandman and owned his own house and land in Chidham. Since he could both read and write he later took on the honary post as the Parish Clerk of Chidham. Thus his name appears often in these Parish Registers as a witness for ceremonies, until his eventual death on 10th March 1800.[6]

John Reynolds’ wife Mary MORLEY was born on the 16th January 1725/6 in Chidham, the daughter of John MORLEY and Diana DUSTEN, who were married in Westbourne, Sussex, on 5th June 1723. Mary died some time after 1798 since she was named in the will of her husband of 17th October 1798.[7]

The twelve children of John Reynolds and Mary (nee Morley) were all born in Chidham, and were: James (1748-1751) who died young, John (17 Sep 1749-), William (1750-),

Mary (1753-), Thomas (1757-1842), James (1759-1766), Sarah (1762-), Matthew (1763-), Hannah (1765- 1767), Robert (1768-), and Hannah (1770-).[8]

The eldest surviving son John Reynolds junior inherited his father's house and land in Chidham. He married by licence on 5th February 1780 at "St Peter the Great Church" in Chichester to Elizabeth HOWARD, who was born about 1747, daughter of William HOWARD and Mary REYNOLDS also of Chichester. Descendants of this family through the youngest daughter Anna Freeland Reynolds baptised 18th December 1796 are still living around the area. Anna married by licence in 1815 to Thomas WEDGE in the church at Bosham, and was the youngest of the family of seven children of John and Elizabeth. It is quite likely that her mother, Elizabeth had died at or near her birth.[9]

Another son of John and Mary (nee Morley) was our ancestor Thomas REYNOLDS, who married Sarah ARNOLD on the 23rd July 1781 in Donnington,[10] a town three kilometres South of Chichester, on the Chichester Canal. Thomas was born 24th April 1757 in Chidham and died 3rd November 1842 in Hunston, where he was then the bridgekeeper on the Hunston Bridge[11] over the Chichester Canal, a 6 kilometre link between the Ocean and the City. This bridge required opening for water traffic. Sarah Arnold was born 26th March 1763 in Donnington, and died 9th September 1828 in Hunston.[12]

The nine children of Thomas Reynolds of Hunston and Sarah (nee Arnold) were :

· Thomas Reynolds born in Donnington on the 9th December 1782.

· Mary Ann Reynolds born in Donnington on the 7th December 1785, and married in Sussex to Robert SPILLER.

· John Reynolds born 28th March 1788 and was the ancestor of many South Australian Reynolds.

· Robert Reynolds born 1790

· Sarah Reynolds born 24th July 1792

· Harriet Reynolds born 23rd February 1794

· Lucretia Reynolds born 28th September 1798 married Charles RUSSELL who later became the Hunston Bridgekeeper.

· Francis Reynolds born 1st July 1801 in Hunston, married Sarah HARVEY on 25th May 1826 and had a large family in Funtington, Sussex leading to Peter N. Reynolds.

· James Reynolds born 23rd April 1809.[13]

MARY ANN AND ROBERT SPILLER

Following their marriage in Sussex the Spiller family with their five(?) children arrived in Adelaide, South Australia in 1839 on the "Prince Regent". Mary Ann, as John Reynolds' elder sister, probably influenced him and his family by her own emigration to Australia, or possibly even chaperoned some of the younger Reynolds children on "Prince Regent" as not all John's family have been located in their emigrant ships.[14]

Mary Ann and Robert Spiller settled in South Australia, and raised the family of five children they had brought with them on the "Prince Regent" - Sarah (1812-1851), Mary Ann, Emanuel (1824 -1888), Alfred (-1890), and Charlotte. Robert and Mary Ann's son Emanuel Spiller became the first Government Printer of South Australia. Emanuel's son, Liscomb Sole Spiller, became the first Commissioner of Taxation in New South Wales. Charlotte married and returned to England to live.[15]

The family tree of Mary Ann Reynolds and Robert Spiller is now quite expansive but the name of Spiller seems to be disappearing in this family as generations of non marrying sons and married daughters are losing the name.[16]

JOHN AND MARY MATILDA

Many of the South Australian Reynolds have originated through the one English family of John REYNOLDS and Mary Matilda DENNETT who were married in Mid Lavant, Chichester, Sussex on the 7th March 1816.

The DENNETTs were also an old Chichester family. Mary was born on 5th May 1795, the daughter of John DENNETT, cordwainer, and Martha SARES of Chichester.[17] John Dennett and Martha Sares were married at St Andrews Church in Chichester on 25th November 1789. A generation earlier, John DENNETT was baptised 13th March 1761 at Woodmancote, near Chichester, the eldest son of Charles DENNETT and Ann OSBORNE who had married in Woodmancote on 27th November 1759.[18]

John Reynolds after his marriage to Mary signed a five hundred pounds bond with his father-in-law John Dennett.[19] At that time his occupation is given as a carpenter. Later his occupation is given as a labourer of Hunston and Hunston Common for the baptism of most of his eleven children.[20]

· John Reynolds was baptised on the 28th April 1816 Hunston, Chichester, Sussex[21] and died c1816

· Thomas Reynolds born c1818 Chichester

· George Reynolds was baptised on the 3rd September 1820 in Hunston, Chichester, Sussex.[22]

· Eliza Reynolds was born on the 4th May 1820 Chichester, Sussex. and died on the 20th July 1905 in Adelaide, South Australia.

· Edmund Reynolds born c1821 Chichester.

· Francis Reynolds was born on the 6th June 1823, baptised on the 6th July 1823 in Hunston, Chichester,[23] died on the 12th February 1874

· Mary Matilda Reynolds was baptised on the 17th December 1826 in Hunston, Chichester.[24]

· Alfred Reynolds was baptised on the 19th April 1829 in Hunston, Chichester,[25] died on the 13th December 1849, and was buried in Hunston on the 16th December 1849 aged 20 years.

· Frances Reynolds was baptised on the 17th June 1832 Oving

· Henry Dennett Reynolds was baptised on the 7th September 1834 in Oving near Chichester, and died in Adelaide on the 10th February 1899

· William James Reynolds was baptised on the 22nd January 1843 in Oving.[26]

In the graveyard of St Leodegar's Church in Hunston, West Sussex are three headstones standing together.	Photograph of St Leodegar's with headstones of the family in the left corner of the photo[27] The inscriptions are transcribed below

In Sacred Sacred to the memory of

Memory of to the Memory of JOHN REYNOLDS

FRANCIS REYNOLDS MARY MATILDA REYNOLDS who died March 28th 1860

who died wife of aged 72 years

February 12, 1874 JOHN REYNOLDS also ALFRED, son

aged 50 years who died of the above who

September 11th 1869 died Dec 13 1849

aged 75 years aged 21 years

So here is the final resting of John and Mary Matilda with also my ancestor Francis with his youngest brother Alfred. The maturing Reynolds children grew up into the age where distant shores beckoned to the young, as new lands and opportunities opened up. The South Australia Company advertised its new fortunes and new freedoms. The Reynolds of Sussex were enticed.

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Chapter Two

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EMIGRATION

On the 4th October 1839, Francis REYNOLDS, then aged 16, and most others of his family applied in Chichester to emigrate to South Australia. They were then - his father John, a carpenter aged 48, with his wife Mary, aged 42 years, and their seven children:

Thomas, a painter and glazier aged 21,

Edmund, a tinman aged 19,

Francis, an errand boy aged 16 years,

with two boys aged 10 and 5, (Alfred and Henry),

and two girls aged 13 and 7, (Mary and Frances).

All were sponsored by J. Elliot of Chichester.[28]

Six weeks earlier, his sister Eliza, aged just 19 years old, had registered for emigration as a maidservant and was promptly allocated her embarkation number #5866 on the 22nd August 1839.[29] She sailed, leaving London on the 10th September 1839, on the barque "John", of 472 tons, and after travelling the usual sailing route around Cape of Good Hope, arrived in South Australia on the 5th February 1840.[30]

The remainder of the family delayed their departure for quite some time after 1839. The parents John and Mary Matilda Reynolds later had another child born in Sussex - William James - who was baptised on the 22nd February 1843 in Chichester,[31] so they had not emigrated by that time. Then 21 year old Alfred died in Hunston, Sussex on the 13th December 1849,[32] so he may have been an ill or sickly child that needed to stay in England, being too weak to risk the sea voyage. Edmund seems also to have a medical problem as later developments show, so emigration was possibly postponed until he reached a more suitable maturity.

Of the nine family members applying in 1839, the first to leave were Thomas and Francis who left Sussex after waiting for the family for nine years. They sailed from Plymouth on the “Thomas Lowry” a ship of 409 tons with C. G. Potherbridge as master, and arrived in Adelaide on the Tuesday 5th of December 1848.[33] Shortly after Francis was married in Adelaide in 1849, with Thomas present there as a witness.[34]

A note of interest is that the “Thomas Lowry” also brought Alexander TOLMER and his wife to Adelaide. They were later to become in-laws together with Francis Reynolds when their son Richard Tolmer married Francis’ granddaughter Ruby Honey.[35]

On the 11th October 1854 John Reynolds, a farmer and his wife, Mary, together with Edmund, aged 20, William, aged 10, and Henry A, an adult, sailed from Liverpool to Melbourne on the "Champion of the Seas", paying 30 pounds for the passage.[36] The ages of both of the parents were given in the shipping lists as 27 years so these were not the parents who had originally applied to emigrate, since in reality John, a carpenter by trade, was by then almost 67 years and Mary was nearing 61 years.[37] It may be that the shipping list should in fact read 57 years or the parents were replaced by one of their elder sons from South Australia who had returned to pick up their brothers, assuming the name to meet the requirements of the Emigration Application. If it was the parents, then they did not stay long in South Australia for John died in Chichester in 1860, and Mary Matilda in 1869.

The "Champion of the Seas" was an American Clipper Ship of massive dimensions. With her 2722 tons she was the biggest vessel to enter Melbourne at that time, and would still be the largest sailing ship ever to enter Port Melbourne. Steam was beginning to replace sail around this year of 1854. The passenger list totalled 780 souls, with 45 in Cabins, and 735 in Intermediate and Steerage.[38]

And she was fast. The "Champion of the Seas" holds the record for the fastest sailing run from England to Australia of 72 days for that voyage, in spite of being damaged early, and during the trip clocked the most distance under sail in a single day, noon to noon from 11th to 12th December, of 465 miles (744 km).[39] "Under Captain A. Newlands the ship sailed from Liverpool at 5pm on the 11th, in the Bay of Biscay, on the night of the 17th she met with a severe gale of wind, blowing away both jibs, and doing her other damage, during which one of the sailors fell from the mizzen top-sail yard and was not seen to rise again."[40]

She sailed Southwards through calms and baffling winds along the West Africa coast, and rounded the Cape of Good Hope on the 46th day.[41] From here Captain Newlands showed how keen he was to claim the record. He chose to sail South Easterly, and along the very windy but dangerous Great Circle Route through the storm and iceberg riddled Southern Ocean. The further Southwards that he chose, the shorter the voyage, but the more dangerous it would be as the path neared the Southern ice packs with their mists and fog shrouded, massive, floating icebergs.[42]

They arrived off Melbourne on Christmas Eve, 24th December 1854, with all passengers praising the Ship and its captain:

"without question the noblest that has anchored in Hobsons Bay. Her model is faultless and the fittings for the accommodation of passengers more elegant, convenient, lofty and airy than those of any other in the Australian line. Of her sailing qualities there can be no question ... her average run during the passage was 199 miles (318 km) during the day. Captain Newlands who has the honour of commanding this exquisite specimen of floating architecture ... we find some 800 passengers from the various classes voluntarily presenting a complimentary testimonial to this gentleman ... sincere thanks to him for his kindness, and a hearty congratulations on the successful termination of the voyage."[43]

The trip unfortunately finished on a sour note as the vessel was quarantined for a week due to smallpox, so the passengers waited aboard ship until eventually disembarking on 30th December 1854.[44] What an anticlimax for the passengers on the biggest and fastest ship.

The immigrant Reynolds were now in Australia.

Henry was admitted to Adelaide Hospital for seven weeks from 17th October to 4th December 1855 with Rheumatism, stating it was just ten months after his arrival in the Colony on the "Champion of the Seas". He was then a carpenter aged 21 years.[45]

William, then a 22 year old widower of Port Adelaide, was later admitted to Adelaide Hospital with concussion for five days on 28th December 1863. He had by then been in the Colony for nine years.[46]

Edmund spent two periods in hospital later in his life, for 'insanity' in April 1888 and for 'acute dementia, in April 1889. He was then a 69 year old tinsmith of Rose Park, single, and had arrived in the Colony on the "Champion of the Seas".[47] After his death on 23rd December 1898, aged 78 years, he was buried in the family plot in West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, and was joined by brother Henry Dennett Reynolds less than two months later.[48]

The two young girls, Mary and Frances, are suspected to have arrived also. Arriving on 25th April 1855 from Southhampton on the “Mallard” there is a Frances Reynolds aged 22 of Sussex.[49] Her age corresponds so she may be the daughter of John and Mary Matilda, following six months after the boys.

It has been said that Frances married and lived in the Mid-North, and was visited at times by her brother Henry, who would have been just two years her junior, so they may have grown up together in Sussex before each travelled to South Australia some time after 1839.[50]

Meanwhile back in Sussex, the parents still lived until John died in Hunston on the 28th March 1860 aged 72 years,[51] and Mary died in Portfield on the Eastern edge of Chichester on the 11th September 1869 aged 75 years.[52] Three tombstones lie together bearing the names of John, Mary and their sons Alfred and Francis, in the St Leodegar's Churchyard in Hunston.[53] George, their third child is probably the George Reynolds who died in 1824, and is also buried in Hunston.[54]

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Chapter Three

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FRANCIS REYNOLDS In South Australia on 16th July 1849 Francis Reynolds, then a carpenter of age 25 years, married Ann Revell in the Church of England "Trinity Church", Adelaide, by James Farrell, M.A. with Thomas Reynolds and Milicent Revell as witnesses.[55] Thus Francis had migrated to SA before 1849. His wife Ann Revell was born 20th of October 1828 at Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, England,[56] and baptised in the Wesleyan Methodist Church on 23rd November 1828 to John Revell and Ann Walkland.[57] [58]

Her sister was Millicent Revell, who witnessed the marriage, and she was married on the 20^th January 1851 in St Pauls Church in Port Adelaide.[59] These two girls arrived in Adelaide with their parents on the “Harpley” on 2^nd September 1848.

The full family of children of Francis and Ann probably included the following

· Charles John Reynolds born on the 1st July 1850 at Adelaide,[60] and died on the 2nd September 1926.[61] Charles was elected to the Port Adelaide City Council in 1875 and had previously served as Mayor of Port Augusta

· Francis Reynolds born 13th December 1851 at Port Adelaide,[62] and possibly died 14th August 1871.[63]

· William Reynolds was born on the 4th September 1853 at Port Adelaide,[64] and married on the 30th August 1893 to Eliza Matilda Parish of Port Adelaide. (16 Jan 1871 - 30 Dec 1951). There now is a large family of descendants.[65] He originally farmed at Balhannah about 30 kilometres East of Adelaide in the hills, and then worked for some time at the Adelaide Ice Works. Here he developed the consumption of the lungs which eventually killed him. He died on the 6th of January 1903 at Rosewater, and was buried 8th January in Cheltenham Cemetery.[66]

· Mary Ann Reynolds was born on the 3rd May 1855 in Adelaide,[67] and was married in St Paul's Church, in Port Adelaide on the 16th April 1875[68] to Richard Honey (30 Dec 1841 - 24 Nov 1892) and their descendants numbered over 192 by 1985.[69] They lived in "Woodville", a mansion at the end of Woodville Road, and Richard was quite a successful timber merchant, taking over from his brother- in-law David Bower in the Port Adelaide Timber yards. Mary Ann Honey, nee Reynolds, died in Franklin, the suburb of Adelaide, on the 22nd October 1927, aged 72 years, and is buried with Richard Honey in Cheltenham Cemetery.[70]

· Frederick Reynolds was born on the 10th May 1857 Port Adelaide,[71] and baptised on the 7th June 1857 in St Paul's C/E Port Adelaide.[72] He was married to Mary (Minnie) and died on the 4th February 1925.[73]

· Henry Reynolds was born on the 5th July 1858 at Port Adelaide,[74] and died on the 6th March 1912, aged 53, and was buried in Cheltenham Cemetery, SA.[75]

· Thomas Robert Reynolds was born on the 12th June 1860 Port Adelaide,[76] married Elizabeth and died in Chicago to be buried on the 4th December 1921 in Cheltenham Cemetery aged 60 years.[77] He eventually took up land at Williamstown.[78]

· Elizabeth Catherine (Caroline) Reynolds was born on the 30th March 1862 at Port Adelaide,[79] and died on the 23rd December 1862.[80]

· Frances Millicent Reynolds was born on the 26th February 1864 at Port Adelaide,[81] lived in Fisher Street, Fullarton,[82] and died on the 6th August 1954, aged 90 years, unmarried, and was buried in Cheltenham, SA.[83]

· Lucy Townsend Reynolds was born on the 6th October 1865 at Port Adelaide,[84] and died on the 22nd July 1940, aged 74 years, unmarried, and was buried at Cheltenham Cemetery.[85]

· Alfred Reynolds was born on the 8th September 1867,[86] baptised on the 11th August 1867 in St Paul's C/E Pt Adelaide,[87] and died on the 23rd January 1868, aged 4 months, and is buried in Alberton Cemetery, SA.

The mother of the family Ann Reynolds (nee Revell) died in 1871, at the age of just 43 years, after a lingering illness. She was buried in Alberton Cemetery on 16th August 1871 beside her infant Alfred.[88] She was survived by eight of her eleven children.

FRANCIS REYNOLDS - BUILDER

In 1850 Francis Reynolds occupation was given as a carpenter of Port Adelaide in the SA Post Office's "Murray Almanac".[89] By 1855, when his daughter Mary Ann was born on 3rd May, Francis was then given on the birth certificate as a Builder of Port Adelaide.[90]

In 1862 he successfully tendered for, and built the Customs House in Port MacDonnell, South Australia.

"The contract for a two-storied Government building was let to F. Reynolds 1862-1863 and opened in the latter year. The contracted price was for 2,650 pounds."[91]

Francis involvement in the building trade expanded so that he was soon regarded as quite a successful Builder and Timber Merchant. He is known to have built the Port Adelaide Town Hall, shown opposite, in 1864 which was officially founded on the 10th June 1865, and for which Francis was paid 4000 pounds in bonds plus 1162 pounds in cash.[92] The Town Hall and early Council Offices which front St. Vincent Street was built to the design of Woods and Wrights, Architects, constructed of coarse rubble and dry creek stone with cement dressings and foundations of red gum.[93] Francis Reynolds was elected Mayor of Port Adelaide in 1863 til 1864.[94]

Francis Reynolds also built the very impressive Port Adelaide Congregational Church (now the Uniting Church), that is still standing in Commercial Road, Port Adelaide.[95]

This photograph of the Congregational Church of Port Adelaide was taken about 1868 just around the time that the church was completed.[96] The location of the church can be seen in the aerial sketch of early Port Adelaide at the end of this story. It stands behind the Lion Timber Yards, top right of the picture.

It was built of stone and the Reverend C. W. Evans conducted the first service on Sunday 13th December 1868. On its completion the South Australian "Register" ran an article on the Church praising the design, construction and beauty.

"The building committee have expressed great satisfaction at the manner in which the beautiful design of Mr James MacGeorge has been carried out by Mr F. Reynolds, who is not likely to make much by the contract."[97]

When his wife died in 1871, Francis Reynolds retired from active building and sold his timber interests around 1872 to the two brothers - George Kingston Lake and James Andrew Trehane Lake, who both became South Australian Members of Parliament.[98]

When Francis Reynolds died on 12th February 1874 he was in the town of Bosham, near Chichester in Sussex, England. He was most likely on a visit to relatives of his parents and there may also have been a brother or sister who had remained in Sussex or returned there to live. His gravestone now lies beside that of his parents and brother Alfred in the churchyard of St Leodegars in Hunston, West Sussex.[99]

In 1875, these extensive stone dwellings on the corner of Vincent Street and Coronation Road that were formerly Francis Reynolds home were rented separately as three houses, shops and stables. In 1877 they were stated to be under the management of the trustees of the Lake and Reynolds Company.[100]

On 8th March 1877 the company of "Lake and Reynolds" was declared to be bankrupt. The declaration was filed in the Office of the Official Assignee at 10:30 am the next day.[101] This company had originally been established in 1853 in Port Adelaide. By 1877 the two principals of the company were George Kingston Lake and Charles John Reynolds, both Timber Merchants of Port Adelaide.[102] At the time of bankruptcy, Charles Reynolds was almost 27 years old, the eldest son and probable heir to Francis Reynolds timber interests. How he came to be involved with the Lakes again is not known, but after all their real and personal effects were used to pay creditors, a second dividend of 2 shillings in the pound was declared on 26th April 1878. The first dividend is not known, but little of their personal assets would have been left them.[103]

The Vincent Street houses would probably have been lost in the liquidation of the Company's assets.

In the Will of Francis Reynolds written in August 1870 he named his wife Ann, his son William and Mr Thomas John King, school master, as his administrators, however his wife died in 1871 leaving the other two to execute the conditions of the will. In the will he bequeathed his household furnishings and goods plus an annual income to his wife, and a lump sum to each of his children. The remaining estate was to be invested by the executors until the youngest child reached 21 years, and then distributed equally. A lump sum bequest was also given to his wife's sister's children - Millicent Revell who had married Mr Fullarton and their children were John, Janet and Annie.[104]

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Chapter Four

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The REVELL FAMILY

Ann REVELL

When Francis Reynolds and Ann Revell married on 16^th July 1849, both Francis and Ann had each been in the Colony for less than a year. Francis had arrived on the “Thomas Lowry” on 5^th December 1848, but Ann had arrived with her family three months earlier on the Barque “Harpley” on 2^nd September 1848.[105]

The Revell family had its origins around Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. John Revell married Ann Walkland[106], somewhere, and they had at least four children.

Ann Revell born 20^th October and baptised 23^rd November 1828 at the Mansfield Wesleyan Church. The following three children, Millicent baptised 14^th October 1831, Charlotte baptised 7^th May 1834 and Joseph John baptised 24^th January 1836 were all at the parish church in Mansfield.[107] With Ann being first baptised at the Wesleyan Church could indicate the family was not originally from Mansfield.

The family do not appear in the 1841 census, just five years later. They would have been in Calais, France with a thousand other English lace workers. These men and their families were in Calais to design, build and maintain the lace machines that had been developed in Nottingham, and were now being used by the French. However when the 1848 revolution occurred in France these families were forced to get out of France. A request was made to the English Government to be assisted emigrants to South Australia, rather than face a very limited employment at home and thus impose problems on the parish poor workhouses throughout England. The Government obliged, and with public appeal for additional assistance, over 700 people emigrated in 1848 on the the “Agincourt” and “Fairlie” to Sydney and the “Harpley” to Adelaide.[108] They were designated as “refugee emigrants from France”.[109] Other ships were to follow later.

The Revell family arrived on the “Harpley”, comprising John aged 48 years, Ann aged 47, Elizabeth ? aged 37?, Ann aged 18 and Millicent aged 16 years. The passenger list stated Millicent was born in Mansfield, so confirmed the family. Elizabeth may have been a sister of John, as there is some confusion with her age.[110]

The Barque “Harpley” There are no sketches or photographs of the “Harpley”, however she would look quite similar to this sketch of the Barque “John Williams”

The “Harpley”, designed as an emigrant barque, was built and fully fitted out in Tasmania on the River Tamar and launched in Launceston on the 2nd February, 1847. She was measured at 547 tons, with two decks, a square stern and ship-rigged on three masts. She was 37.3 metres long, 8.0 metres wide and her depth from deck to keel amidships was 5.7 metres. She was built for James Raven, a merchant of Launceston. On 10^th February she was registered at Launceston as No 1 of 1847 and made her first voyage out of Australia in March 1847. She carried a full cargo of primary produce, then called at Hobart to embark 50 soldiers, 26 women and 40 children. She left Hobart for England on 20^th March, and reached England in July.[111]

There is a John Revell death in Port Adelaide on 5^th May 1882, aged 87 years. This may be the father of the family.

Chapter Five

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BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF FRANCIS REYNOLDS

WILLIAM JAMES REYNOLDS

As a brother to Francis, William James Reynolds, was born on the 11^th December 1842[112] and baptised on the 22nd January 1843 at Oving, near Chichester, to John and Mary Matilda (nee Dennett).[113]

William James, the painter of Port Adelaide, and Mary Ann Dinan of Woodville were married on the 16th February 1864 in St Luke's Church, Adelaide, by the Reverend James Pollitt.[114] Mary Ann Dinan’s birth date was the 4th September, around 1843 and there were two known children.[115]

· Alice Matilda Reynolds born on the 6th December 1865,[116] and was baptised on the 22nd December 1866 in St Paul's C/E Port Adelaide.[117] She married on the 6th June 1894 Magill SA. to Alfred Arthur Wilkinson (1868 -1938) and they had three known children:[118] one of which was Freda

· Frances Mary Reynolds was born on the 24th April 1868,[119] and was baptised on the 23rd May 1869 in St Paul's C/E Port Adelaide, SA.[120] She married on the 3rd November 1891 at St George's Church, Magill,[121] to John Saunders (1858- 1931) who in his 39 years in the New South Wales Police Force, (1879-1918) rose to become Police Superintendent First Class in charge of the South District of NSW. Frances died in 1970 at the great age of 102. There were seven children:- William, Sylvia Frances, Horace, Arthur E (1899-), Howard, Charles (1903-), and Alice Edith (1905-1975)[122]

Frances Mary Reynolds John Saunders

(1868-1970) (1858-1931)

William was a painter of Port Adelaide from 1866 to 1869 with the births of his children. In May 1882 he was about to leave the SA Colony for a time so signed over Power of Attorney to one of his brothers, Henry Dennett Reynolds.[123] In 1891, at the marriage of his daughter Frances, William Reynolds was living in East Payneham, Adelaide.

William was not born in England until 1842 which was after the applications and the supposed general migration date of the family in 1839.[124] Eliza was in South Australia in 1840 and Francis and Thomas were there in 1848. With migration date of 1854 for the second half of the family - Edmund, Henry, and William - it means that William grew up among these brothers in England with some of his sisters, and later operated with them in the growing colony of South Australia.

These two other brothers - Henry and Edmund - who emigrated to South Australia in 1854 also had large families in the colony.

HENRY DENNETT REYNOLDS

Henry Dennett Reynolds was born in (Oving) Chichester, Sussex, and baptised on the 7th September 1834 to John Reynolds and Mary Matilda (nee Dennett). He arrived in style with some of his family in Melbourne on the “Champion of the Seas” on the 24th December 1854 and worked as farm labourer and then carpenter of Adelaide, Lyndoch, Jamestown and Port Pirie.[125]

He married twice, firstly on 27th November 1852 (aged 18?) in Adelaide to Marie Caroline Seidel (1821 - 17 Mar 1913) born in Silesia, Prussia, the daughter of Gottfried Seidel. Henry's second marriage was on the 6th January 1869 in Port Adelaide to Margaret Robinson (1841 - 19 Jul 1925), who was born in Ireland to Alexander Robinson.[126]

The children of Henry Dennett Reynolds from the first marriage:-

· Robert Reynolds was born on the 26th May 1855 at Lyndoch SA. and died on the 9th July 1923 at Androssan SA. and married on the 4th February 1855 at Wandearah SA. to Ann Matilda Whitbread (23 Mar 1867 - 20 May 1964) having eight known children.[127]

· William Henry Reynolds was born on the 11th December 1857 at Lyndoch SA. He married on the 10th October 1883 Wandearah SA. to Sarah Ann Whitbread (1863-1938), and they had seven known children.[128]

· May Reynolds was born about 1860.

· John Henry Reynolds was born on the 6th August 1864 and died on the 2nd July 1943 Appila SA. married on the 2nd February 1865 to Mary Ann (1865 - 1956) having one known child.[129]

· George Reynolds was born in 1865 SA. and died on the 27th March 1944 in Port Pirie SA. He married at Orroroo SA. to Edith Maude Mary Palmer (1878-1958) having three known children.[130]

In January 1876 (aged 41 yeas) Henry was the Hotel Keeper of the Gresham Hotel, King William Street in Adelaide,[131] and in May 1882 (aged 47 years) he was a Gentleman - usually meaning "retired with means" - of Halifax Street, Adelaide.[132] He died at Wayville SA. on the 10th February 1899 at the age of 64 years, and is buried in West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, with his brother Edmund.[133]

THOMAS REYNOLDS

Thomas Reynolds was born in Chichester around 1818 to John Reynolds and Mary Matilda Dennett.[134] He arrived in Adelaide on the 5th December 1848 with his brother Francis on the “Thomas Lowry”.[135] He was a painter and glazier. He bought land on 1st Oct 1874 in Macclesfield township, and on a trip back to Bosham on 28th January 1876, sent a letter of Power of Attorney for the sale of this land to his brother Henry Dennett Reynolds, in Adelaide.[136] He died in Chichester at the age of 70 years on the 28th October 1888, so had probably stayed there after his 1876 trip.[137]

ELIZA REYNOLDS

Eliza was born on the 4th May 1820 in Chichester, fourth child to John and Mary Matilda (nee Dennett).and was the first of the family to emigrate to South Australia. She arrived in Adelaide on the barque “John” on the 5th February 1840[138] and within two years married Robert Walker Cleland in Holy Trinity Church, North Terrace, Adelaide on the 4th September 1841 Eliza died at her Unley home on the 20th July 1905, aged 86 years.[139] Her family included four daughters and one son

· Margaret Cleland (25 May 1844 - 21 Nov 1907),

· Helen Cleland (23 Jun 1846 - 19 May 1925),

· Lucy Cleland (13 Feb 1851 - 13 Aug 1906),

· Janet Cleland who married Mr Everett,

· Walter Duffield Cleland (22 May 1861 - 4 Oct 1933)[140]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

------------

Letters

* Mrs Claire E. Sinclair, a descendent of Thomas Reynolds of origins yet unknown.

* Mr Peter N. Reynolds of Norfolk, England, a descendant of Thomas and Sarah of Hunston.

* Mr Max Reynolds of Victoria, a descendent of Francis Reynolds of Port Adelaide through his son William.

* Mrs Barbara Welsh of SA cousin to Max Reynolds.

* Mr Max Spiller, a descendent of Mary Ann Reynolds and Robert Spiller, the earliest family to migrate.

* Mrs Marjorie Thomas (nee Spiller), Max Spiller's cousin.

* Mrs Joy Kuring (nee Honey) who holds Richard Honey's Birthday Book.

* Ms Kathy Watkins, a descendent of Frances Mary Reynolds, daughter to William James Reynolds.

* Mrs Kerry Bradley provided the St Leodegars of Hunston churchyard photos – a Spiller descendant

Newspapers and Periodicals

* "Murray Almanac", post office directories of SA

* "Border Watch", Mt Gambier, Tuesday April 28th 1987

* "SA Government Gazette," Adelaide,

Published Sources

* B.I.S.A. Biographical Index of South Australians

* Reg Butler "A College in the Wattles" 1989.

* W.F. Morrison "The Aldine History of South Australia (1890)" Volume 2.

SIDENOTES

Another Thomas Reynolds confused with this one was a harness maker / saddler of Adelaide and Stockport. On the 6th April 1847 at Adelaide he married Jane Megaw (1828-1891), who was born in Ireland to Samuel and Susannah Hasley. Their children include:-

· Thomas Samuel Dummer Reynolds b. 9.3.1848 Adelaide SA d.29.9.1917 Pt Pirie S.A. m.1876 Tarlee SA to Mary Ann (nee Gant) (1858-1926)

· Susannah Elizabeth Reynolds b.10.8.1850 Stockport SA d.11.4.1912 SA m.9.3.1871 Kapunda SA to Henry Gant (1847-1921) six known children

· Jane Reynolds b.1.12.1853 Stockport SA d.1935 SA m.12.3.1872 Finniss Point SA to John Gant (1847-1921) four known children.

· Louisa Reynolds b.13.9.1856 SA

· James Reynolds b.1859 SA d.4.9.1933 m. SA Eliza Jane nee Buckley (1864-1949) six known children

· Elizabeth Sarah Reynolds b.31.10.1861 Stockport SA d.25.2.1928 m.2.6.1881 Rhynie SA Francis Henry Drake (1858-1935) six known children.

Thomas died on 17th May 1869, drowned in the creek at Mutton Cove at Port Adelaide. He had been away from his Tarlee home on business as a harness maker and coach trimmer, and after a drinking binge was found drowned in the creek. The origins of this Thomas still proves to be a mystery.

+++++++++++++++

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[1] Family Bible of Francis Reynolds (from Max Reynolds)

[2] From the photograph, passed on to me from Mary Pearson, of the tombstone in a churchyard

[3] Max Reynolds, family notes and Register photocopies

[4] Mary Pearson, family photograph

[5] Peter N. Reynolds, of Norfolk, in his family notes compiled from sources in England

[6] Parish Registers, Chidham, Sussex, from Peter Reynolds

[7] Parish Registers, Chidham, Sussex, from Peter Reynolds

[8] Peter Reynolds, family notes

[9] Dorothy Ann Simms of Rustington, West Sussex, letters to detail her family of Reynolds descendants

[10] IGI. Church of Christ of the Latter Day Saints.

[11] It was from near this Bridge that William Turner, painted his famed canvas of the Chichester Cathedral

[12] Parish Registers, Chidham, Hunston and Donnington. (from Peter Reynolds)

[13] Parish Registers, Chidham, Hunston and Donnington. (from Peter Reynolds)

[14] Shipping Lists. SAGFHS

[15] Max Spiller, family notes of his own family

[16] Spiller Family Tree, (from Max Spiller)

[17] Peter Reynolds, family notes

[18] Claire Sinclair, notes from London Guildhall Library

[19] Affidavit of the bond

[20] Max Reynolds, family notes

[21] "Baptism Register, Hunston." #18/1816 - West Sussex Record Office ref EP 1/24/61B (from Max Reynolds)

[22] "Baptism Register, Hunston." #39/1820 (from Max Reynolds)

[23] "Baptism Register, Hunston." #61/1823 (from Max Reynolds)

[24] "Baptism Register, Hunston." #82/1826 (from Max Reynolds)

[25] "Baptism Register, Hunston." #94/1829 (from Max Reynolds)

[26] Parish Registers (from Max Reynolds)

[27] Photos specially taken by Kerry Bradley – a Spiller descendant.

[28] "Register of Immigrant Labourers Applying for a Free Passage to South Australia." page 90. on microfiche by Mortlock Library (from Claire Sinclair)

[29] "Register of Immigrant Labourers Applying for a Free Passage to South Australia." page 103. on microfiche by Mortlock Library (from Claire Sinclair)

[30] Passenger Arrivals Index, barque "John" (from Claire Sinclair)

[31] From IGI

[32] "Burial Register, Hunston." #120/1849 - West Sussex Record Office ref - EP 1/26/64B (from Max Reynolds)

[33] Shipping Arrivals, page 3, “The Register” Adelaide, 9 Dec 1848 (from Barbara Welsh)

[34] Marriage Certificate #1337/1849 Adelaide, SA

[35] note in letter from Barbara Welsh

[36] Passenger List, Public Record Office, Victoria.

[37] Parish Registers from Peter Reynolds in England

[38] Shipping Intelligence, "The Arcus", Melbourne, 28 Dec 1854

[39] Shipping Intelligence, "The Arcus", Melbourne, 28 Dec 1854

[40] article, "The Arcus", Melbourne, 29 Dec 1854"

[41] article, "The Arcus", Melbourne, 29 Dec 1854"

[42] Ocean conditions described by Geoffrey Jenkins "A Ravel of Waters"

[43] article, "The Arcus", Melbourne, 29 Dec 1854"

[44] article, "The Arcus", Melbourne, 29 Dec 1854"

[45] "Adelaide Hospital Admission Register" 17 Oct 1855 (from Claire Sinclair)

[46] "Adelaide Hospital Admission Register" 28 Dec 1863 (from Claire Sinclair)

[47] "Adelaide Hospital Admission Register" 23 Apr 1888 and 9 Apr 1889 (from Claire Sinclair)

[48] Cemetery Inscriptions, W.T.C. on cards at SAGFHS (from Claire Sinclair)

[49] Shipping Lists of SA at SAGFHS (from Barbara Welsh)

[50] Claire E. Sinclair’s notes - originating from a Victorian cousin.

[51] "Burial Register, Hunston." #182/1860 (from Max Reynolds)

[52] "Burial Register, Hunston." #224/1869 (from Max Reynolds)

[53] photograph with transcripts in possession of Max Reynolds.

[54] Parish Registers from Peter Reynolds in England

[55] Marriage Certificate #1337/1849 Adelaide

[56] Family Bible of Francis Reynolds (from Max Reynolds)

[57] from IGI for Nottingham

[58] from ship “Harpley” passenger list

[59] Indexes to SA. marriages (#6/38)

[60] Family Bible and Indexes to SA. Births (#3/85)

[61] Cemetery Inscriptions SAGFHS card (from Barbara Welsh)

[62] Family Bible and Indexes to SA Births (#3/315)

[63] Cemetery Inscriptions, SAGFHS card (from Barbara Welsh)

[64] Family Bible and Indexes to SA Births (#4/216)

[65] Barbara Welsh, family notes

[66] Barbara Welsh, family notes

[67] Birth Certificate (#5/179) for SA or (#3393/1855) Adelaide District, for Mary Ann Reynolds, on 3rd May 1855.

[68] Marriage Certificate (#294/1875)

[69] Ken Stewart, "The Honeys in Australia"

[70] Death Certificate (#13-/1927)

[71] Richard Honey's Birthday Book - Fred Reynolds b. May 10th 1857 (from Joy Kuring) and SA Register of 12 May 1857

[72] Card Indexes of Parish Registers and Cemetery Lists of the S.A.G.F.H.S. (from Claire Sinclair)

[73] Reg Butler "A College in the Wattles" 1989.

[74] Family Bible and Indexes to SA Births (#11/368)

[75] Inscriptions, Cheltenham Cemetery, SAGFHS cards (from Claire Sinclair)

[76] Family Bible and Indexes to SA Births (#15/392)

[77] Burial Records, Cheltenham Cemetery

[78] Reg Butler "A College in the Wattles" 1989.

[79] Family Bible and Indexes to SA Births (#20/328)

[80] Cemetery Inscriptions, SAGFHS card (from Barbara Welsh)

[81] Family Bible and Indexes to SA Births (#31/152)

[82] Burial Records, Cheltenham Cemetery

[83] Cemetery Inscriptions, SAGFHS card (from Barbara Welsh)

[84] Family Bible and Indexes to SA

Births (#38/192)

[85] Cemetery Inscriptions, SAGFHS

card (from Barbara Welsh)

[86] Indexes to SA Births (#56/298)

[87] Parish Registers, SAGFHS card (from Claire Sinclair)

[88] Cemetery Inscriptions, SAGFHS card (from Barbara Welsh)

[89] "Murray Almanac", post office directories of SA

[90] Certificates of Birth from family members

[91] "Border Watch", Mt Gambier, Tuesday April 28th 1987 (from Barbara Welsh)

[92] Valda von Bertouch research notes

[93] Port Adelaide Town Hall Brochure (from Valda von Bertouch)

[94] PHOTOGRAPH - LATE MR. F REYNOLDS, Mayor of Port Adelaide, 1863. in F. E. Melung's "Fifty Years of the Port Adelaide Institute", (1902). page 57.

[95] Valda von Bertouch research notes

[96] Port Adelaide Council Archivist Photos (from Valda von Bertouch)

[97] "SA Register" 7 Dec 1868 (from Claire Sinclair)

[98] W.F. Morrison "The Aldine History of South Australia (1890)", Volume 2, Page 529.

[99] photograph with transcripts in possession of Max Reynolds.

[100] Valda von Bertouch research notes

[101] SA. Government Gazette, No.12/1877, Adelaide, March 15th 1877. page 639 (from Barbara Welsh)

[102] Valda von Bertouch research notes

[103] SA. Government Gazette, No.17/1878, Adelaide, April 11th 1877. page 905 (from Barbara Welsh)

[104] Will of Francis Reynolds

[105] “Harpley” passenger list in the Adelaide Register paper.

[106] “Harpley” passenger list giving wives maiden names < http://www.angelfire.com/al/aslc/harpley.html >

[107] Parish Registers, Mansfield, LDS IGI online

[108] Graham Jaunay’s website, a South Australian genealogist & local historian.

[109] “Harpley” passenger list in the Adelaide Register paper.

[110] “Harpley passenger list in book “Lacemakers of Calaise”

[111] “Harpley” history information < http://www.angelfire.com/al/aslc/harpleyhistory.html >

[112] "Richard Honey's Birthday Book"

[113] From the IGI.

[114] Indexes to SA. marriages.(#57/123) and the Parish Register cards of SAGFHS

[115] "Richard Honey's Birthday Book"

[116] Indexes to SA. births (#40/141)

[117] Indexes of Parish Registers of SAGFHS

[118] B.I.S.A.

[119] "Richard Honey's Birthday Book" and Indexes (#63/240)

[120] B.I.S.A.

[121] "The Register" Sat 28th Nov 1891 (from Claire Sinclair)

[122] Kathy Watkins, descendent of John and Frances Saunders

[123] Affidavit, 2nd May 1882, Power of Attorney deeded from William James Reynolds to Henry Dennett Reynolds.

[124] "Register of Immigrant Labourers Applying for a Free Passage to South Australia." page 90. on microfiche by Mortlock Library (from Claire Sinclair)

[125] B.I.S.A.

[126] B.I.S.A.

[127] Indexes to BDM and B.I.S.A.

[128] Indexes to BDM and B.I.S.A.

[129] Indexes to BDM and B.I.S.A.

[130] Indexes to BDM and B.I.S.A.

[131] Affidavit, 28 June 1876, Power of Attorney deeded from Thomas Reynolds to Henry Dennett Reynolds.

[132] Affidavit, 2nd May 1882, Power of Attorney deeded from William James Reynolds to Henry Dennett Reynolds.

[133] Card Indexes of Parish Registers and Cemetery Lists of the SAGFHS (from Claire Sinclair)

[134] B.I.S.A.

[135] Shipping Arrivals, page 3, “The Register”, Adelaide, 9 Dec 1848 (from Barbara Welsh)

[136] Affidavit, 28 June 1876, Power of Attorney deeded from Thomas Reynolds to Henry Dennett Reynolds.

[137] "The SA Chronicle" Sat 29 Dec 1888. (from Claire Sinclair)

[138] Passenger Arrivals Index, barque “John” (from Claire Sinclair)

[139] Claire E. Sinclair notes

[140] Inscriptions, West Terrace Cemetery. (cemetery cards at SAGFHS)