The Story of Anne Ramsden

This is the story of my paternal 6x Great Grandmother, Anne Ramsden  (1701 - ?).

Anne was born in 1701 in Woodchurch, Kent, south-eastern England.

This village, on the edge of the Weald in Kent, had become firmly established in the 13th century.

It was part of the Woodchurch Parish which was quite large and covered an area of around ten square miles, almost entirely devoted to agriculture.

When Anne was born in 1701 her father George Ramsden was 28, and her mother Mary Tombes was 34.

Kent Baptism Register 1675-1812

Ramsden was a well-known family name in the village of Woodchurch.  The family name can be traced in baptism and death records all the way back to the 1550s; so it seems they had a long history with the little village in Kent.

All Saints Church in Woodchurch, Kent, England - etching dated 1882

Many Ramsden would have been baptised at this baptismal font in the All Saints Church, which was situated in the centre of the village.


Anne was baptised here on the 26th of October in 1701.




Anne's older sister Elizabeth had been born and baptised in 1700, but had died not long after.

After Anne's birth, at least three of her other siblings were born to parents George and Mary.

Another Elizabeth was born in 1703.  Anne would have been 2 years old.
Sarah was born in 1705.
Richard came along in 1707, when Anne was aged 6.

Bonny Cravat - still standing

By that time Anne's father, George, was the innkeeper of the Bonny Cravat Public House (as it was known then) in Woodchurch.  He was the innkeeper between the years 1706 until his death in 1719.


Anne and her siblings would have grown up in and around the public house, and would no doubt have helped out on many occasions as they grew older.

When George died in December of 1719, his widow (Anne's mother) Mary took over as innkeeper.  She ran the public house for a year.


Just six months before her father's death, Anne got married.  She was only 18 years old, and the circumstances of her marriage were very interesting indeed.  I've never come across a similar record of marriage with any of my other ancestors or members of my family tree, so it certainly piqued my interest.

It seems that there was a 'clandestine' marriage, a non-conformist service, between Anne Ramsden and Joseph Gilham in 1719.  Anne did not have banns posted at her own parish church, nor did she marry at the Church of England place of worship she, and generations of her family, had no doubt attended on a weekly basis.

Anne, aged 18, married Joseph, aged 22, on the 20th of July in the environs of Fleet Prison, known as the 'Rules' of 'Liberties' in London.  The streets around Fleet Prison was a place where couples could marry without breaking the law and outside the jurisdiction of the Church.

Fleet Prison by the artist Thomas Rowlandson, 1808

Their union was recorded in the 1667-1754 London Clandestine Marriage and Baptism Register.

This begs the question ... why?  At that time there were ecclesiastic laws that required couples to post banns of their intended union for three weeks before the marriage, and there were age restrictions.  Parental consent was needed for anyone younger than 21.

According to the details provided by Ancestry.com about this register:

"Most couples were married at the family church, but a significant portion of the population, for various reasons, chose to skirt these regulations and get married outside the church. Here, requirements were much looser. Grooms could be as young as 14, and brides 12. The bride and groom needed only to give their consent to the union for it to be recognized. Clergy and witnesses were not necessary, though they were often present to provide proof that the marriage had taken place. These marriages are commonly referred to as “irregular” or “clandestine.”   

The demand for clandestine marriages was met by institutions that considered themselves exempt from church canon and in some cases, by a cleric who simply flouted the regulations.   

Prisons like the Fleet became popular destinations for couples interested in quick, no-questions-asked nuptials because of the number of clerics imprisoned for debt who had nothing to lose and welcomed the income. Many of them lived in the “Rules” or “Liberties,” which were areas around the prison where prisoners could pay for the privilege of living outside the gates."

A drawing mocking the practice of elicit marriages.
Taken from the 1864 publication The Book of Days by Robert Chambers.

The Clandestine Marriage Register record shows that Anne's husband was from the Boughton-Aluph (spelt Borton) Parish in Kent, and his occupation was 'husbandman'.  In the medieval and early modern period, a 'husbandman' was the term used for a free tenant farmer or small landowner, but in terms of rank, the social status for a husbandman was below that of even a yeoman.  Basically Anne's husband was a farmer who cultivated a very small plot of land in the Boughton-Aluph Parish.

It appears that Joseph was not able to make a living out of his plot of land though, because in November of 1719, a mere four months after the marriage, he signed a 'settlement certificate' in the parish of Woodchurch.

Map showing the distance between the Parish of Boughton Aluph and the Parish of Woodchurch

The married couple had left Joseph's parish and returned to Anne's parish to live. Basically, upon signing the settlement certificate, Joseph and Anne agreed that they (and their future children) would not become a burden on the Woodchurch Parish.  So, if Anne's husband could not support his wife and family and was in need of poor relief, they would not be allowed to remain in his wife's parish!

At this point in my 6x great grandmother Anne's story, I have so many questions that have remained unanswered ...
How did she meet Joseph?  He lived in a parish that was approximately 12 miles away from where Anne was born and lived.  How did they come to know each other?

Why was Joseph unable to make a living out of his plot of land?  Where was his family?  Were they not able to help out the young couple?

So many questions!  I can surmise the answer to my original question though. Why did Anne and Joseph feel the need to travel all the way to London to get married?

Anne was the daughter of a fairly well-known, possibly highly respected member of a family that had a long-standing association with the village of Woodchurch.  Anne's father had been the innkeeper in the village for a period of nearly 13 years by this point.  Perhaps Anne's father would have considered Anne capable of a far better match, given that it seems Joseph was rather poor.

Anne was also pregnant at the time of her marriage.  Anne and Joseph's first child was born at the beginning of March in 1720, in the village of Woodchurch, so that means Anne would have been about a month into her pregnancy when she and Joseph trekked all the way to London to be married.

So I'm surmising that Anne fell in love with a young man who would have been considered beneath her; fell pregnant; ran away with him to London for a clandestine wedding ceremony, as she believed her parents would not give the necessary consent for the union given her young age.  Then, once the deed was done, both of them realised they would need the support of family to establish a life together.

Were they received with love by Anne's father and mother upon returning to Woodchurch around November of 1719, when Anne would have been heavily pregnant with their first child?   Was Anne taken back into the fold?

Sadly, Anne's father (innkeeper of the Bonny Cravat Public House) died the following month, when Anne was still only 18 years old.  George Ramsden died in December of 1719, and it fell upon his widow Mary, to run the Bonny Cravat.  Unfortunately Anne's mother was only able to remain the innkeeper for a year, and it was sold.

What did that mean for Anne and her husband?  Had they been expecting to work alongside her parents in the public house?  Did they help out Anne's mother for that following year, until it became necessary to sell?

More tragedy was to follow for my 6x great grandmother, Anne.

Sadly, just over two months after the death of her father George, Anne gave birth to her son Richard, but he died a mere 10 days later.  Anne would have been 19 years old.

Anne and her husband Joseph went on to have another two children.

Joseph was born in April of 1721, when Anne was aged 20.

Sarah (my 5th great grandmother) was born in June of 1723, when Anne was 22.


Tragically, Anne's husband Joseph then died the following year, in 1724.

He was only 27 years old, and they had only been married for 4 years!  Anne was left a widow at the age of 23, with a two very young children.  Her son Joseph was only 3 years old and Sarah (my 5x great grandmother) was 11 months old.

I have no information about Anne's life after this event, as I have not been able to track down any record of her death or burial.  It seems I may eternally wonder what happened to poor Anne after she became a widow at such a young age and left with two very young children to care for.  Did she and her mother end up living together, or did she re-marry and start a new life elsewhere?
 

The Story of Adolphus Hukins

This week my story is about my paternal Great Great Grandfather, Adolphus Hukins  (1823 - 1892).

When Adolphus was born in late 1823, his father James Hukins was 31 and his mother Susannah Fullagar was 32.  Adolphus was born in September, and baptised in October at the All Saints Church in Woodchurch, England.

Record from the Woodchurch Local and Family History database

Woodchurch is a village in Kent, south east England, that became established around the 13th century. At the time of my 2 great grandfather's birth, it had a population of around 1000 people.





There were already four siblings in the family by the time Adolphus was born.


Elizabeth had been born in 1815.
John came along in 1817.
James was born in 1820.
Crittenden was born in 1821.

After Adolphus, there were to be another four children born.

Sabina was born in 1825.
Norman was born in 1828, but sadly, died the day of his birth.  Adolphus was 5 years old at this time.
Cassandra came along in 1829.
Adelaide was born in 1832, when Adolphus was 6 years old.

For most of his childhood, Adolphus would have grown up in and around The Bonny Cravat inn, which was run by his parents in the village of Woodchurch from the year after Adolphus was born, 1824, until 1837, when Adolphus would have been 14 years of age.

Unfortunately by 1837, his father was in financial trouble and appeared in front of the Court for Relief of Insolvent Debtors in November of 1837.  It seems the family had moved and were living in Maidstone, Kent at this time.  During their stay in Maidstone, Adolphus's father worked as a farmer and his mother worked as a farm servant.  By mid 1839 though, his parents had made the momentous decision to leave their native country and emigrate to Australia.

In late 1839, Adolphus boarded the ship Cornwall with his father, mother and siblings.

The details for Adolphus were included in the immigrant list for his mother.  He was listed as having turned 16 in September of the previous year.  His sister Sabina, Cassandra and Adelaide were included in that entry as well.

His other brothers, John, James and Crittendon were listed under 'single males'.  His eldest sister Elizabeth had married the year before, and was listed as Elizabeth Dawes, alongside her husband and her baby James.

The entire Hukins clan, including Adolphus's sister Elizabeth, her husband and baby, made up a party of 12.  They travelled to Gravesend and boarded the Cornwall on May the 7th 1839, ready to embark on a journey to a new country and new future.

On May 12th,the ship set sail, "having high winds and rain all night"  (excerpt from the Surgeon's report).


There were 387 immigrants aboard, all "Kentish people". The voyage would take 112 days.

Sydney Herald (NSW) Monday 2nd of September 1839 page 2

According to the notice in the Sydney Herald in September of 1839:

"The Cornwall arrived from London, yesterday, with 374 Government emigrants, all of whom are in a healthy state, and out of so many we have only to announce the death of 18 infants ; 5 were born during the voyage. The cleanliness of the vessel, and general good conduct of every one on board, shew how efficient must have been the management of the Captain, Surgeon and Officers. The emigrants, consist principally of farming men and laborers, there are also a few mechanics, the greater part appear to be very respectable. Captain Cow reports having spoken the Glenbervie from Sydney, bound to London, on the 3rd July, in latitude 30 ° 27' and longitude 31 ° 30' west, all well. On the 9th June, she spoke the Lady Raffles, from Ply-mouth the 12th May, bound to Sydney, with bounty emigrants, all well, in lat. 11° 34' N., and long. 25° 7' West."

The Surgeon on the ship, Gilbert King Esq., reported that the main afflictions suffered by the passengers were fever, diarrhoea, scurvy, and in the case of children, rubella, scarlet fever and bowel infection due to the irritations of teething.

He noted that "Devine Service was performed every Sunday forenoon on the quarter decks" and that all the immigrants were Protestant.  Other observations he wrote about: A school was established aboard ship during the voyage.  Beds were stowed on deck every morning unless the weather was wet, and the immigrants washed themselves each morning.  Two washing days were appointed weekly, thus every family was afforded the opportunity to keep their linen clean.  In fine weather, they had singing and dancing on the quarter deck."  

Adolphus and his family disembarked safely on September 3rd 1840.

Sadly, only four months after the family landed in Australia, Crittenden (Adolphus's older brother) died at the age of 18.  That would have been a mighty blow for all the family, and Adolphus must have felt it keenly as Crittenden was the older brother closest to him in age.

I have little information about the life of Adolphus in the immediate years after landing in Australia, other than knowing that seven years later he appears to be living in the village of Peterborough, which was in the Shellharbour area on the south coast of New South Wales.  That was the residence listed on his marriage record.

In 1847 Adolphus married Mary Ann Farley when he was 24 years old.  Mary Ann was 18.  They went on to have a family of 13 children over the following 20 years.

Adolphus Crittenden was born in 1849.
James E was born in 1850.
Susannah (known as Susan) came along in 1851.
John Smith was born in 1853.
Mary Barnes in 1854.
Thomas Richard was born in 1856.
Adelaide A came along in 1860.
George Henry was born in 1861.
Alfred Edward in 1863.
Eleanor Sabina came along in 1865.
Cassandra Elizabeth was born in 1865.
Amy Jane in 1867.
Arthur E in 1869.

Adolphus and his wife appear to have moved on from the Shellharbour area further south, not long after the birth of their first child.

Historical Electoral Roll 1855-1856 Kiama 

Historical electoral rolls for the district of Kiama in New South Wales show that for the years 1855 - 1856, Adolphus, his father James and his two older brothers James Jnr. and John, were all the owners of freehold land on Curramore Estate in Jamberoo.

Empire (Sydney, NSW  1850 - 1875), Tuesday 27 March 1855 page 8

A newspaper item from that time advertising the sale of plot of land on the Curramore Estate indicates that it was good farming land and the district supplied Sydney with vast quantities of grain, potatoes and dairy produce.

Jamberoo was a small village, about 11 km west of Kiama, but it seems that the farmland Adolphus owned there was not the only property he owned.

By 1856 Adolphus, now aged 32, was a hotel keeper, seemingly following in the footsteps of quite a number of his ancestors back in England.  He ran the 'Four In Hand' pub on Terragong Street in Kiama, New South Wales.  By this time he had a family of six children.

Certificates for Publicans' Licences 1856 - Kiama

The 1856 records showing a list of Publican's Certificates indicate that Adolphus had previously held a publican's licence, but I haven't yet been able to uncover other records indicating exactly when he began his trade as a publican.

Interestingly, the 1856 record shows that his father John Hukins Snr. was one of two men who offered sureties on behalf of Adolphus.

Certificates for Publicans' Licences 1858 - Kiama

The record from 1858 shows that the 'Four In Hand' pub was run out of a house, so I'm assuming Adolphus originally starting running his pub in one of the rooms in the home where he lived with his family.

Unfortunately it doesn't appear as if Adolphus was having much success in business by this time, as creditor issues were coming to light in late1858.  By this time Adolphus was aged 34.

Insolvency Court - Sydney Morning Herald (NSW), Thursday 21 October 1858, page 2

The issues with his creditors become the subject of insolvency proceedings against Adolphus.

Sydney Morning Herald (NSW) Tuesday 26 October 1858 page 6

On the 26th of October 1858 a small article in the Sydney Morning Herald stated that the official assignee instructed that assets be sold on cash terms by public auction at the premises owned by Adolphus.  The list of assets was quite impressive and included:
- the lease and liquor licence of his pub
- the stock-in-trade including fixtures, kegs and measures
- 'superior' household furniture consisting of horsehair seated chairs, horsehair sofas, chiffoniers, dining and side tables, carpets, pictures, chests of drawers, bedsteads and bedding, glassware, plated ware and crockery ware
- a 'superior' horse with its harness, saddle and bridle
- and a 'first-rate cow' to boot!!!

Freeman's Journal (Sydney,NSW), Saturday 25 December 1858, page 2

During the third creditors meeting later in the year, the official assignee advised creditors that £96 had been the outcome from the sale of assets.  It was noted that the judge allowed Adolphus to keep "his household furniture and wearing apparel".  Perhaps Adolphus counted his blessings, but it must have been a terrible time for the entire family.

I haven't found out much information about exactly what happened in the immediate years after this event, apart from the fact that he became a father of another two children.  Just a little over three years later though, his name appears in a newspaper article once again.

 Examiner (Kiama, NSW), Tuesday 18 February 1862, page 2

He appeared before the Kiama Police Court charged with having stolen a shilling from a man named Paul Robins.

The two men had been "tossing for nobblers".

A 'nobbler' was apparently a small shot glass filled to the top with hard liquor that had been laced with some other alcohol.  

Publicans would doctor a gallon of rum and end up making eight gallons of nobbled rum. They would then sell this drink quite cheaply.

Drinkers got drunk very quickly imbibing this brew!

On the evening of Monday, 17th of February 1862, witnesses stated that both Hukins and Robins were "relatively sober" at the time, although they noted that Hukins had been drinking nobblers with another man just before the incident.  When that man left, he took up the game of 'tossing' with Robins, who maintained that during the game Hukins had taken up his penny early.

Adolphus had immediately denied this, and then apparently refused to fight over it.  He took himself out to the verandah but Robins came charging out, claiming that Adolphus has stolen a shilling from him.  When Adolphus denied this, Robins went for the constable and it seems that my great great grandfather spent the rest of the night in the lock-up.

At the trial there were quite a few discrepancies in Robins' claims, and the bar maid corroborated Adolphus's claims that the money he had put in his pocket had been his own.  The case was dismissed by the judge.

Between the years 1863 and 1869, Adolphus became a father to another five children.

Then in 1869, Adolphus was in the papers again!

Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser (NSW),
Thursday 11 March 1869, page 2

This time it seems that Adolphus, now aged 46, was out riding with a couple of mates in the evening after the Kiama show, and apparently my great great grandfather's horse "bolted with him at full speed along the road until arriving at the bridge".  It seems there was a bend in the road at that point and "his horse lost his equilibrium and fell."

Adolphus fell to the ground "with great violence, which resulted in temporary unconsciousness, an extensive scalp wound, and sundry severe bruises."

He was taken to the nearest hotel and "attended with all possible care".

Hmm ... pair these previous articles with another one that appeared in a mere 4 years later, and I'm beginning to get a picture of my great great grandfather.

Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser (NSW),
Thursday 8 May 1873, page 6

It seems that Adolphus, now 50 years old, was before the Court of Petty Sessions on a charge of drunkenness.

He didn't appear remorseful or concerned about his behaviour as he stated "he did not think there was any harm in singing a song and that was all that was the matter with him."  It doesn't look as if the judge agreed that he was simply singing, as Adolphus was found guilty and fined a shilling, as well as court costs of 3 shillings and sixpence.






As a result of all these little titbits, the picture I'm getting of Adolphus is that he probably was a bit of a larrikin who didn't mind a drink, and perhaps had a bit of a devil-may-care attitude to life!

Not very long after the 'singing' incident, Adolphus appears once more in a newspaper report.

Sydney Morning Herald (NSW), Monday 20 October 1873, page 7

In October of 1873, a damages claim was settled in the Supreme Court of New South Wales.


In the matter of Perry and Ors V Hukins, the Sheriff was instructed to sell by public auction various assets owned by Adolphus following his unsuccessful defence of a damages claim.


The assets included "all the right, title and interest in and to the equity of redemption of and in a parcel of land exceeding 114 acres at Jamberoo."


So now, Adolphus has lost everything - his pub, his home and his property. Then, in 1874, when he was aged 51, one of his children died at the age of 20.

My research picked up his story about 12 years later.  Adolphus, aged 63, was recorded in the Sands Directories for New South Wales.

Sands Directories, New South Wales, 1886

At this time he was living in Ryde, New South Wales and he was a 'storekeeper' on Glebe Street.  Unfortunately, further newspaper articles published just two years later, during 1888, indicate that insolvency proceedings had once more been brought against him.

He really did not appear to have much luck in business!

Government Gazette NSW 1889 Jan-Mar

In early 1889, when he was aged 66, his name was listed in the NSW Government Gazette as being a bankrupt grocer.  In the following year, 1890, Adolphus lost another of his daughters.

Adolphus passed away in 1892 when he was 69 years old.  His occupation was listed as 'labourer' at this time, and the informant did not appear to be a member of his family, which may account for the incorrect details under the 'children of marriage' section.  I find it quite an interesting point that none of his children nor his wife appear to have been there at the time of his death.  Did that mean he was by now estranged from most of his family?  That seems a rather sad ending for Adolphus, but it does seem as if his life journey was quite the roller-coaster ride which may have been a challenge for his family.

Now that the story of Adolphus is told, I'm going to mention the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge for Week 28.  The challenge is - Travel.  My 2x great grandfather certainly fits the bill for this challenge, as he travelled from England to Australia with his family when he was quite a young man.

Interestingly though, I've realised that all of my great great grandparents on my paternal side were immigrants ... all eight of them!  That entire generation of my ancestors left their homes and travelled to Australia, never to return to their country of birth.  Some came as children, some as teenagers and the others as young adults.

The period of time for immigration for this generation of ancestors was 1839 to 1849, and it was my great great grandfather Adolphus who was the first of my paternal immigrant ancestors to arrive in Australia.

I've already written posts for all of these immigrant ancestors apart from one, and if you click on their names below, you can follow the links to their stories.

Adolphus Hukins came in 1839, as previously stated, at the age of 16.

During the following year, 1840, two of my great great grandmothers - Ellen Hickey, aged 8, and Caroline Browning, aged 10 - arrived; as did another of my great great grandfathers - Henry Brown, aged 20.

In 1841, another great great grandfather - William Conners/Connors, aged 21, arrived.

1844 was the arrival year for my great great grandmother Eliza Exton, aged 6.

1849 was the year that my great great grandfather Patrick Cusack, aged 20, was transported to Australia as a convict.

The only immigrant ancestor on my father's side that I have not written a post about yet is my great great grandmother, Mary Ann Farley.  I'm still researching for her arrival date, as there is conflicting information about that.


Special Note to any family members:  If you have photos or further information to share, can I graciously ask that you do so.  Please use the comments box below or email me.  It may prove to be invaluable to the story and provide future generations with something to truly treasure.

The Story of Susannah Fullagar

This story is about my paternal Great Great Great Grandmother Susannah Fullagar (1791-1862).  In the year of her birth, 1791, George 111 was the monarch of England; the world's first Sunday newspaper was published; Captain Arthur Phillip was in his fourth year as the Governor of newly established colony of New South Wales in Australia.

Sourced from the Woodchurch Local and Family History site using records compiled by the Woodchurch Ancestry Group

When Susannah was born, her father John Fullagar was 33 years old and her mother Elizabeth Bourne was aged 30.

She was born in the village of Woodchurch in Kent, England, and was the fifth child born to John and Elizabeth.





Susannah's eldest brother Richard had been born in 1782.
John was born in 1784, but had died the same year.
Another son John was born in 1786, but had died the same year.
Mary was born in 1785, and had died just a little while afterwards.
George was born in 1787, but had died the same year.
Sarah was born in 1788.

So that meant that when Susannah was born just three years later, the only other siblings still living were Richard and Sarah.  More siblings were to follow, but sadly, another four died in infancy.

Elizabeth was born in 1793 when Susannah was 2, but died the same year.
Thomas was born in 1794.
Josiah was born in 1796, but died the following year.
Josephus was born in 1799.  Sadly, he died just two months later.  Susannah was aged 8.
Sophia came along in 1801 but died the same year.
Ann was born in 1802 when Susannah was 11 years old.

You do have to wonder what effect the loss of so many siblings, while they were still babies, would have had on Susannah.  Perhaps the realisation of such a tragedy didn't hit her until she was much older.

Up until 1802, Susannah's father was the innkeeper of the Bonny Cravat Inn.  The family of six children had grown up a modest home on a large plot of land near the village.  Possibly Susannah's childhood would have been a happy, carefree one growing up in the small, picturesque village of Woodchurch.

Unfortunately in 1803, when Susannah was 12 years old, her father died.  At the point, Susannah's mother took over as innkeeper, so I imagine life would have changed considerably then.  With her mother working long hours, no doubt assisted by Susannah's older brother Richard, who would have now been 21; perhaps Susannah, aged 12, and her older sister Sarah, aged 15, would have taken on the mothering and the domestic duties around the home, while their mother worked at the inn.  Their brother Thomas would have been 9 years old, and baby Ann would have only been 1.  I would think that the carefree childhood days would have well and truly ended after the death of Susannah's father.

Sourced from the Woodchurch Local and Family History site using records compiled by the Woodchurch Ancestry Group

Eleven years later, in December of 1814, a marriage bann was posted announcing the coming marriage of Susannah Fullagar and James Hukins.

Sourced from the Woodchurch Local and Family History site using records compiled by the Woodchurch Ancestry Group

Then in January of 1815, at the age of 23, Susannah married James Hukins. They went on to have a family of nine children, born over a period of sixteen years.

Their daughter Elizabeth was born in June of 1815, so Susannah would have been pregnant at the time of her wedding.
John was born two years later, in 1817.
James came along in 1820.
Crittenden was born in 1821.
Adolphus was born in 1823, when Susannah was 32 years old.
Sabina, was born in 1825.
Norman came along in 1828, but sadly, died when he was a month and a half old.
Cassandra was born in 1829.
Then their last child, Adelaide was born in 1832.

The Bonny Cravat Inn, as it is today

In 1824, just after their fourth child was born, Susannah and her husband James took over the running of the Bonny Cravat Inn, which stood opposite the church.





The inn had been run by Susannah's father for 20 years, and was taken over by Susannah's mother when her father had died.  Susannah's mother, Elizabeth, was innkeeper for 12 years up until 1816 when Susannah's brother Thomas had taken over.  That was the year after Susannah had married.

Susannah's brother Thomas was innkeeper for only 4 years and for some reason, which I have not been able to uncover as yet, he stopped innkeeping in 1820.  For a period of 3 years the Bonny Cravat Inn had been in the hands of people outside the Fullagar family, until Susannah and her husband took over.

The record of Innkeepers for the Bonny Cravat Inn:
(sourced from the Woodchurch Local and Family History site of the Woodchurch Ancestry Group). 

Date	Innkeeper/Publican	Monarch
1690-1701	John Medhurst - The Butchers Arms	William & Mary 1689-1694, William III 1694-1702
1701-1706	Sarah Wood - The Bonny Cravat	Anne 1702-1714
1706-1719	George Ramsden	George I 1714-1727
1719-1720	Mary Ramsden - Widow of George
1720-1732	John and Thomas Hills	George II 1727-1760
1732-1734	Mary Hills - Widow of John
1734-1746	John Fullagar
1746-1749	Elizabeth Fullagar Widow of John
1749-1750	Elizabeth Fullagar - Widow of John & Mary Austen Widow
1750-1758	John Fullagar - Son of John
1758-1775	John Hukins	George III 1760-1820
1775-1782	James Hukins - Brother of John
1782-1803	John Fullagar - Son of John
1803-1816	Elizabeth Fullagar - Widow of John
1816-1820	Thomas Fullagar
1820-1823	Shadrack Pearce	George IV 1820-1830
1823-1824	George Elliott
1824-1837	James and Susannah Fullagar Hukins	William IV 1830-1837
1837-1843	Gabriel Law	Victoria 1837-1901

Sourced from the Woodchurch Local and Family History site

Susannah was listed as the innkeeper, along with her husband James, for a period of twelve years from 1824 to 1837.  What's fascinating for me is the fact that her name is recorded with both her maiden name, Fullagar, and her married name.  Perhaps the reason for that is to acknowledge the very long association of the Fullagar family with the running of the inn!

When Susannah began innkeeping with her husband, she had four children between the ages of nine and one, and then went on to have another four, although, tragically she lost one of her children when he was only a baby.  As any working mother knows, Susannah's days would have been hard slog.

At this point, I'm going to mention this week's prompt in the #52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge: Close Up.  It seems that Susannah would have spent time in the company of smugglers, up close and personal!! 

Smuggling had been rife in Kent during the 18th century and continued on into the 19th.  By the 1820s, Woodchurch was home to quite a number of smugglers from a well-known gang, known as Ransley's Gang.  It's likely Susannah knew them quite well, or at least knew of them.

In 1826, some members of this gang fought with the Revenue on the village green in Woodchurch, but they lost and were captured.  The Bonny Cravat Inn had often been used as a courtroom, and so it was in 1826, when Susannah and her husband ran the inn, that the trial for the captured smugglers happened at the Bonny Cravat.

The men were sentenced to death during the proceedings, and were subsequently hanged by the neck on gallows which apparently stood outside the inn.

What a gruesome sight for all in the village, but particularly for Susannah and her family, with the men likely hanging for days just outside the inn. Talk about up close and personal!



The name 'Bonny Cravat Inn' was and remains a unique name for a pub in England.  No other inn or pub has ever had a similar name.  It's said that the name came from a French fishing boat used as a smuggling vessel. The story goes that the inn was in fact the rendezvous point for smugglers who traded with the French in the early 1700s, using a boat called La Bonne Crevette. The original sign for the inn though apparently said La Bonne Corvette.  So it appears that the inn had been a smuggler's inn for the period from the 1700s to the 1800s, and it also became the place where smugglers were tried and sentenced!

It seems that after twelve years of innkeeping, Susannah and her husband were in severe financial trouble.  There is a note in The London Gazette of late 1837 that shows James petitioning the Court for Relief of Insolvent Debors.  It's interesting to also note that he had started out as a farmer, then became a victualler and farmer, but had most recently been just a victualler.  I think it can be safely assumed that Susannah's husband had lost the farm he had originally owned before they married.  It does all paint a picture of dire straits!

About eighteen months later, Susannah and her husband James were preparing for emigration.  They obviously felt that the chance for a better life far off in the colony of New South Wales was their best option!

There is a parish record that shows Susannah and her family were supported by the Woodchurch Parish with the provision of tickets and attire for the voyage as assisted immigrants to Australia.  In early May Susannah was provided with "1 gown, 1 stiff petticoat, 1 flannel petticoat, 5 shifts, 4 pairs stockings, 3 handkerchiefs, 1 pair shoes, 3 caps", whilst her husband was provided with "attire and ten pounds sterling".   There is no record of any provision for their children.

The family party, which included ...
Susannah, now aged 48;
Her husband James Hukins, aged 47;
Her eldest daughter Elizabeth, aged 24, who was by then married to Edward Dawes and had a son James aged 1;
Son John, aged 22;
Son James, aged 20;
Son Crittenden, aged 18;
Son Adolphus, aged 16;
Daughter Sabina, aged 13;
Daughter Cassandra, aged10;
and daughter Adelaide, aged 7;
all boarded the ship Cornwall at Gravesend on the 7th of May in 1839.

On the emigration record Susannah's occupation was listed as "farm servant", as she was not working as an innkeeper at that time. It appears she was educated as she could read and write. Her father was incorrectly listed as 'Charles Fullagar, innkeeper' when it should have read 'John Fullagar, innkeeper'.  There was never a Charles Fullagar living in Woodchurch and working as an innkeeper.

Susannah's husband James was listed as a 'farm labourer' on the previous page of this record.  Her older sons were listed separately as 'single men'.  John was listed as a 'gardener', James as a 'coachman' and Crittenden (although his name was incorrectly spelt) was listed as a 'groom'.  

Early on May the 12th, the Cornwall set sail for Australia.  The voyage took almost four months, with the ship arriving in Sydney on the 1st of September, 1839.

An excerpt from the Surgeon's Report of the Cornwall stated:

"Sailed from Gravesend on 12th. May 1839 and arrived on 1st. September 1839.  112 Days  On board were: 150 Adult Males. 101 Adult Females. Children: 50 Male;  74 Females; Infants 12.
Nine Males & Nine Females died on board. Main afflictions were Fever, Diarrhoea, Scurvy, & with the children Rubella, Scarlet Fever, Bowel (infection) from the irritation of teething. No one was confined to bed during the last 6 weeks – good state of health on arrival.  Five children born on board."

Sydney Herald (NSW), Monday 2 September 1839, page 2

The Surgeon's report tells of not only the births, deaths and illnesses, but also of the weather conditions.  At the beginning of the voyage there was apparently extremely inclement weather.  The Cornwall experienced squalls, hail storms, and snow storms as it journeyed towards the Bay of Biscay.  It mentions sightings of flying fish, hooking pigeons and albatross when the ship was rounding the Cape of Good Hope.

On the morning of the ship's entry into Port Jackson at Sydney, the Surgeon described his first sight of 'old Sydney town'.  No doubt Susannah would have experienced the same sights.

Sydney Cove 1839

"We entered Sydney Heads, a narrow passage between the high rocky coast, and as soon as the ship rounded the South Head, the most beautiful scenery bursts upon the sight with the Town of Sidney in the distance.

To the right as we enter the Heads is a bay, forming the Quarantine Station.  We beat up the Harbour which is a complete bay of bays, with here and there a small island, the banks are covered with Gentlemen's country seats of every stile of building, interspersed among the thick bush wood, which grows to the very edges of the banks, which are rock stone of the most picturesque formes and appearance; in the centre of the bay soon after entering is a rock, the top of which may be seen at low water mark, called the Sow & Pigs, with a Light Ship near it.

As we proceeded, the town became more exposed to view with the ships lying in the cove, and at 10.30am, we came to a safe anchorage of the Fort which stands on a projecting peak."

I'm not entirely sure what happened to the family upon their disembarkation on September 2nd 1839.  It does appear that they stayed in or close to Sydney for at least a few months as tragically, Crittenden died in 1840 with the place of death recorded as Sydney.  He was aged 19.

Soon after, it's likely that Susannah's husband would have been hired for work by one of the landowners in the colony, because by the late 1840s, Susannah and her family were definitely living and working in the Illawarra district on the New South Wales south coast. 

In 1848, Susannah's husband James is mentioned in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald as being a tenant farmer for a man named Stephen Addison Esq.  Captain Addison was giving a speech at his farewell dinner before he set off for Van Diemen's Land, and stated

"He had come to this district and had settled on what all thought a wilderness - he had greatly improved it, he it was that had given a stimulus to improvement; but if he had not been blessed with such tenants as Mr. James Hukins and family, and ably supported by good neighbours, all he could have done would have availed to nothing."

I have no doubt at all that Susannah, who was no stranger to hard work, would have been ably assisting her husband James with the clearing and working of the land.  She was to be the wife of a tenant farmer for the remainder of her life, which was to be 14 years.

It does appear that Susannah and her husband remained on that farm, named Susan's Hill, until their deaths.

As can be seen in the Death Notice above, Susannah passed away at the farm, Susan's Hill, near a small town called Jamberoo, on the south coast of New South Wales.

She died in 1862, at the age of 71, after "a long and painful illness which she bore with Christian fortitude".  She was survived by her husband James and seven of her children.


Special Note to any family members:  If you have memories to add, photos or information to share, can I graciously ask that you do so.  Please use the comments box below or email me.  It may prove to be invaluable to the story and provide future generations with something to truly treasure.