I am currently in England visiting my daughter who is working in London. Naturally I decided I would have to spend some time on genealogical pursuits. The problem was where would I choose for a few day's retreat from London?
In the end I decided to go to Northampton to visit the grave of Caroline Chisholm. Caroline is known as the immigrant's friend. She was a well known social reformer of her day.
Why is Caroline significant to me and my family? You may recall that Caroline Chisholm was on the original $5 note in Australia. As well as her image there was a picture of a ship. That ship was the Waverley.
Caroline agitated at the Home Office to reunite the wives and families of convicts with their husbands and fathers. On 22 June 1847 she wrote that she ‘had just left the Home Office and had obtained a passage per Waverley for forty-nine souls.’ SMH 9 August 1847, extract from letter 30 March 1847.
My great great grandmother Matilda Agnew, her older siblings James, John and Rosanna and their mother Ellen (Alicia on Irish records) were on the Waverley. Caroline Chisholm organised their journey to Australia to be reunited with their father and husband James Agnew.
Her letter went on to say that one of the families had been ill with fever and she requested that they not be permitted to travel until later. That family was related to mine. They were Matilda's cousins Adam, Edward and James along with their mother Catherine. They had to wait until the following year. This must have been very difficult for them.
Back to the present. Caroline Chisholm is buried at Billing Road Cemetery in Northampton, less than an hour's train ride north of London. The cemetery is quite close to the centre of town. I came armed with information about how to locate the headstone - it was at the far end of the cemetery.
Unfortunately my definition of far end differed from the information I had. I walked to the very far end and could not find it. However, I finally located the headstone at what I would have called the right hand side, quite close to the front and the side wall of the cemetery. Enter from the main gate, follow the path to the right and when the path veers to the left, leave the path and continue walking straight ahead. If it's springtime you will be fortunate to see daffodils surrounding the grave as I did.
My great great grandmother Matilda was born a few months after her father was sent to Australia, so by the time she first met him she was 11 years old. Without assistance from Caroline Chisholm she may never had met him.
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In the end I decided to go to Northampton to visit the grave of Caroline Chisholm. Caroline is known as the immigrant's friend. She was a well known social reformer of her day.
Why is Caroline significant to me and my family? You may recall that Caroline Chisholm was on the original $5 note in Australia. As well as her image there was a picture of a ship. That ship was the Waverley.
Caroline agitated at the Home Office to reunite the wives and families of convicts with their husbands and fathers. On 22 June 1847 she wrote that she ‘had just left the Home Office and had obtained a passage per Waverley for forty-nine souls.’ SMH 9 August 1847, extract from letter 30 March 1847.
My great great grandmother Matilda Agnew, her older siblings James, John and Rosanna and their mother Ellen (Alicia on Irish records) were on the Waverley. Caroline Chisholm organised their journey to Australia to be reunited with their father and husband James Agnew.
Her letter went on to say that one of the families had been ill with fever and she requested that they not be permitted to travel until later. That family was related to mine. They were Matilda's cousins Adam, Edward and James along with their mother Catherine. They had to wait until the following year. This must have been very difficult for them.
Back to the present. Caroline Chisholm is buried at Billing Road Cemetery in Northampton, less than an hour's train ride north of London. The cemetery is quite close to the centre of town. I came armed with information about how to locate the headstone - it was at the far end of the cemetery.
Unfortunately my definition of far end differed from the information I had. I walked to the very far end and could not find it. However, I finally located the headstone at what I would have called the right hand side, quite close to the front and the side wall of the cemetery. Enter from the main gate, follow the path to the right and when the path veers to the left, leave the path and continue walking straight ahead. If it's springtime you will be fortunate to see daffodils surrounding the grave as I did.
My great great grandmother Matilda was born a few months after her father was sent to Australia, so by the time she first met him she was 11 years old. Without assistance from Caroline Chisholm she may never had met him.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I loved this story Sharon linking Caroline Chisholm's well known endeavours with your famil's history. Also like the explanation on memory in your other post.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful connection with history. I'm glad you found the grave!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post about a wonderful woman. My convict, Patrick Curry, also had dealings with Caroline Chisholm. Maybe it's time to reblog about that.
ReplyDeleteMy mother (maiden name claire mcristal) is daughter of leo chisholm. Leo chisholm (my pop) is either henry or archibald jnrs son. Which are sons of caroline chisholm. I am yet to discover any more family history regarding my pop and his parents and so forth, if you do find any please do post. It would be kindly appreciated!:) anna brown.
ReplyDeleteAnna
ReplyDeleteAt this stage I don't know anything about the defendants of Caroline Chisholm
Hi Sharon.
ReplyDeleteI am Archie's and Caroline's 5th great-grandson.
Jim you had an amazing ggggg grandmother. You must be proud to be descended from her.
DeleteI stumbled on your page while I was searching for information that would help me understand how on earth my illiterate, Irish-speaking great great great grandmother Mary Grady from Clare and her her 4 daughters managed to be 5 of those 49 souls on the Waverley. Our ancestors were shipmates! My 5 and your 5 made up 20% of the souls, so we certainly made a good showing ;) And yes, without the astonishing kindness and unbridled energy of Mrs Chisholm, my family and I would not be here today.
ReplyDeleteSo pleased you came across this post. My family ended up in Cooma. What about yours?
DeleteThey had a farm in Raymond Terrace, near Maitland.
DeleteI am also a descendant of the great Caroline Chisolm!
ReplyDeleteYou must very proud of what she accomplished.
ReplyDeleteI am Caroline Chisholm's 5th great grandson
ReplyDelete