In December 1855 my great great grandfather, John Morgan, arrived in Melbourne from West Armagh, Ireland with his two sisters, Margaret and Bridget on board the ship Calliance.
Margaret and Bridget were sponsored by their sister in law Mrs Morgan of Flinder's Lane.
There are theories but nothing concrete about who this Mrs Morgan was.
I have traced much of John's story through the remainder of his life which I have recorded here and researched names and dates for Margaret Morgan to go in a separate post but as yet I don't have any stories about her.
What I found about poor Bridget though was quite sad and I would love to know what happened to her family after she died.
Bridget married Bernard Clark(e) on the 15th of June 1859 at St. Francis Church in Melbourne which was also where her brother John married my great great grandmother Alice Kelly on the 30th of June 1858.
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| St Francis Church Melbourne. |
Bridget's marriage certificate states that Bernard was from County Meath in Ireland and his parents were Peter Clarke and Rose nee Rice. Peter was a farmer. Bernard was a miner aged 22 years.
On the 8th of August 1863 at Old Inglewood (near Bendigo) in Victoria Bridget died from inflammation of the lungs. Her death certificate lists two children, Margaret aged 2 years and 5 months and Peter aged 2 weeks. The Inglewood cemetery records say Bridget Clark is buried there but no location, plot number or headstone. No other Clarks are listed as buried in the cemetery so I assume they moved away.
I have nothing further yet. Did Bernard remarry? Did little Peter survive? Who raised the children?
I wanted to put this out there to see if perhaps any possible descendants of the Clarkes might happen to read it one day and contact me. Meanwhile I shall continue searching.
Don't you wish that the Clarks had more unusual names? Good luck with the hunt Kerryn.
ReplyDeleteI certainly wish that often in my tree Jill. Thanks for the good luck wishes, I think I'll need it.
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