Hannah's parents were luke Wallbridge and Sarah Shephard. Luke was the son of Thomas Wallbridge and was born in 1797 in Dorchester, a large centre of trade in Dorsett, U.K.
Sarah was the daughter of William Shepard and was born in 1805/6 at Wareham, a market town on the River Frome, in the area of Purbeck, 13km south west of Poole in Dorsett. ( 1&2)
Memo: At the mutual request of both parties, I agree to hold this memorandum of agreement.
Sydney 17.9.1867.
1. Death certificate, Sarah Wallbridge, Births, Deaths and Marriages Registrar.
Luke and Sarah were married some time in 1826 in Dorchester and had an extremely large family. At the time of her death, Sarah's death certificate stated that she had two sons, Charles and Henry and four daughters, Mary, Sarah, Eliza and Louisa living, and one son and twelve daughters dead- a total of 19 children. Her daughter, Hannah Henderson, predeceased her mother by ten years. (2)
In 1850, Hannah migrated to New South Wales and in 1853, her sister Mary Ann arrived, giving as a reference Robert Henderson, brother-in-law, of Clarence Hotel. Mary Ann married John Burton, widower at St. Philip's church on 21/2/1854 and her sister Sarah married Augustus William Fortier in 1856. It seems that Luke and Sarah and the rest of the family arrived in either late 1855 or in 1856. Mary Ann is the only one listed as an assisted migrant. (3)
The family settled at Kincumber.
Sarah Wallbridge died on August 28, 1879 at 73 from morbus senilis, at Kincumber and is buried at St. Paul's Church of England cemetery there. (4)
Her great grand-son Thomas, infant son of Manasseh and Madeline Ward, born on 24th March, died on 26th March, 1880, is buried in the same grave and listed on Sarah's headstone. There was no officiating clergyman at Sarah's burial, a not uncommon occurrence in those days. The witnesses were Edward Reeve JP; Police Magistrate Read, William Hastings, Manasseh Ward and one other name I cannot read. Luke Wallbridge, whose occupation was given as teamster, died on April 5, 1884, of Kidney disease, at Kincumber and is also buried in St. Paul's cemetery. (5)
Hannah was born in Dorchester, County Dorsett U.K. circa 1829/30, and arrived in Sydney in 1850. At the time of her marriage, Hannah was a spinster and a resident of St. Philip's Parish in Sydney. She married Robert Geary Henderson, bachelor, also of St. Philip's Parish, at St. Philip's church of England, Sydney on November 3, 1852. The Reverend William Cowper officiated and the witnesses were Robert Henderson, father and Mary Ann Duigan, both of Sydney. Hannah was 23 and Robert 20 (6)
At the time of the birth of Hannah and Robert's first child, their address is given as Erskine Street and the father's occupation given as publican. Their daughter was born in August, 1853 and was baptised Catherine Hargraves Henderson by the Rev. William Cowper at St. Philip's on October 31, 1853. (7)
The second child, also a daughter, was born at Erskine Street on March, 28, 1855. At the time, Robert's occupation was shown as mariner- possibly he was working on one of his father's coastal ships trading to Brisbane Water. This girl was christened Madeline Mary Geary Henderson, although the record showed Adelaide Mary Geary Henderson. The ceremony was performed by Rev. William Cowper at St. Philip's on May 27, 1855. (8)
Hannah and Robert had a son, born October 22, 1856 at 26 Erskine Street, Sydney, the father's occupation was shown as licensed victualler. This son was christened Robert Francis Geary Henderson. (9)
Some time later, Robert left Hannah and his family and moving to Broadwater, near Gosford, had four illegitimate children by Elizabeth Catherine Delaney, or Williams. These two daughters and two sons were born in 1860, 1862, 1865 and 1868, all born at Woy Woy or Broadwater. Hannah's father-in-law (The first Robert) transferred the licence of the Clarence Hotel to Hannah, to support the family.
Publican's licence: Hannah Henderson
7/1513 31st May, 1860
735 The Clarence Hotel,
Erskine & Shelley Sts., Sydney (10)
Hannah's elder daughter, Catherine Hargraves Henderson, died of Phthisis (tuberculosis or consumption) at Erskine Street, Sydney on August 3, 1866 at the age of 13. By this time, Hannah was also ill of the same disease. Her younger daughter Madeline was put as full time boarder at Newtown and her son Robert Francis went as a boarder to a school in Regent Street, Redfern.
Robert Snr. must have been concerned for the welfare of his daughter-in-law and his grandchildren, hence this document:-
Memorandum. Sydney, 17th September, 1867.
The undersigned hereby agree to allow my daughter-in-law Mrs. Hannah Henderson the sum of ten (or two?) pounds per week for her natural life subject only to good conduct on her part. And should the said Hannah Henderson as afore-said survive me, then Imake the conditions herein obligatory on my heirs, Executors, administrators or assigns.
Mrs. Hannah Henderson
Robert Henderson
E.H. Hargraves (11)
(Note: This is Edward Hammond Hargraves, the discoverer of gold in New South Wales, a personal friend of Robert Snr. Hargraves had bought the Budgeway property from Robert). Some months after this memorandum was signed, Hannah died, also of phthisis, at Kincumber. Robert Snr. and Catherine had moved back there to live at Veteran Hall some years earlier.
Henderson, Hannah
Died July 16, 1868 at Kincumber
Phthisis 4 years. Dr. Auld.
Daughter of Luke Wallbridge, farmer's labourer
and Sarah Wallbridge, formerly Shephard
Arranged by John Shaw, Incumber of Brisbane Water
Buried at Kincumber on July 18, 1868
Rev. John Shaw, Church of England
Born Dorchester, England, 18 years in New South Wales
Married at Sydney at 23 to Robert Geary Henderson
Issued: Robert Francis Geary Henderson, 12 living
Madeline Mary Geary Henderson, 13½ living
Catherine Hargraves Henderson, 13 deceased (12)
Hannah is buried in Veteran Hall private cemetery, she predeceased both her mother and father, her mother-in-law and father-in-law.
2. Death certificate, Luke Wallbridge, Births, Deaths & Marriages Registrar.
3. List of assisted migrants, State Archives.
4. Register, St. Paul's Church of England, Kincumber.
5. Death certificate, Sarah Wallbridge, Births, Deaths and Marriages Registrar.
6. T.D. Mutch Index and A5360 Primary Sources- Mitchell Library
7. T.D. Mutch Index 1815/1957 HEA/JOH- Mitchell Library
8. T.D. Mutch Index 1815/1957 HEA/JOH- Mitchell Library
9. T.D. Mutch Index 1815/1957 HEA/JOH- Mitchell Library
10. List of Publicans' Licences- State Archives
11. A5360 Primary Sources Henderson box- Mitchell Library
12. Death Certificate Hannah Henderson.
© Joan Taylor 2003