In late 2011 I started to look at the background of my paternal grandmother, Annie Edith Puckridge. It has been a revelation to find that this gentle,
home-loving person was an offspring of adventurous and ambitious families with colourful backgrounds about which we knew nothing. Sadly, looking at the female
bloodlines is still mainly about the males, because they were out doing interesting or exciting things, while the women were at home, bearing children, cooking,
cleaning and surviving as best they could, their way of life and opinions usually unrecorded. I am aiming to acknowledge the female grandparents.
JOHN ST GEORGE PUCKRIDGE AND SARAH WOODWARD
John St George Puckridge was a clockmaker according to his marriage certificate, but Mollie
Puckridge believes this description may be because he was 'winding up' his father's clockmaking business at the time, as on the birth certificates of his children he
is described as a clerk, agent and traveller. He probably worked for a brewery belonging to the Woodwards, the family (more later) of his wife, Sarah Woodward, whom he
married on 9-8-1840 at St John's, Islington.
The growing Puckridge family lived in Putland St, Mile End and in Plaistow, West Ham, County of Essex and seem to have been reasonably prosperous, yet John and
Sarah decided to emigrate to South Australia. It may have been because a daughter died, because John thought that a brewery was not a suitable place to bring up
children or because reports from South Australia were glowing. Sarah's Uncle, Francis Bunn, was listed as the licensee of the Golden Fleece Inn, Currie St, in the SA
Almanac of 1851 and of the Royal Exchange Hotel, Hindley St about the same time. Another relative was a grazier in the South East and a cousin had Tara Farm at
Blakiston.
Having made the decision to emigrate, Sarah and John and their 6 children, Catherine, Alfred, Anthony, Harry,
Florence and Russell left Falmouth on the Lady Nugent on October 13th, 1853, arriving at Port Adelaide on January 21st, 1854. They were among the 34 cabin
passengers on the ship, therefore not assisted passengers.
John (at left) and the family started sharefarming at Blakiston (now part of Littlehampton
about 36 km SE of Adelaide) but in June, 1854, their fourth child and third son, Harry, died aged 5 years. Another son, Horace, was born to them in 1855 at Mt Barker
near Adelaide, South Australia. The share farming seems not to have been a success as from 1856 to 1861 John St George was licensee of the Buckingham Arms Hotel where two more sons, Walter Graham and Septimus Allan were added to the family. John St George
was a tall and imposing man and a stickler for correctness, apparently. While managing the Hotel he was applying for property on the West Coast. By 1862 the Puckridge
family were at Lake Wangary on Eyre Peninsula, SA, 45 kms west of Port Lincoln. Their homestead overlooked Lake Wangary and was large and comfortable with a big
garden, vegetable garden and orchard and John St George seems to have been a very capable and innovative farmer, though "peppery at times."
On the death of John St George, the property was divided between the 3 surviving sons, Septimus Puckridge, Horace Puckridge and Russell Puckridge.
SARAH FRANCES WOODWARD PUCKRIDGE 1815-1895
John Frederick Hiller (right) born 1742 married Esther Morgan born abt 1742, in 1762. They had 7 sons and 5 daughters. He was light keeper of the North Foreland Light at Broadstairs in Kent (at right) and a tenant farmer near the lighthouse. 10 of the children were born at
the lighthouse, the births recorded in the parish registers of St Peter's Church (below right) in Thanet, Kent. On the back of the silhouette is the note "In 1798, in Margate,
he publicly declared Jesus Christ to be God of Heaven abd Earth. He was the first to do so in the County of Kent. Elizabeth Roberts explains that both John Hiller and Thomas,
his son, were "dedicated followers of Emmanuel Swedenborg." As Swedenborgians they were probably members of the New Church. Perhaps the rest of the family were too? The children of John and Esther were: - Jane Hiller
1764-1826
- John Bateman Hiller b. 1766
- Thomas Hiller 1768-1849
-
Richard Hiller 1770-1815
- Mary Elizabeth Hiller b. 1772
- Millicent Catherine Hiller 1774-1815
- Esther Hiller 1776-1820
- Frederick John Hiller b. 1778
-
George Francis Hiller b. 1780
- Caleb Hiller b. 1782
- Joshua Hiller 1782-1825
- Elizabeth Hiller b. 1784
(from Mr Ballyn and the Bunns of St.
Albans by Elizabeth Grace Roberts) Thomas Hiller, (at left) the 3rd child of John and Esther Hiller,
mariner, was born 11-4-1768 at North Foreland Lighthouses, Isle of Thanet, Kent and married Sarah Huggett born 22-2-1770 of
neighbouring Stone Farm, Thanet Kent. They were apparently childhood sweethearts. At the end of his life, Thomas Hiller retired to an Almshouse in London at No 5
Trinity Green where he died in 1859. The house is shown in the wonderful blog, Spitalfields Life.
Thomas and Sarah Hiller had 7 children:
- Susannah Huggett Hiller born 11-7-1791
- Thomas Hiller 1792-1821
died in Jamaica
- Sarah Huggett Hiller 24-10-1795 - 17-5-1884
- Millicent Catherine Hiller 1799 - 1873
- Paulin Hugget Hiller 1799 - 1836
- Frederick John
Hiller 1801 - 1873
- Esther Jane Hiller 27-9-1804 - 9-12-1885.
Three of the Hiller daughters married 3 Bunn brothers-Sarah married Henry Bunn and emigrated to
Melbourne with her daughter in 1857; Millicent married Joseph Bunn who was licensee of "The City of London Hotel" and later "The Ship Inn" in Dover; Esther Jane
married Francis Bunn and emigrated to Adelaide where they had hotels, the Golden Fleece Inn at the corner of Currie and Rosina Streets, Adelaide, and the Exchange
Hotel in Hindley Street. Susannah Huggett Hiller, the first child of Thomas and Sarah Hiller, aged 20, married James Woodward of
St Stephens, Herts, at All Saints, Chedburgh Suffolk on 30th September, 1811, at a ceremony
officiated by her Uncle, the Reverend R.W. Carter. She was described as 'daughter of Thomas Hiller of Ramsgate, mariner.' Susannah bore 11 children of whom Sarah Frances Woodward was fourth. The children were
- Mary Woodward b. 1812
- Thomas Wooward b. 1814
- Barbara Barron Woodward 1815 - 1879
- Sarah Frances Woodward 1815 - 1895
- James Woodward b. 1819
- Millicent Catherine Woodward 1821 - 1895
- John Frederick Woodward 1824 - 1874
- Maria Woodward b. 1826
- Emily Jane Woodward 1828 - 1891
- Eleanor
Frances Woodward b. 1832
- Frances Elizabeth Wqoodward b. 1833.
All the children were baptised at St Stephens, St Albans.
James Woodward was a miller at Moor Mill, St Albans (at left-now a restaurant). The mill was set in large grounds where
the children had plenty of room to play. Between 1824 and 1827, James and Sarah Woodward and their seven children moved to London and James established a brewery.
James Woodward died 7 May, 1844 aged 55 years.
Susannah Woodward was listed in the 1841 census as aged 45, living with Joseph Bunn, Hotel Keeper and Katharine
Bunn. In the 1851 census she is again listed as a widow, 58, living with daughter Barbara 33 and son in law George Johnston France aged 34, furniture dealer. In 1861
census she was living aged 69 with her daughter, Barbara, 43 and son-in-law George J. France 44, at 36 Piccadilly. Listed on 1871 census as living aged 79 with her
daughter, Barbara, 53 and son-in-law George J. France 54, Fine Arts and Antique Dealer, at No 1, Lower Seymour Street, Marylebone. Susannah Woodward died aged 81 in
1872 at Marylebone, London.
Sarah Frances Woodward (At left)was the 4th of 11 children, born 1815 to Susannah and James Wooward, St Albans,
Hertfordshire. She was baptised September 10th, 1815, her father being recorded as a meal man or miller.
James Woodward and all his siblings had been baptised at St Albans Abbey, where his parents, James Woodward and Mary Simpson, were also married. James Woodward and
family had Moor Mill so Sarah would have grown up there, but around 1828 they left for London. Sarah married John St George Puckridge at St John's, Islington on 9th
August, 1840, and at that time she belonged to the Parish of Holloway. Her father was already dead. Witnesses at the wedding were her sister, Barbara Baron Woodward
and John's cousin, George Johnson France, whom Barbara later married.
Sarah bore 8 children in England, but one baby, Blanche, died in bad circumstances.
From 1856-1861 the family lived at Walkerville at the Buckingham Arms Hotel (still going strong, picture at right taken from
Walkerville Sketchbook, drawings by Bill Walls, 1977) where John was licensee and sons Walter and Septimus were born.
The children were
- Catherine Josephine Puckridge b. 09-07-1842 d. 19-07-1921 - 79 yrs
- Alfred Dufrayer Puckridge b. 04-03-1844 d. 09-08-1882 - 38 yrs
- Anthony
Freeman Pain Puckridge b.16-11-1845 d. 06-11-1891 - 45 yrs
- Harry Puckridge b. 17-11-1848 d. 03-06-1854 - 5 yrs
- Florence Maud Puckridge b. 08-12-1850 d.
03-08-1881 - 30 yrs
- Russell Puckridge b. 08-08-1852 d. 30-09-1918 - 66 yrs
- Horace Puckridge b. 10-04-1855 d. 06-08-1940 - 85 yrs
- Walter Graham Puckridgeb . 04-09-1857 d. 05-01-1863 - 6 yrs
- Septimus Allan Puckridge b. 22-02-1860 d. 07-08-1933 - 73 yrs
By 1862 the family was established at the Lake Homestead, Lake Wangary. It was built of sheoak and clay (pug and pine), and whitewashed with verandahs on 3 sides.
Sarah was rather delicate but organised a lovely flower garden, helped educate the children and insisted on correct speech and deportment. Sarah and John had the
sadness of seeing 5 of their 10 children, 7 sons and 3 daughters, die young. At various times she was nurse and teacher and social worker to all on and around the
property. Eventually they retired to Seaview Cottage, Port Lincoln, Sarah dying 13-5-1895 aged 79 at Seaview Cottage on 11-5-1895, so John St George Puckridge lost his
"Dolly" for 3 years before his own death on 10-9-1898. They were buried in the old pioneer cemetery at Happy Valley, Port Lincoln but apparently their graves were
unmarked and the burial plans lost, which seems unbelievable given the prosperity they achieved in life. That means that 3 of our great, great grandparents have no
gravestones despite their brave emigration and pioneering efforts in SA. Sarah and John are, however, remembered on a Wall of Unmarked Pioneer Graves at the Port
Lincoln Pioneer Cemetery, pictures kindly sent by Karissa Ford of the Port Lincoln Council.
PUCKRIDGE. On the 11th May at her residence, Seaview Cottage, Port Lincoln, Sarah, the beloved wife of J. H. G. Puckridge, in her 80th year.
Advertiser, Tuesday 21 May 1895, page 4
HORACE PUCKRIDGE AND HANNAH ELLEN TAPLEY
Horace Puckridge, (left) the fifth son and seventh child of
Sarah and John St George Puckridge, born 10-4-1855 at Mount Barker died 6-8-1940 at Coulta, SA, was the first Australian born child of the family. He grew to be tall
and peppery too, and was known as The Major. He was a good mechanic and mason and a bit of a ladies' man. He began farming with his father. In 1884 he married Hannah
Ellen Tapley (more about the Tapleys later) of Wartaka Station at Woodward Park. In 1888 Horace and Hannah and 3
children moved to Wartaka Station for about a year but life was hard and they moved back to Lake Wangary, living at Ulina at Warrow from 1908. Horace was a careful and
conscientious farmer, a keen cricketer and fisherman and could be kind to those in need. Hannah and Horace had 8 children, Ella, Harry, Reginald, Annie, Gladys, Ivy,
Ruth and Thelma, 2 sons and 6 daughters. Upon retirement, when the property passed to the 2 sons, Hannah and Horace moved to Coulta township. Horace died 6-8-1940, the
last surviving member of John St George and Sarah Puckridge's family, and Hannah died in Feb, 1941. They are both buried in the new Coulta Cemetery (picture
right).
HANNAH ELLEN TAPLEY PUCKRIDGE 1863-1941
Hannah Ellen Tapley was born at Myponga, South Australia on 29-3-1863, the daughter of
John Tapley and Hannah Sharpe. She was one of 9 children, 6 females and 3 males. They were:
- Jane Elizabeth Tapley 1855-1894
- Lucy Jane Tapley 1857-1932
- Florence Arabella Tapley 1858-1930
- Hannah Ellen Tapley 29-3-1863 - 4-2-1941
- Thomas Tapley 1864-1939
- Margaret Lavinia Tapley 1867-1958
- Mary Frances Tapley 1869-1946
- John James Tapley 1875-1961
- George Wartaka Tapley 1880 died at 3 months.
Hannah moved with her parents to Wartaka Station. She married Horace Puckridge at Woodward Park, Lake Wangary, the home of Horace's sister, Catherine, on March 4th, 1884.
They lived first in a stone cottage partly built by Horace near the orignal home of the Puckridges. Ruins of the cottage may still be
seen. They then moved to Wartaka Station for a year or so before the birth of Annie Edith. Hannah Ellen bore 8 children, 6 girls and 2 boys:
- Ella Florence Puckridge 1885-1971
- Harry John Puckridge 1886-1953
- Reginald Maurice Puckridge 1888-1953
- Annie Edith Puckridge 13-5-1890 - 13-3-1954
- Gladys Leonie Puckridge 1893-1958
- Ivy Doris Puckridge 1895-1925
- Ruth Winifred Puckridge 1897-1950
- Thelma Marcia 1902-1988.
Hannah lived at Lake Wangary with Horace for most of her married life. They moved to Coulta in retirement. Hannah is said to have been warm and hospitable. During
their last year their health was poor. Horace died one year before Hannah on 6-8-1940. Hannah died aged 77 on 4-2-1941 and is buried in New Coulta Cemetery
Tapley Family Information
FRED McEVOY AND ANNIE EDITH (MONNIE) PUCKRIDGE
Fred McEvoy, born 2-12-1880 at Wirrabara died 25-1-1962 Port Lincoln, was the first child of Joseph McEvoy and Eliza Case of Hammond. Joseph McEvoy was described
as a contractor on the birth certificate. Fred grew up at Hammond where the family farmed, but it
must have been a difficult life with continual droughts. When the family trekked to Eyre Peninsula in 1903, Fred was already working on the West Coast for
Mr Jim Cuddeford at Warrow.
I remember Grandpa McEvoy as always looking very smart in a brown striped suit and waistcoat with a fob
watch. He was balding, wore round glasses, was slim and of medium height. He wore a smart felt hat, as did all the men in those days, and had a rather long straight
moustache. He loved euchre and would stay with my aunties Joan and Ellie (also euchre lovers) at Port Germein and walk over to see us at our beachfront house.
Mum said that he was terrible (expletives removed) when it came to food and always complained about something, no matter what he was served, and she was a very good cook!
Auntie Joan also had words with him quite often about the food. We kids all loved his visits, especially because when he left he would always hand us shillings and florins.
In later life he would stay with each of his daughters for a few weeks to a few months at a time. Cousin Helene's most vivid memory of Granpa is of him
chasing a very young Jackie Holland across the paddocks shouting
and swearing at him for cheating at cards. The Fred McEvoy family took their cards very seriously indeed. Fred loved horse racing and bred and trained work horses and race horses,
and may even have taken illegal bets at the Port Germein Hotel when he was in town. My dad followed in his footsteps with a love of horse racing after all his involvement with horses in his youth.
Others particularly remember Fred's bent finger and his great way with horses. He was the local vet and Bryan Broad recalls him using sugar to help get seeds out of the
cows' eyes.
ANNIE EDITH PUCKRIDGE
Born at Lake Wangary, to Horace and Hannah Puckridge on 13-5-1890, the fourth of eight children, Annie
Edith Puckridge was known as Monnie after a pet lamb which she owned. She is described by her niece, Doreen McEvoy Kennewell, as a beautiful, gentle lady
who took everything in her stride and always looked contented. She married Frederick McEvoy on 24-11-1908, when she was only 18, at home, Ulina Station, with her parents'
reluctant approval. They were unhappy that their future son in law was not only ten years older but a Roman Catholic. Fred had been working in Warrow, which is 4.7 Km
north of Coulta on the Flinders Highway, north west of Pt Lincoln, and had got to know the two Puckridge sons. When her parents refused permission for the marriage, Monnie
is said to have taken to her bed and been so sick that the parents feared for her life.
The young couple took up residence at Warrow in a cottage opposite the hotel. Two children were born during
this time, in 1909 and 1911.
Fred and Monnie moved to a share farming position in Sceales Bay near to his parents, Eliza and Joseph,
who had trekked to Sceales Bay from Hammond in 1903 following a number of disastrous droughts in Hammond. Two more daughters were born at Sceales Bay in 1913 and 1915.
The Port Lincoln to Thevenard railway was being built and land alongside it was becoming available. Fred went off to select property and chose Mt Jane at Cungena. The
whole family moved there in 1916. A big government shed with tanks at either end had been built for them and their house was constructed of split pine and clay under
this shed. It was here that the family lived and continued to grow to 10 children, 6 daughters and 4 sons.
Monnie and Fred had 10 children. They were:
- Dorothy Hazel McEvoy born Pt Lincoln, 31-8-1909 to 17-3-2000
- Ella Patricia (Ellie) McEvoy born Sunnyside, Warrow, 20-4-1911 to 16-1-1961
- Mollie Heather McEvoy born Calca, 29-7-1913 to 23-9-1997
- Nora Clare McEvoy born Sceales Bay, 19-9-1915 to 8-7-1998
- Norman Frederick McEvoy born Mt Jane, Cungena, 13-7-1918 to 2-3-1980
- Monica Joan (Joan) McEvoy born Streaky Bay, 19-5-1922 to 2-7-1976
- Frederick Joseph McEvoy born Streaky Bay, 11-10-1923 to 26-12-1990
- Carmel Therese McEvoy born Streaky Bay, 10-3-1926 to 4-4-1995
- Martin Michael McEvoy born Streaky Bay, 21-8-1928 to 27-10-2009
- Laurence Norton McEvoy 13-9-1930 to 18-5-2002
Monnie's life must have been a very hard one. She was frequently pregnant, isolated, struggling to make ends meet during droughts and recession with basic living
conditions and minimal water, but she seems to have been a gracious, calm and happy person, very religious in her adopted Roman Catholic faith and renowned for her
kindness and hospitality. The house was always made to look as clean and attractive as possible. Monnie wrote frequently to her parents but there does not seem to have
been much contact with the Puckridge grandparents and Dad certainly never spoke of them. My mother remembers when she first met them that times were very hard.
Some of the blankets were made from old wheat and chaff bags but very clean and nicely decorated and empty kerosene tins and boxes were used to make
practical and useful furniture. There was always a nice garden around the farmhouse and they grew what vegetables they could.
In later years Monnie suffered from diabetes and died aged 63 on March 13, 1954. Both Monnie and Fred are
buried at Streaky Bay Cemetery.
From The West Coast Sentinel, page 4, March 17, 1954
Death of Cungena Woman
The death occurred last Saturday of Mrs. Mona McEvoy, 63, of Cungena. Mrs. McEvoy had been suffering ill-health for the past year.
Formerly Miss Mona Puckridge, of Lake Wangary, the late lady married Mr. Frederick Joseph McEvoy in 1909 [1908]. She lived practically all her married life on the
farm at Cungena. Mrs. McEvoy was a quiet and gentle woman, much loved by the members of her family, and highly respected by all who knew her. Her kindly nature won her
many friends who, along with her family, will deeply mourn her passing.
After a short service in St. Canute's church on Monday morning, the cortege left for the Streaky Bay Cemetery at 9 o'clock. Rev. Father J. Dunne officiated. The
large crowd of people at the graveside-from local and far districts-was a splendid last tribute. There were many beautiful flowers. Pallbearers were sons Norman,
Frederick, Martin and Laurence, and sons-in-law Pat Holland and Norm Smart.
Mrs. McEvoy leaves her husband and ten children-four sons and six daughters-Dorothy (Mrs. A. Patterson), Ella (Mrs. J. Little), Mary (Mrs. N. Smart), Nora (Mrs. C.
Holland), Joan (Mrs. J. Patterson) and Carmel (Mrs. W. Gill)
All members of the family attended the funeral.
You can see the family history of the McEvoys on my other McEvoy Family pages.
Their fifth child and first son, Norman McEvoy, born 13-7-1918 at Cungena died 2-3-1980 Adelaide married Diana Kermode of Adelaide and they had 3 children,
including me.
Below is the direct line between those children and the most distant Puckridge that Mollie Puckridge researched in her books. William Puckridge
----- Mary Hall
|
Thomas Puckridge ----- Martha Mansfield
|
John Puckridge ----- Elizabeth Gillett
|
John St George Puckridge ----- Sarah Woodward
|
Horace Puckridge ----- Hannah Ellen Tapley
|
Annie Edith Puckridge ----- Frederick McEvoy
|
Norman McEvoy ----- Diana Kermode
|
Louise McEvoy ----- Peter Nordestgaard.
Page uploaded May, 2012. Pictures redone 28-12-2017. Tapleys and Sharpes removed to separate page 1-8-2018
McEvoy family history pages here.
Tapleys and Sharpes here
Please email me re
changes.