More about Susannah Soppitt

It has been a long break, but I have felt prompted to go back and look some more at Susannah.


I have found her baptism record, 20 March 1867, parents Henry and Amelia. Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.

The 1871 UK Census had a terrible mistranscription as Savanah Sappit, living with her mother Amelia and siblings Alfred, Wallace, Henry, "Jno", and Amelia. She is the youngest child.

We have already seen her 1881 Census record.

She is back in the UK, with her parents, in the 1891 Census, as Susannah Hovey, daughter, married, 24 with a son Harry Hovey, 18 months, born Queensland, Australia. The inward passenger list for the "Ormuz" has Mrs Hovey and Infant arriving in London on the 9th January 1891, from Sydney via Melbourne, Adelaide, Colombo, Suez, Naples and Gibraltar.

So, now we have a surname to search again for Susannah in the QLD BMD, and indeed we can find the following marriage:

1886/C1724

Hovey,

Thomas Douglass

to Soppilt,

Susannah

The 1903 Australian Electoral Rolls have a Susannah and Thomas Hovey (a miner) living in North Queensland. Using the surname as a guide, we have children born to Thomas Douglas Hovey and Susannah Soppitt in Queensland before and after 1891:

1890/C13009

Henry

Hovey

Thomas Douglas

Susannah Lowpitt

1893/C6567	Florence May	Hovey	Thomas Douglas	Susannah Soppitt
1896/C5861	Elizabeth	Hovey	Thomas Douglas	Susannah Soppitt

No wonder I was having trouble finding her in the records - look at all the different attempts at transcribing her surname. However, I cannot find a death record for Susannah with the Hovey surname, and she disappears from the electoral rolls after 1908.

A death for a Thomas Hovey is recorded in 1910

1910/C2087 Thomas Hovey son of Thomas Hovey and Marie Douglas (More to come, I'm sure, but I've hit a bit of a dead end here. No death or re-marriage for Susannah, no further records for the children.)

Susannah Soppitt

Some time back, Julia made a comment about Susannah Soppitt, her great aunt, who fitted nicely in age with the Susannah Soppitt on the Chyebassa.

Since it is such an uncommon combination of names, I searched the 1881 Census and there was but one of that name and age, living in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire with her family.
Source Citation: Class: RG11; Piece: 4850; Folio: 31; Page: 7 & 8

Name:	Susannah Soppitt
Age:	14
Estimated Birth Year:	abt 1867
Relation:	Daughter
Father's Name:	Henry
Mother's Name:	Emily
Gender:	Female
Where born:	Middlesbro, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish:	Middlesbrough
County/Island:	Yorkshire
Country:	England
Street address:	87 Russell St
Registration district:	Middlesbrough
Sub registration district:	Middlesbrough
ED, institution, or vessel:	20
Household Members:	Name Age Frank Goodyear 7 Vernon Goodyear 9 Amelia Soppitt 17 Elizabeth Soppitt 8 Emily Soppitt 38 Henry Soppitt 37 John Soppitt 19 Lewis Clement Soppitt 2 m Susannah Soppitt 14

Henry was born in Durham, and worked as a Pilot. John was a Pilot's Apprentice. Amelia was a Dressmaker. The Goodyear boys were listed as "Step son", presumably sons of Emily from a previous marriage; it appears that both Henry and Emily were on their second marriages.

FreeBMD has a marriage in Sculcoates District in June Quarter 1880 between Henry Soppitt and Emily Goodyear. A likely candidate for Henry's earlier marriage is at Newcastle on Tyne, March Quarter 1865. for Emily's earlier marriage, the most likely is Emily Birch to James Rutter Goodyear in Sculcoates District in December Quarter 1870.

The Durham/Newcastle on Tyne connection fits, as the only likely Joseph Soppitt in the 1881 Census was living in Durham.

Susannah does not 'feature' anywhere in the Queensland Historical Index.

Arrival of the Chyebassa

21^st October 1885, Brisbane Courier

SHIPPING MOVEMENTS

Queensland

Chyebassa, B.I.S.N. Company’s R.M.S, from London via ports, with passengers, immigrants, and a general cargo, arrived and anchored in the Brisbane roadstead at 5:30 p.m. yesterday and will be assisted up the river with her immigrants on board on this morning’s tide. Her saloon passengers were landed in town by the Boko last evening.

22 October 1885 – Brisbane Courier

IMPORTS

(A special charge made on consignees’ announcements inserted in this column.)

Chyebassa, B.I.S.N. Company’s R.M.S. from London via ports: 10 cases bedsteads, 79 cases merchandise, 2 cases and 1 cask copper, 30 boxes hams, 5 crates 3 cases and 1 cask earthenware, 9 flywheels, 2 packages samples, 6 cases books, 3 cases brushware, 100 cases spirits, 6 cases boots, 200 cases whisky, 3 tanks groceries, 215 zinc plates, 24 casks papier mache, 2 cases jewellery &c., 45cases and 1 tank oilmen’s stores, 1 case engine fittings, 2 cases engine and boiler fittings, 210 kegs paint, 22 cases bolts and nuts, 23 cases sheathing, 3 trunks, 100 hogsheads beer, 50 cases rum, 2 cases confectionery, 24 booms, 48 plates, 12 end boxes, 36 girders, 108 struts, 30 bundles flats, 12 bedplates, 2 girders, 12 bundles plates, 2 boilers, 2 base plates, 4 casks belts, pouches, &c., 1 case books, 700 bundles poles, 40 cases bolts and nuts, 10 cases insulator pins, 19 bundles steel, 255 logs timber, 56 cases corner brackets, 2 cases repeaters, 5 cases weighing machines, 6 axles, 5 wheels, 10 cases nails, 100 cases wire nails, 2 cases tools, 33 kegs washers, 1 carriage, 25 drums oil, 60 kegs white lead, 13 cases hardware, 2 bales horsehair, 15 bottles quicksilver, 1 keg iron staples, 1 case wire, 1 hogshead tinware, 2 casks glassware, 50 cases galvanized iron, 1 case clothing, 1 case pictures, 83 bundles switch rails, 44 bundles tongue rails, 41 bundles check rails, 44 cast steel crossings, 264 cast iron check chairs, 44 cast iron lever boxes, 22 cases fittings, 6 cases spirits, 2 cases confectionery, 3 cases linen, 2 cases india-rubber goods, 104 cases oilmen’s stores, 4 tanks, 24 axle arms, 5 bales sail cloth, 2 cases chemicals, 40 cases oilmen’s stores, 5 cases glue, 1 case perfumery, 9 cases toys, 2 cases purses, 4 cases albums, 3 bundles bedplates, 3 cases holloware, 5 cases sweets, 2 cases files and saws, 2 casks white lead, 2 cases medicines, 72 pieces iron, 26 cases paper, 8 cases stationery, 40 cases ling, 1500 cases whisky, 14 joists, 12 cases cigarettes, 8 cases tobacco, 11 casks bolts, 4 bundles riddles, 2 cases glue, 14 cases tinplates, 3 casks hinges, 2 cases japanned trunks, 101 cases champagne, 3 bales leather, 100 cases nails, 4 cases boots, 73 barrels and 238 cases currants, and a large quantity of cargo not described in the manifest.

Emma (Avon) Card

Again, looking at the NAA records for WW1, we find:
CARD Albert
SERN 266
POB Ayr QLD
POE Townsville QLD
NOK M(other) ROYAL Emma
Before we follow Albert, this new surname for Emma sends us off on a quest to the Queensland BMD.
Death: 1903/C004760 CARD, Henry, Father's name Henry CARD, Mother's name Eliza GOODING.
Marriage: 1903/C002117 CARD, Emma to Thomas Daniel ROYAL
And another family:

1904/C011696

Royal

Helen

Thomas Daniel

Emma Avon

1906/C010807

Royal

Pheobe Olive

Thomas Daniel

Emma Avon

1907/C005768

Royal

Fredrick Norman

Thomas Daniel

Emma Avon

1909/C003625

Royal

Elizabeth Hannah

Thomas Daniel

Emma Avon

1914/C002212

Royal

Harold

Thomas Daniel

Emma Avon

Now, back to Albert. He enlisted on 14th February 1916, in the 2/11 Machine Gun Company. His mother's address was given as Gatton Street, Cairns. He was 19 years and 7 months old. He was killed in action on 29th September, 1917, in Belgium. Lily CARD administered his estate.
By 1923, Emma Avon Card ROYAL was living in Withington Street, East Brisbane. (I wonder if she contacted Jen and Ella?)
Emma ROYAL was buried in Balmoral Cemetery, Brisbane, on 26th September 1929, aged 61 years. Thomas Daniel ROYAL buried in same grave, 11 June 1923, aged 67 years.

CARD Herbert
SERN 938
POB Ayr QLD
POE Ayr QLD
NOK B(rother) Card Frank
Herbert enlisted on 17th December 1914. He was a shopkeeper at the time. He was sent to the Middle East, joined his unit at Gallipoli on 28th August 1915, was slightly wounded (shell wound) on 21st July 1917. 5th Light Horse. Returned to Australia 3rd August 1919 on the "Madras", after being discharged.in Cairo.

Lydia (Avon) Tait

Looking for the Tait surname in the National Archives for 1914-1918, we find:
TAIT William Fairley
Service Number - 756
Place of Birth - Brandon QLD
Place of Enlistment - Ayr QLD
Next of Kin - (Mother) TAIT Lydia
He enlisted on 2 January 1915, and was currently serving in A Squadron, Ayr Light Horse.He was 27 years old, and a farmer. Lydia's address is given as Maidavale, via Ayr, N.Q. He joined 25th Battalion, 7th Infantry Brigade.
He was killed in action on 5th August, 1916. His will placed Lydia at Traquair Farm, Maidavale.
TAIT Robert
Service Number - 2061 6109
Place of Birth - Lower Burdekin QLD
Place of Enlistment - Townsville QLD
Next of Kin - (Mother) TAIT Lydia
He enlisted on 31st January 1916. He went to France on 10th April 1917, after some time in Fargo hospital and Durrington Camp No.3. Wounded in action on 20th September 1917, he was repatriated to Australia on 5th April 1918 with a gunshot (shell) wound to the back of the left knee.

Lydia TAIT was buried in Ayr Cemetery on 10th June 1952, one day after her death, aged 82 years.
Her husband, Robert TAIT, was buried in Ayr Cemetery on New Years Day 1932, also one day after his death.
They are buried in adjoining graves (1030 and 1031).

Well, that's the Juster family sorted out.

Today, visited with Marle and Erica Juster at their lovely home by the shores of Moreton Bay. Erica has collected a considerable amount of information on the family, their life in Queensland, and their English heritage. However, the family history somehow missed the fact that "grandmother", Catherine Waugh, traveled over here on the ship with the family at 80 years of age.

Rosina and Jessie, like my great-aunts Jen and Ella, never married. In one of those coincidences (or did they choose the location?) they lived at Merton Road (remember, the family originated from Merton, Surrey), South Brisbane. So why can't I find them in the Brisbane City Council burial records?

The other mystery is - why does Prince Street, in what used to be Thompson Estate, no longer show on street maps of Brisbane? Marle is sure it was there some years ago, and feels he could navigate his way back there quite easily. Maybe we will have to do just that. Addition and Correction: It's only that it doesn't show on Whereis.com. It is in my street directory in the car - Prince Street, Annerley.

So, in summary, the Juster family, with their building and grocery interests, prospered in the Colony and State of Queensland. There are numerous descendants and, best of all, there is someone 'looking after' the family history.

Now, to move on and chase down descendants of the Avon girls and Ellen Smalley.

More about the Smalley family.

From the online Queensland BMD
Ellen Smalley married Albert Edward Olney in 1901
William Edward Smalley married Isabell White in 1898
Ralph Smalley did not marry and died in 1919.

There are other Smalley names marrying around that time frame.

Ellen and Albert had at least 3 children;
Lyle Edna Olney, born 1903, married George Alexander Forbes, 21 February 1931.
Ralph Eric Olney, born 1905, fined for not having a radio license, 12 May 1927.
Thomas Edward Olney, born 1907.

William and Isabell lived near Gympie and produced at least 3 children:
William Douglas Smalley, born 1898,
Beryl Isabell Smalley, born 1902, married Alex Wilson, 30 April 1931
Robert Montague Smalley, born 1904.