John Lawrence (1812 - 1887)

Born 31 May 1812 in South Petherton, Somerset, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Ruth Ann (Edmunds) Lawrence — married 28 Sep 1833 in Somerset, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 27 Apr 1887 at age 74 in Lostock, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

John Lawrence was born in South Petherton, Somerset, England, the son of Thomas Lawrence and Mary Davey. He married Ruth Edmonds in South Petherton in 1833. John was a farm labourer and Ruth a sailcloth weaveress.

On the 5 January 1849 the family left Plymouth, England on the ship “Lady Amherst” bound for Australia. John was 34, Ruth 35 and their sons Thomas 13, George 11, Henry 3 and Richard an infant. ^[1]

The “Lady Amherst” was an immigrant ship bringing workers to the Colony of New South Wales where agricultural labourers and other tradespeople were needed. The immigrants’ passage was paid by the New South Wales colonial government.

The ship arrived in Port Jackson (Sydney) on 21 May 1849 after a voyage of 136 days via the Cape of Good Hope. ^[2] One adult and nine children died on the voyage. ^[3] Arriving were 214 immigrants mostly agricultural labourers. On 25 May employers wanting to hire the immigrants were allowed on the ship which was still anchored in the harbour. Immigrants had to sign an agreement with their employer and this had to be witnessed by an Officer of the Immigration Department. ^[4]

It appears not all the immigrants found employment while the ship was in Sydney and on Sunday 27 May, 114 of the immigrants, including 26 married couples, arrived in Maitland by steamer from Sydney. ^[5] They were accommodated at the Immigration Centre in Maitland while waiting for employment.

John and his family found employment in the Upper Paterson near Lostock, about 70 km north of Maitland and soon afterwards leased farming land there.

John and Ruth had another three children born at Lostock, Mary Jane (b.1853), Sarah Anne (b. 1854) and John (b. 1857).

John passed away at his home in Lostock in 1887.

Sources

• Ancestry.com. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms', Marriages, and Burials, 1531-1812 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Somerset Heritage Service; Taunton, Somerset, England; Somerset Parish Records, 1538-1914; Reference Number: D\P\pet.s/2/1/3.
  Name: John Lawrence Event Type: Baptism Baptism Date: 31 May 1812 Baptism Place: South Petherton, Somerset, England Father: Thomas Lawrence Mother: Mary Lawrence
• Ancestry.com. England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: England, Marriages, 1538–1973. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.
  Name: John Lawrence Gender: Male Marriage Date: 28 Sep 1833 Marriage Place: South Petherton, Somerset, England Spouse: Ruth Edmonds FHL Film Number: 1470976 Reference ID: item 15 p 113
• Ancestry.com. 1841 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010. Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1841. Class: HO107; Piece: 954; Book: 12; Civil Parish: South Petherton; County: Somerset; Enumeration District: 4; Page: 1; Line: 3; GSU roll: 474602
  Place Watergrove, South Petherton, John Lawrence 25 Labourer, Ruth Lawrence 25, Thomas Lawrence 6, George Lawrence 6, Unamed Lawrence 1 month
• New South Wales Government, State Archives and Records, Assisted Immigrants Shipping Lists, NRS5316/4_4786/Lady Amherst_21 May 1849 [5]
  Lawrence, John 34 Farm labourer South Petherton Somersetshire Reads and writes, Ruth 35 Wife Reads, Thomas 13 Son Reads, George 11 Son Reads, Henry 8 Son Reads, Richard Son infant Neither reads or writes
• New South Wales Electoral Roll, 1859-60 The Paterson Electoral Roll. [6]
  Lawrence John, Kings Flat, leasehold
  Lawrence Thomas, King's Flat, residence
  Lawrence George, King's Flat, residence
• New South Wales Electoral Roll, 1870-71 The Paterson Electoral Roll. [7]
  Lawrence Henry, How's Valley, freehold
  Lawrence Thomas, Lostock, freehold
  Lawrence John, Lostock, freehold
  Lawrence Richard, Lostock, residence
• New South Wales Electoral Roll, 1878-79 The Paterson Electoral Roll. [8]
  Lawrence Henry, Howe's Valley, freehold
  Lawrence John, Lostock, freehold
  Lawrence Richard, Lostock, freehold
  Lawrence Thomas, Lostock, freehold
• New South Wales Government, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Index). Death. LAWRENCE JOHN Reg. No. 8246/1887 Father's given name(s) THOMAS Mother's given name(s) MARY District PATERSON
• The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893) Sat 7 May 1887 Page 1 DEATHS. [9]
  At his residence, Lostock, Paterson River, on the 27th April 1887, John Lawrence, late of Somersetshire, England. Aged, 73 years.

1. ↑ See biography of his son John Lawrence. The newspaper article on the son's death states in relation to their voyage to Australia: they suffered the loss of one of five sons who accompanied them on this uncertain undertaking and he was buried at sea.
2. ↑ The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Tue 22 May 1849 Page 2 SHIPS MAILS. [1]
3. ↑ Mariners and ships in Australian Waters. LADY AMHERST [2]
4. ↑ New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900) Wed 23 May 1849 [Issue No.72 (SUPPLEMENT)] Page 823 IMMIGRANTS PER "LADY AMHERST." [3]
5. ↑ The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893) Wed 30 May 1849 Page 2 [4]

Research Notes

• Lawrence Family Lore. Heather Roobol and Jack Everett. Published Armidale, N.S.W. : Heather Roobol, 1995. Contains information and genealogy of John Lawrence and his descendants.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Glenn Smith for creating WikiTree profile Lawrence-3181 through the import of Appleyard Family Tree.ged on May 2, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Glenn and others.