Mary (Williams) Messiter (1833 - abt. 1874)

Born 1833 in Manchester, Lancashire, England

Ancestors

Wife of George Messiter — married about 1850 in Tasmania, Australia

Descendants

Died about 1874 at about age 41 in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Lin Starke [send private message]

Biography

Mary was involved in an assault in Manchester at age 15. She was convicted in Lancashire in 1848, spent time in the House of Correction in Kirkdale, Liverpool, and also in Woolwich Prison, London before being transported to Van Dieman's land on the "Cadet". Voyage date 10 Nov 1848.^[1]

Mary's description from her convict records

Trade: weaver

Height without shoes: 4 foot 11 inches

Complex(ion): Fair

Head: round

Hair: Dark Brown

Visage: round

Forehead: low

Eyes: Blue

Nose: thick

Mouth: Small

Chin: small

Native Place: Manchester

Father: John

Can read and write

Convict number: 76765

Released convicts could marry only if authorities gave consent. No formal record of a marriage has been located.

Sources

1. ↑ Quote from Kate Birley 4 Nov 2010 - Kate used a researcher to obtain these records, Ruth Bloom Research, of London used the National Archives at Kew, London. I have the transcription.

• Kate Birley Edinburgh, Scotland correspondence 4 Nov 2010. Details were sent to me and are from a folder 38G 6642293 PL 26/174. Lancashire Records, Court proceedings 16 Dec 1847. Sentenced to transportation for 7 years.
• Records in New Zealand are obtained from New Zealand BDM, and from the Newspaper archives, Papers Past. Both sources on-line.

• Tasmanian Archives. There were 32 Mary Williams in the card file in the Archives, I simply didn't have the time when there to eliminate 31 of the Mary William's and for certainty claim one for my family.

Mary's Death Certificate registration number 1875002737 Name Mary Messiter Date of Death 5 January 1875 Place of Death Lyttleton Causes of death Excessive enlargement of the liver, Dropsey Female, Age and Date of birth 41y Not recorded Usual Occupation Married Woman Date of burial or cremation, not recorded Relationships, not recorded. There were a lot more boxes but without added information. Certified as a true copy by a Registrar 19 July 2005

The following births are recorded in New Zealand for her children NZBDM 1862/13091 Elizabeth. Parents Mary and George Messiter NZBDM 1864/15330 Charles. Parents Mary and George Messiter NZBDM 1867/25707 NR Parents Mary and George Messiter - believed to be John NZBDM 1870/30526 Alfred. Parents Mary and George Messiter

There is another Messiter Family Father Edwin Charles and wife Amy. Check the Tasmanian archives

One further entry is

NZBDM 1884/3037 Messiter Nellie Henrietta, Mother Mary Father not recorded. We know our Mary had passed away before this date which leaves the question Did one of Mary's daughters have a child out of wedlock. Harriet by then was in the Coromandel Thames area of the North Island - gone from Christchurch. Daughter Harriet had 11 babies some before leaving Christchurch and some in Auckland.