Margaret Davies (1845 - 1932)

Born 18 Feb 1845 in Neath, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom

Wife of William Davies — married 6 Jan 1866 in Congregational Manse Kadina

Descendants

Died 10 May 1932 at age 87 in Wallaroo, South Australia, Australia

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Biography

Margaret Davies was born in 1845 in Cwmavon, South Wales to Thomas Davies and Catherine Morgan.

Migration

Margaret Davies migrated from Wales to South Australia.

MARGARET Travelled on the Mary Shepherd which departed Plymouth on 10 January 1863, arrived Port Adelaide 18 April 1863.^[1]

Margaret Davies joined the Welsh Church in Wallaroo when it was established in 1864, and remained a member through its 50th anniversary.^[2]

Marriage

06 Jan 1866. Congregational manse, Kadina, South Australia, Australia. ^[3]

They had five daughters, the second (Jane) only lived for eight months. Wilhelmina Dorothy (Davies) Searle (1887-1965) (granddaughter) was also brought up as her daughter.

Newspaper biography

The Adelaide Register carried a brief biography on her 83rd birthday. ^[4]

Mrs. Margaret Davies of Wallaroo, celebrated the eighty--third anniversary of her birth last Tuesday. She was born in Cwmavon, South Wales, and is one of a family of 10. Her father, who was foreman in one of the collieries, died when she was five years old. and her mother died two years later.

When a young girl she decided to come out to Australia to join another sister (Mrs. Mary Herbert, now of Perth, and 93 years of age). In company with another sister (the late Mrs. C. John, who died two years ago), these two young Welsh girls joined a company of 800 on the Mary Shepherd. The vessel, after a perilous voyage, arrived off Port Adelaide on April 21, 1861 and they were joined by a smaller boat, to which the Wallaroo passengers were transferred, and taken to Port Clinton. Here they were met by friends, and, after travelling for a whole day and night in a horse dray, arrived at Kadina at midnight. The journey to Wallaroo was continued on foot, and eventually they arrived at the home of their elder sister. and were provided with comforts.

Mrs. Margaret Davies's marriage took place when she was 20 years of age, her husband, Mr. William Davies, being of Swansea. He held the position of a foreman blacksmith at the smelting works for many years, and died about 25 years ago.

Mrs. Davies has lived in the town for more than 60 years, and now resides with two widowed daughters (Mrs. C. Murton and Mrs. D. Searle). Mrs. J. Earl, of St. Peters, Mrs. M. Mapp, of Perth, W.A., and Mrs. L. Deer, of Kimba, are the other surviving members of the family.

There are also 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Mrs. Davies enjoys fairly good health, has a keen intellect, and is keenly interested in the affairs of the town.

Much of the birthday biography was repeated in her obituary four years later:^[5]

OBITUARY.

The late Mrs Margaret Davies, who died at Wallaroo on Tuesday, at the age of 87 years, was one of the oldest pioneers in the town. She was born at Neath, South Wales, and came to South Australia in the ship "Merry Shepherd" in company with many other young Welsh girls, including her late sister, Mrs Catherine John. The party had an adventurous and perilous voyage, finally arriving at Port Adelaide after about six months at sea. On arrival at the port they were taken to Port Clinton by a small steamer, and there transported by "bullock wagons to Kadina. Arriving at Kadina about dusk, the young Welsh girls were longing to reach Wallaroo, where friends had prepared to meet them. As there were no means of transport they walked to Wallaroo, through dense scrub, arriving about midnight. Here they were met by the late Mr and Mrs Uriah Herbert, who had already settled in the town. Mrs Davies was for over 70 years a resident of Wallaroo, and has seen the town grow from a wilderness to its present state. She often visualised the changes that have occurred since those days, but was optimistic regarding the ultimate progress of the district.

She married Mr William Davies, who died about 30 years ago, and both Mr and Mrs Davies were foundation members of the local Welsh church, where they labored for so many years when the late Rev. John Lloyd was the Pastor. She leaves four daughters, Mesdames C. Murfon and D. Searle (Wallaroo). J. Earle (Maylands), and A. Deer (Cowell). Mrs M. Mapp, another daughter, died in Perth last year.

The funeral at Wallaroo on Thursday iast was representative of all sections of the town. Rev. Thos. Williams (Pastor of the Lloyd Memorial church) conducted the service at the graveside.

Sources

1. ↑ Passenger List - Mary Shepherd Plymouth to Port Adelaide, 1863, The Ships List, transcribed and submitted by Robert Janmaat
2. ↑ Lloyd Memorial Church (Wallaroo, S.A.). (1914). Lloyd Memorial Church, Wallaroo, 1864-1914 jubilee Retrieved August 22, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-236846022
3. ↑ Genealogy SA marriage index database, Book/Page: 64/410
4. ↑ "PERSONAL." The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929) 25 February 1928: 12. Web. 28 Jan 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55069952>.
5. ↑ OBITUARY. (1932, May 14). The Kadina and Wallaroo Times (SA : 1888 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved November 3, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110526221