Hester Knott (nee Folland) (1724 to 1814)

Hester Knott was another person in the family who was born, lived and died in Beaford, Devon.  She was born in November 1724 and baptised on 4 November at the Parish Church.  She was the eldest of seven daughters born to Margaret (nee Marshall) and Arthur Knott.  She was named after her maternal grandmother.

On 3 May 1748 Hester married Henry Folland at the Beaford Parish Church.  Henry was from the nearby village of Dolton, but moved to Beaford on his marriage to Hester.  Hester and Henry had eleven children over twenty years; four sons and seven daughters;

• Arthur – born 1749
• Judith – 1750
• Margaret – 1752
• Catherine – 1753
• Rebecca – 1755
• Henry – 1757
• Robert 1759
• Martha – 1761
• Elizabeth 1762
• John – 1766
• Hester – 1769.

In 1772, at the age of 48, Hester's first known grandchild was born: a son for Rebecca, who had married George Marshall – who was actually Hester’s (much younger) cousin (Beaford wasn’t a particularly large village!).  Over the next 25 years at least 16 grandchildren were born in Beaford alone! 

In 1797, at the age of 72, Hester became a great grandmother and at least 10 more great-grandchildren were born in Beaford before Hester’s death.  

Hester died in March 1814 and was buried on 7 March at the Beaford Parish Church, Devon – a few months short of her 89^th Birthday (a ripe old age!).

[Relationship to SNR = Great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother]

Samuel Joyce - 1815 to 1900

It is always lovely to get in touch with other people who are researching the same family.  In about 2002 I made contact with Glen Joyce, who shared a great-grandfather with Cec Joyce.   Glen had visited Albert Charles Joyce in the 1970s- even taking a photograph of the event.  Glen has undertaken significant research on the Joyce family and I am grateful that he was happy to share the information.  Samuel Joyce is the first ‘shared’ relative of Glen and SNR (who are second cousins twice removed).

Samuel was born on 2 January 1815 and his baptism appears in the Church Register of the Independent Church, Little Baddow, Essex on 28 May.   His parents were Samuel Joyce and Mary Ketley, who lived in Little Baddow.  The preamble statement accompanying the Register stated that “the original Register Books … have been kept for the Chapel or Meeting-house called Little Baddow being of the Independent denomination, situate in Parish of Little Baddow in the County of Essex founded about the year 1670”.  Little Baddow was quite little at the time of Samuel’s birth the population was around 500!  It is about 10km east of Chelmsford and 75km north east of London.  The name Baddow comes from the old English word meaning ‘bad water’ but it is thought the bad water was from the meadow area in Great Baddow, not from Little Baddow.  Little Baddow is now known for its bluebell woods, which attract walkers to the area.  It’s a pretty village that won a “Best Kept Village” award in 2005. In 1815 Little Baddow had just been connected to the coastal trading ships through the canal system. Agriculture was the principal occupation of the village; and Samuel senior was a farmer. 

Little Baddow is unusual in that it has a well-documented history, and I found reference to Samuel Joyce (Senior) in Sheila Rowley’s history of the village, Volume I, written in 1975, under the section called ‘Tenements of “Tofts Mannor”’.

In 1819 Samuel Joice or Joyce was holding land near to Monks garden, taken from the common, including ½ acre “whereon a Messuage is built” – no doubt later to be known as “Joyces Corner”.

Joyces Corner can still be seen on maps of Little Baddow; near the corner of Spring Elms Lane and Postman’s Lane (I was rather surprised when I typed the address into google maps and it appeared!). 

Mary and Samuel Joyce were not able to read or write, but young Samuel did receive a basic education.  There was a small school in Little Baddow: students rarely remained more than two years, although they had the option to stay for four years. 

When Samuel married Jane van der Vliet at the Parish Church of Bethnal Green, Middlesex, on Monday 13 September 1841, he was able to sign his own name.  Samuel was 26 and Jane was 20.  Almost immediately they left England.  Samuel and Jane Joyce arrived in Sydney on 14 February 1842 as two of the 248 Bounty Passengers aboard the “Sir Edward Paget”.  Bounty for the trip was £19 per person.  The records state that Samuel Joyce was from County Essex, age 26, calling carpenter, religion Protestant, able to both read and write. 

Samuel and Jane’s first child, William Catling Joyce was born in Sydney on 10 October 1842.  William Catling was the name of one of the witnesses to their marriage and was probably a friend.  Then, having spent nearly three years in Sydney, Samuel, Jane and William returned to London on the  “St George” that departed Sydney on 5 January 1845.

Once in England, the family settled in Islington, London and five more children were born, one of whom was given to Jane’s brother and sister-in-law (see Henry Joyce’s story).

In 1854 the Samuel and Jane made the decision to again immigrate to Australia, this time to Melbourne.  They left England on board the “Morning Star”, arriving in Melbourne, Australia in August 1854.

On this trip, the family brought their prefabricated home with them.  Migrants during the 1850’s gold rush were advised to do this.  The house was built at 136 Oxford Street, Collingwood; Jane and Samuel called it “Providence Cottage”.   The slabs of the house were vertical instead of horizontal.  Being a carpenter one assumes that Samuel knew what he was doing!   The house was still there at least till the beginning of World War II. 

Another son, Frederick was born in 1855.  He died in 1863 when he was eight and the couple had another daughter Annie Mahalah in 1864 (Mahalah was the name of Samuel’s younger sister).  Annie married on 26 January 1882 and then died in July 1882 when she was 19.

Jane Joyce died on 30 December 1896 and Samuel was heartbroken.  He had a death card made in her honour.  They had been married for 51 years.

It appears that after Jane’s death, Samuel may have moved to Albert’s house, rather than remain in Oxford Street where William lived with his family.  Samuel Joyce died on 28 August 1900, at 33 Stanley St Collingwood, aged 85 years.  The cause of death was “Senile decay and Cardiac failure”.  Three sons and one daughter survived him. 

Samuel Joyce was buried with his wife and two infant children on 29 August 1900 at the Melbourne General Cemetery, Baptist Section, Grave number C.429.  The headstone reads:

Sacred to the memory of

Frederick Herbert

Beloved son of

Samuel and Jane Joyce

[illegible line]
Annie Mahalah

[illegible line]
Jane

[illegible line]
Samuel

Beloved Father of the Above

[illegible line]
in the 89^th year of his Age

Relationship to SNR = Great-great-great grandfather

Jane Joyce (nee van der Vliet) - 1821 to 1896

The family has some wonderful mementos from Jane van der Vliet’s life (and death).  I remember being absolutely amazed at the photograph of her sewing sampler plus the beautiful card printed on her death, presumably by her husband, Samuel Joyce.  And it is through Jane that the family has their longest enduring family history story: that her father was the Burgomaster (or Burgomeister) of Amsterdam.  Jane’s life is interesting enough without these things, but is enhanced by it.  With regard to the family myth, there is absolutely no evidence that her father was the Burgomaster of Amsterdam.  Firstly, there is no mention of a person called Adrian van der vliet ever occupying the position; secondly, Jane was born in England and appears to have been educated there, so her father would have had to have been very old when she was born or not with the family; thirdly, at the time of the 1841 and 1851 Census her mother’s occupation was listed as laundress – as was Jane’s own when she first came to Australia in 1842 – hardly the occupation of the Burgomaster’s wife (although I know that financial situations can change quickly); and lastly, her father’s occupation on both her marriage and death certificates was clerk.  Family stories sometimes have an element of fact; and potentially at some stage the family may have held such a position, but it wasn’t Jane’s father!

Jane van der Vliet was born on 14 April 1821 in Mile End.  At the time Mile End was on the outskirts of London – part of East London – but it became part of the metropolitan area of London in 1855.  Her parents were Jane and Adrian van der Vliet.  At the very least she had an older and younger brother – we have baptisms for them – but there may have been other siblings.  

Jane received a basic education and could read and write.  She could also sew and in October 1829, at the age of 8, Jane completed her ‘sampler’.  A sampler was a piece of cloth on which the girls sewed patterns, letters of the alphabet, and simple designs, using different stitches and brightly coloured threads.  Samplers were considered an important part of a young female’s education.  The job prospects for girls were very limited, with most becoming household servants or working for local farmers or shopkeepers. Sewing was an important skill. Mothers would teach girls who didn’t attend school how to make up samplers.  I’m not sure where Jane’s sampler is now, but at some stage in the mid-late 20^th Century a photograph was distributed to various family members.  The photograph I was given has itself got old!  The text reads:

JESUS permit thy gracious Name to stand

As the first effort of an Infants hand

And while her fingers on the Canvas move

Engage her tender heart to seek thy love

With thy dear Children let her have a part

And Write thy Name thyself upon her heart.

Jane Van Der Vliet

Born April the 14 1821

Finished this Work Oct^r 1829

On 13 September 1841 Jane married Samuel Joyce at the parish church in Bethnal Green, Middlesex.  Almost immediately they left England.  Samuel and Jane Joyce arrived in Sydney on 14 February 1842 as two of the 248 Bounty Passengers aboard the “Sir Edward Paget”.  Bounty for the trip was £19 per person.  The records state that Jane Joyce was from London, age 20, calling laundress, religion Protestant, able to both read and write.  There is a suggestion that Samuel and Jane were compelled to leave England due to the displeasure of her family upon their marriage – but evidence of this has not been found, indeed, a marriage notice was put in a London paper, which was unusual for the time.

Samuel and Jane’s first child, William Catling Joyce was born in Castlereagh Street, Sydney on 10 October 1842. Then, having spent nearly three years in Sydney, Samuel, Jane and William returned to London on the  “St George” that departed Sydney on 5 January 1845. Once back in England, the family lived in Islington, London and five more children were born:

• Amelia born 23 April 1845;
• Henry born 20 January 1846 – Henry was given to Jane’s brother and sister-in-law (see Henry story);
• Albert born 13 July 1847;
• Thomas born 1850; and
• Emily born 1854.

In 1854 the Samuel and Jane made the decision to again immigrate to Australia, this time to Melbourne.  They left England on board the “Morning Star”, arriving in Melbourne, Australia in August 1854. It is not known why they had initially returned to England and why, having made that choice, they then travelled back to Australia!

Two more children were born to the couple in Australia.  Frederick was born in 1855 and died in 1863 when he was eight.  Annie Mahalah was then born in 1864 (Mahalah was the name of Samuel’s younger sister).  There was a ten year gap between Annie and Emily!  Jane became a grandmother in 1875 when both Amelia and her husband; plus Albert and his wife each had a child.

1882 was a significant year for Jane and Samuel.  By this stage Samuel and Jane had ten grandchildren: Amelia had three children; and Albert, four; and Thomas, three.  During 1882:

• Annie married on 26 January 1882
• William married on 10 May 1882
• Annie then died in July 1882 when she had just turned 19.
• Albert and his wife had a daughter, born in late 1882, whom they named Annie Mahalah in her young aunt’s honour. 

Jane Joyce died on 30 December 1896 and Samuel was heartbroken.  They had been married for 51 years. He had a death card made in her honour, which contained an acrostic poem and a picture of Jane and said:

In Affectionate Remembrance of

Dearly beloved MotherJane Joyce 

Dearly beloved Wife ofSamuel Joyce 

Born 14^th April 1821 

Died 30^th Decr., 1896 

Gone but not forgotten. 

To memory ever dear.  

Join’d with those who have gone before, 

A dear Wife’s face I see no more; 

No sin, no sickness, and no pain, 

Ever can mar her endless gain. 

Just as we feel her race is run, 

Oh! May we say, “Thy will be done.” 

Young and old, who miss her good cheer, 

Can never fail to hold her dear, 

Each day God spares them to live here.

I find it fascinating that the family seems to have wanted to ‘keep’ the name “van der Vliet”.  Both William and Thomas had daughters with van der Vliet as a middle name (Mabel and Letitia respectively) and Thomas also named his home ‘vanderVliet’.  Perhaps this is why the stories of the Burgomaster persisted in family folklore.

[Relationship to SNR = Great-great-great grandmother]

Henry Joyce / van der Vliet (1846 to 1927)

We tend to think about family relationships in very 'biological' ways: mother, father, child, sister brother etc.  Henry's story is slightly strange - at least it is to us looking back.    

Henry was the third child born to Jane (nee van der Vliet) and Samuel Joyce. He was born in London 10th January 1846, 8½ months after the birth of his older sister Amelia and 18 months before the birth of his younger brother.  Jane and Samuel had another son born in 1850.  We know these "facts" because all of the relevant birth certificates have been sighted.  

At some point between Henry's birth in 1846 and the Census in 1851, Henry Joyce became Henry Joyce van Der Vliet.  He was permanently adopted by Jane's younger brother Henry Jacob van der Vliet and his wife Elizabeth.  In 1850 Henry Jacob van der Vliet married Elizabeth and their son, William, was born later in the year.  Sadly Henry Jacob died early in 1851 at the age of 25. So Elizabeth was the sole parent of Henry and William.   

Another Joyce family researcher believes this act confirms family folklore that Jane was an extremely loving and compassionate person.  I tend to agree.  Perhaps Jane felt that she was extremely fortunate to have a large family.  The only thing I think is slightly odd is that there was only a small gap between Amelia and Henry.  Possibly Jane felt she could not cope with three children so close in age and always intended to 'give away' the child to Elizabeth.  Elizabeth may have been part of the family life for some time and the gift may have been in response to her earlier assistance.  There obviously were no official records around this gift, so any reasons are conjecture.  Another possibility is that Henry Joyce was actually the son of Elizabeth and Henry Jacob: and because Elizabeth and Henry were not married, Jane and Samuel agreed to register the birth.  This is possible but slightly far fetched given the number of children that were born out of marriage!

In 1854 Jane and Samuel made the decision to (again) migrate to Australia.  They did not return to England and never saw family members again.

Henry remained with his mother, Elizabeth, and later became a boot maker: both Henry Jacob and Elizabeth had worked in this trade.  In 1869 Henry married Christina Young in the Stepney Parish Church, London.  Very soon after their wedding Henry and Christina moved to Hackney where they lived for the rest of their lives.  Their children - whose births were registered using the name 'Vandervliet' - were:

• Christina – born about 1871

• Henry born and died in 1873

• Henry – 1874

• Emily – 1876

• William  - 1880

• Rosina - 1881.

It is possible they had a daughter Elizabeth in 1878, certainly a birth is registered, but cannot be confirmed.

In time Christina, Henry, Emily and William married - each having a number of children.  Sadly Rosina died in 1901 just before her 20th birthday.  Then in mid 1907 William died when he was 27 leaving his wife a widow with young children (reminiscent of Henry's own mother).  

In early 1921 Christina, Henry's wife of 52 years died.  

By the mid 1920s Henry's grandchildren were getting married.  In early 1927 Joyce Vandervliet was born.  She was the great-grandchild of Henry (Henry - Henry - Henry - Joyce).  It was an interesting choice of name.  Presumably young Henry knew it was his grandfather's middle name; I like to think that Henry was pleased his great-grandchild shared his middle name!  Perhaps by this time, Henry was not well.  In mid 1927 Henry Joyce Vandervleit died at the age of 81.

It is also not known if Henry knew the circumstances of his birth.  Certainly the children of Jane and Samuel Joyce did not seem to know anything.

Relationship to SNR = Brother / cousin of great, great grandfather