Jane Baker / Carne (1822 - 1907)

Jane Carne, with her husband and four young children departed Plymouth, England on 14 October 1854 along with 201 other people on the Medway bound for Port Philip, Australia.  It is possible that Jane had never left Plymouth before boarding the Medway. The young couple had presumably decided that the new Colony offered more opportunities than remaining in England. I wonder if Jane ever regretted this decision, thinking she might have avoided certain heartaches if they had stayed in Devon, England. Then again, life for a woman in the 19th Century was expected to be difficult, and despite a number of tragic events, Jane lived a long and full life with many wonderful occasions to celebrate.

Jane was born on 18 May 1822 in Stoke Damerel, Devon, now an inner suburb of Plymouth. She was the daughter of Mary (nee Hundrey) and William Baker, a bricklayer. Jane was baptised on 18 June 1826 at the Independent Mount Zion Church in Devonport, along with two younger siblings. This area was relatively affluent at the time and the Baker family lived at 30 Queen Street, about 250 metres from the coastline. Jane’s father died before the 1841 Census: but it is difficult to determine exactly when (William Baker is a very common name).

On 20 April 1845 Jane married William John Carne at East Stonehouse Parish Church, very close to Stoke Damerel. William was a mason and he also came from a relatively well off family.

Jane and William had nine children together. The first five were born when they lived in Stoke Damerel:

Mary Jane, born at the end of 1845

Henry, born 1848

Ellen, born in 1850 and died on 26 July 1852

William Henry, born in May 1852

Ellen, named after her older sister and born at 4:00 am on 13 May 1854. Ellen was only five months old when the family migrated to Australia.

The family arrived in Melbourne in January 1855 and lived in Bedford Street, Collingwood. A further four children were born:

James Baker, born in 1857

Alfred Harris, born in 1859

Caroline, born in 1861, and died on 29 November 1862

Fanny Elizabeth, born in July 1863, when Jane was 41.

Jane’s younger brother also migrated to Australia with his wife.  He was a carpenter, but became a teacher in Wyndham. William’s brother, John, his wife, Mary and their children lived in the same street in Collingwood as Jane and William.  The two families had also lived in the same address in Granby Street. 

Tragedy hit both Carne families on Christmas Day in 1865.  Some of the children decided to go Merri Creek for an afternoon swim. It wasn’t a particularly hot day, but it was a public holiday and the weather was sunny and fine. William dived from the bank head first and came up on his back. His cousin Samuel immediately saw this and called out an alarm before jumping in fully clothed in order to assist his cousin.  He grabbed hold of him, but wasn’t able to swim.  Henry saw that Samuel was struggling and so he rushed in to help him.  Meanwhile Samuel’s brother, George, managed to find a police officer who came to the waterhole to help, but they were too late and all three boys had drowned. The inquest noted that none of the boys could swim. As a result of the accident it was recommended that notice boards should be put up advising the varying depth of the waterholes and that safety equipment should be kept at the Northcote Police Station. It must have been devastating to lose two sons and their cousin in such a way.

In 1875 Jane and William became grandparents with the birth of Ellen Jane (daughter of Ellen). Ellen, James and Alfred all had a number of children (the brothers married two sisters). Alfred was a Methodist Minister and went to Samoa as a missionary. Mary married, but did not have any children.

Jane’s youngest daughter Fanny Elizabeth died on 23 June 1884 when she was just 20 years 11 months.

Then, after 48 years of marriage, William John died on Saturday 25 November 1893, when the couple was living in Prospect Grove, Northcote.

Jane in about 1890

Jane would also have been concerned about the death in 1989 of Alfred’s wife, Mary, who had moved to South Australia upon their return to Australia.  The couple had six children. Alfred married a young widow in 1900 and they had a further four children.

Jane’s first great grandchild was born in 1900 when she was 78.  Someone wisely suggested that a studio photo be taken of the four generations: Jane, Ellen, Ellen Jane and baby Albert Clifford Green.

Jane’s son James Baker died suddenly on 13 September 1904 when he was 47 years old.  He was visiting his son in Euroa at the time of his death, but was living in Williamstown and working for the Department of Ports and Harbours.  He had four children. James was buried in Melbourne General Cemetery in a gravesite that also mentioned Jane’s two children who had died as infants: Ellen in 1852 and Caroline in 1862.

Sadly some of Jane’s grandchildren died in the latter part of Jane’s life, including the young mother Ellen Jane.

Jane Carne was 85 when she died on 21 June 1907 in her daughter’s home at 166 McKean Street, Fitzroy North. Her husband and six of her children had pre-deceased her; but she was survived by three children, 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The notice in The Argus on Saturday 22 June read:

CARNE - On the 21st June, at the residence of her daughter, Mrs A. Joyce, 166 McKean-street, North Fitzroy, Jane, relict of the late William John Carne, of Collingwood, aged 85 years. No flowers by request. At rest.

She was buried at Melbourne General Cemetery the following day and was the last person to use the family plot. In September 2014 I visited the Carne family graves in Melbourne General Cemetery.  It is a reminder of the sad events that took place in Jane’s life.  The main gravesite is in the independent section of the Cemetery and is a double sized plot (long and thin) with a black stone obelisk and writing on seven white stone slabs: five around the four sides of the obelisk and two horizontal. It is not known which slab was the first to be used, and of the seven slabs, only two are legible.  The details are:

1.       Large, high slab at the front of the grave with only the name legible: William Henry Carne / age 13 yrs 7 mths.

2.       Smaller slab directly underneath slab 1, all details able to be read, but only just: In loving remembrance of Fanny Elizabeth Carne. Who departed this life in Hope of eternal life / through the merits of her dear redeemer / June 23^rd 1884 aged 20 years & 11 months. / She hath escaped all danger now/ Her pain and sighing all are fled / The crown of joy is on her brow / Eternal glories o'er her shed / In robes of white, a queen, a bride / She standeth at her Sovereign's side [Taken almost verbatim from verse two of the hymn “Now rests her soul in Jesu’s arms” by Johann Ludwig Conrad Allendorf (1725); Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1855)]

3.       Horizontal slab on the same side as 1 and 2, all words able to be read, but there is significant wearing and in time the words will fade: In Affectionate Remembrance of / William John Carne / who fell asleep in Jesus / November 25^th 1893 / Age 71 years / There remaineth therefore a rest / to the people of God [Taken from Hebrew 4:9, King James Bible]

4.       Large, high slab, in line with slab 1 and on the left side, only name is legible: Samuel Carne / age 17 yrs 2 mths.

5.       Large, high slab in line with slab 1, and on the right side, only name is legible:  and Henry Carne / 13 yrs

6.       Large, high slab in line and directly behind slab 1, totally illegible: Sacred to the memory of Henry & William Henry Carne / beloved sons of William John and Jane Carne / also Samuel Carne 1865 / their cousin.

7.       Horizontal slab on the same side as slab 6, totally illegible: In memory of Jane / beloved wife of W.J.Carne / died 21 Jun 1907, 85 years.

Carne Memorial at Melbourne General Cemetery

A second grave is located in Methodist Section A, which says:

CARNE

In memory of the children of William and Jane CARNE

Ellen, died 28 Jul 1852 at Devonport, Devon, England

age 2 years

also Caroline, died 29 Nov 1862 at Collingwood

age 13 months

also J.B. Carne

husband of Catherine Carne

died 19 Sep 1904, age 47

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]