My Ancestor Susanna Gresswell Nee Wilson Died on Her Journey to Australia on the Athenian 1851 1852 Have Searched Most Avenues Where Can I Find Some...
Susanna Gresswell, a widow, was accompanied on the "Athenian" by her 10 yr. old son Frederic and her sister Mary Wilson. The ship left England
24-9-1851, arrived Australia 26-2-1852, a long journey via Cape of Good Hope. The "Argus newspaper of the day lists her among the passengers but she died about 3 weeks before the ship reached port in Australia. The Archives in Victoria have told me that no ship's log exists for this ship's journey as it was lost on the way to the Customs Office, Melbourne. Family diaries state she died early February. Is there anywhere I can find any details of her death ?
Clenore
DEATH.
Name: Susanna GRESSWELL.
Died: 1926 Malvern, Victoria.
Age: 82 years.
Father: Joseph WILSON.
Mother: Caroline COLLARD.
Ref: Registry of Deaths, Victoria. Reg. #6117.
Could this be your Susanna GRESSWELL nee WILSON?
DEATH.
Name: Mary Eliza ALWAY.
Died: 1922 Lilydale, Victoria.
Age: 81 years.
Father: Joseph WILSON.
Mother: Caroline COLLARD.
Ref: Registry of Deaths, Victoria. Reg. #13583.
Easy to see that Susanna and Mary WILSON were sisters. Born a few years apart with the same parents. This may only be a coincidence of course.
So what happened to Susanna's son Frederic GRESSWELL?
DEATH.
Name: Frederic GRESSWELL.
Died: 1921 Malvern, Victoria.
Age: 80 years.
Father: Frederic GRESSWELL.
Mother: Susanna WILSON.
Ref: Registry of Deaths, Victoria. Reg. #14647.
Frederic would have been born circa 1841 and fits the age of the Frederic GRESSWELL you mentioned arriving in Victoria 1852 with his widowed mother Susanna GRESSWELL nee WILSON and her sister Mary WILSON.
MARRIAGE.
Groom: Frederic GRESSWELL.
Bride: Susanna WILSON.
Year married: 1865.
Place: Victoria.
Ref: Registry of Marriages, Victoria. Reg #997.
As far as I can tell this is the Susanna GRESSWELL nee WILSON that died 1926 in Melvern, aged 82 years with parents named as Joseph WILSON and Caroline COLLARD. She was born about 1844, a few years after Frederick GRESSWELL.
Have not been able to located the arrival of the "ATHENIAN" in the "Argus" to date but will keep trying.
I have searched the deaths at sea index but nothing recorded for the name GRESSWELL or similar sounding names.
Thanks to all who have replied to my Search for my g.g. grandmother Susanna Gresswell, nee Wilson. The Susanna I'm seeking a death date for was born 1815, Middlesex, Englend. A copy of a very old certificate I have has number E 3634. The confusion arises because cousins of the same names married in the next generation. Susanna's son Frederic eventually married his cousin Susanna Wilson and went to New Zealnad. They had 10 children in NZ and returned to Aus in 1880'and lived in Malavern, Vic.
Because the ship log for her the "Athenian" has been lost is there anywh ere else I could look for her death registration ? In the Argus re the ship's arrival the family are listed as Grasswell.
I'm only aware of two sets of death records you can search.
1. Registry of Deaths Victoria.
2. Registry of Deaths at Sea Victoria.
I have searched both records and her death cannot be located, including the spelling of GRASSWELL as per spelling in the Argus. You may have to accept her death was never registered.
Hope someone may be able to point you in another direction. Sorry I could not assist you further.
Thank you again. yes, I think I'll just have to rely on info from a family diary of her brother to record this death. I would have liked to know what actually happened to her, I suspecting she died from tuberculosis as did her husband when Frederic was a year old. As I've been told that the ship's log was lost there can be no records of the event. I do have the copy/cutting that appeared in the "Argus" which doesn't tell me much. I'll now start to look at a different family puzzle.
I have been lucky enough to be sent a copy of Susanna's son's short history written by him in 1927. He writes of his sad journey, his mother died 20 days before the ship arrived in Australia in 1852. It is the only record available of this death at sea.