Seeking information on Richard Jenkins born 1814 in Yatton published by on Mon, 02/07/2018 - 7:46
I am a descendant of Richard Jenkins who emigrated to Australia in 1841, seeking any info about relatives who may be in the area. Planning a visit to UK In May next year; can share the Australian side of things.
Can you give a little more information about Richard JENKINS? Who were his parents? Do you know the names of any siblings? We would like to help and hope that you have a great time over here next year.
Thanks for your swift response Pat Hase. I posted in hopeful anticipation, great to get such speedy feedback. My brother and cousin are following up the Jenkins family. This is what we have:
Richard b. 15/7/1804, married Jane Kidner b. 1803? on 31/5/1824 in Yatton Somerset. Richard may have been a butcher.
Richard's parents - Father Richard b. 2/1/1774, (stonemason) Mother Elizabeth Taylor? or Smith? (no dates).
Grandfather Richard Jenkins 1736-20/8/1798, grandmother possibly Sarah Cribb b. about 1735.
Richard and his family, Jane and 7 children (William, Elizabeth, Thomas, George, Jane, Emma, Charles) migrated to Australia on the "Andromache", arriving in Melbourne on November 8th 1848.
Robert, There's quite a bit of information in Florence Chuk's book The Somerset Years page 100.
Andromache
Barque 484/468 tons, sailed from Plymouth July 17, arrived at Port Henry November 8 1848.
Master: Michael Passmore
Surgeon Superintendent: James McKechnie
Jenkins Richard (43 Butcher. Wesleyan. Literate), Jane (44 Reads), William (21 Groom. C of E. Literate), Elizabeth (19. House servant C of E. Literate), Thomas (16 Groom. C of E. Literate), George (13. Reads, Jane (11. Reads), Emma (8. Reads), Charles (3).
Richard Jenkins, son of Richard and Betty Jenkins, was baptised at Yatton o0n July 15 1804, and married Jane Kidner at St.Michael's Church Bristol, on May 31 1824. In 1844 they were living with six children in a tenement rated at threepence ha'penny, and the Vestry Accounts record that Richard earned 2/6 for 'repairing the gout from the pump' in late April that year.
On March 6 1848 the Yatton vestry agreed to apply to the Poor Law Commissioners for permission to advance up to twenty pounds from the poor rates to assist Richard Jenkins, his wife and their seven children, to emigrate to Australia. Later the vestry held meetings of the parish ratepayers to raise money to assist more villagers to emigrate.
On arrival Richard found work for himself at Geelong, and afterwards set up as a butcher at Drysdale until his death in 1875. Elizabeth remained with her parents, but Thomas and William found work with Mrs Ann Wilson of Geelong, for six months, at wages of twenty pounds p.a. each with rations. Thomas became a butcher, and later married Emma Pryke, daughter of Chas. Pryke a shoemaker, of Coffield, Suffolk, on March 7 1854. George went to work for Dr Clerke, with a twelve month contract at 8 pounds p.a. with rations (Jonothan Clerke M.D. Colonial Surgeon, lived in Malop-st., Corio, Geelong, and was a member of the Immigration Board.) In 1860 George married Jane Richmond. They lived in the Geelong area before moving to Miners Rest, and later to Charlton, and bought up a family of eight children.
Thank you for adding this. "The Somerset Years" is a mine of information if you are interested in people who emigrated from Somerset and Brsitol between 1839 and 1854. Florence Chuk did some extensive research into the lives of people who arrived under the Assisted Passage Scheme during those years in Port Phillip, Victoria. It is interesting to note that Yatton used their Poor Law funds to assist the JENKINS Family - it would have been cheaper than supporting them in this country!
On the 1841 census Ricahrd and Jane are living at Horsecastle which is part of Yatton and you will be able to see some early cottages on the main road when you visit.
I have checked and they did marry in Bristol, not Yatton, as you thought and it was not unusual for people from this part of the County to go to the nearest town to get married. I have a HASE living in Horsecastle in 1851 and they were married at St John's Bedminster, Bristol. Just to be pernickity, the date you have given as Richard's birth date in 1804 was his christening and he could have been born a little while before that date or perhaps on that date if he was weakly and they thought he might die.
There is a Local History Society in Yatton and someone there might be able to tell you about Horsecastle and perhaps arrange to meet you when you come over. They welcome local history enquiries via email but do not usually help with family history queries but as you have some information to give them they might be able to help. The tithe map of 1841 shows two Richard JENKINS - yours and one married to a Priscilla who is living near the church.
Have you traced the children of Richard (senior)? - do you know how many there were or what happened to them? It is always more difficult to trace living relations but the Yatton Local HistorySociety have published several books about Yatton -some are now online- perhaps the name JENKINS crops up in them?
The dates I gave were provided by another descendant of one of Richard’s daughters who lives in New South Wales here in Australia.
Not sure if anyone has traced Richard’s siblings, will check with them and get back if I find anything out. Thanks very much for all your help, much appreciated and I owe you a drink if w3 get down your way next year.
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