| A genealogical presentation of the life and times of the ancestors and descendants of William Henry Mathews (1880 – 1964) and his wife Sarah Louisa Florence Mitchell (1889 – 1972). |
| Author’s Note To undertake a microscopic examination of an individual’s place, and role, in history is both challenging and frustrating. Although more recently the internet has provided numerous tools and avenues of research, genealogy remains an inexact science and it is fair to say that all the facts related to the Mathews’ story cannot be substantiated.
Of such endeavours, the widely read novelist Michael Dodds offers the following, “Even those histories that are constructed as tightly as possible around ‘the facts’ still leave room for the sort of speculation about motives and emotions that are such an important component in trying to understand not only what happened, but why something happened.” Like Dodds in his biographies of Winston Churchill, I’m not trying to pretend that all that is written here is ‘the truth’. Some of it is unashamedly fictitious and I have taken all the dramatic liberties required to construct what I hope is an enjoyable read. However, within these constraints I have endeavoured to stay as close as possible to verifiable facts and established events as I understand them. The characters in these pages however ARE real. We, their ancestors, are testament to that fact. |
| Table of Contents |
| THE MATHEWS FAMILY LINEAGE |
| John Waker MATHEWS (1759 – 1807). Carver, gilder, and trader of wood furniture in The Strand, London. John married Elizabeth SCRIVEN (1757 – 1819) at Hanover Square, London in 1782. Their known children were: George (1780 – 1850). Sampson (1784 – 1846). |
| Sampson MATHEWS (1784 – 1846). Carpenter and cabinet maker of Marylebone, London. Sampson married Mary Ann GRACE (1783 – 1846) at Westminster, London in 1806. Their known children were: Henry (1807 – 1876). William (1811 – 1890). Richard (1814 – 1863). Mary (1815 – 1815). Mary (1816 – ????). Ann (1817 – ????). Edward (1819 – 1862). John (1823 – 1841). |
| William MATHEWS (1811 – 1890). Pianoforte maker of Marylebone, London; Toronto, Canada and Melbourne, Australia. William married Caroline TOWNSEND (1812 – 1847) at Hanover Square, London in 1832. Their known children were: Caroline Emma (1834 – 1838). Mary Ann Susannah (1836 – ????). William married Mary Ann PETTY (nee KEW; 1823 – 1850) at Upper Chelsea, London in 1848. They had a boy, William Sampson (1848 – 1849). William married Margaret ROBERTSON (nee NICHOL; 1815 – 1859) at Boston, USA in 1851. Their known children were: Alice Lily Margaret (1853 – 1901). James Henry Alexander (1854 – 1896). |
| James Henry Alexander MATHEWS (1854 – 1896). Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Pianoforte and Piano maker of Toronto, Canada and Emerald Hill, Melbourne, Australia. James married Emma Rising GODDEN (1858 – 1946) at Emerald Hill, Melbourne in 1877. Their known children were: Emma Grace (1878 – 1893). William Henry (1880 – 1964). |
| William Henry MATHEWS (1880 – 1964). Born in Melbourne, Australia. Accountant, employed by the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works, property speculator, and part-time piano tuner. William Henry married Sara Louisa Florence MITCHELL (1889 – 1972) at Prahran, Melbourne in 1909. Their known children were: William John “Jack” (1909 – 1996). Russell Alexander (1911 – 1977) Oliver Wellesley (1916 – 1971). |
| William John “Jack” MATHEWS (1909 – 1996). Born in Melbourne, Australia. Teacher and school principle in Melbourne, Australia. William John married Mary Agnes McCARTHY (1911 - 1993) in Melbourne in 1938. They had no children. William John married Gladwys Ada “Gwen” CULHANE (nee Davies; 1920 - 2006) in Melbourne in 1955. They had a boy, Grant William Gladstone (b 1956). |
| Russell Alexander MATHEWS (1911 – 1977). Born in Melbourne, Australia. Industrial Chemist in Melbourne, Australia. Russell married Freda McGILL (1916 – 1941) in Melbourne in 1939. They had a boy, Russell Howard (b 1941). Russell married Doris Blain CHARD (1909 – 1995) in Noorat, Victoria in 1945. They had a boy, Douglas (b 1946). |
| Oliver Wellsley MATHEWS (1916 – 1971). Born in Melbourne, Australia. Civil Engineer in Sydney, Australia. Oliver married Olive Berenice “Betty” PEARSE (1921 – ????) at Mosman, Sydney in 1945. Their known children were: Penelope Joy (b 1946). Wendy (b 1946) Robert William (b 1947). |
| THE MITCHELL FAMILY LINEAGE |
| John MITCHELL (1818 – 1895). Carpenter and builder in Shoreditch, London and publican in Dunedin, New Zealand. John married Sarah Susannah ANDERSON (1818 – 1889) at St. Matthew, Church of England, Bethnal Green, London in 1836. Their known children were: William (1837 – 1927). Emma Ann (1840 – 1909). Henry John (1842 – 1912). Robert (1844 – 1876). John (1847 – 1892). Marshall (1849 – 1893). Francis Anderson (1851 – 1936). |
| William MITCHELL (1837 – 1927). Bricklayer and building contractor in Melbourne, Australia and Dunedin, New Zealand. William did not marry. |
| Emma Ann (Annie) MITCHELL (1840 – 1909). Born in Shoreditch, London. Raised in Melbourne, Australia. Settled in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Emma married Robert GOODISSON (1846–1923) in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1866. Their known children were: Mary Jane (1867 – 1937). Sarah (1868 – 1903). William Francis (1871 – 1912). Robert Anderson (1873 – 1873). Thomas Robert (1874 – 1960). Robert (1878 – 1951). |
| Henry John MITCHELL (1842 – 1912). Born in Shoreditch, London. Raised in Melbourne, Australia. Licenced inn-keeper in Dunedin, New Zealand. Carpenter and builder in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Henry married Charlotte GOODISSON (1853–1911) in St Pauls Church, Wellington, New Zealand in 1870. Their known children were: Henry John (1869 – 1923). Charlotte Elizabeth (1871 – ????). Elizabeth Sarah (1873 – 1879). Emily Mary (1874 – 1944). Thomas Edward (1876 – 1944). Robert William (1877 – 1953). Margaret Frances (1880 – 1938). Francis Marshall (1882 – 1926). Victoria Caroline (1884 – 1958). Constance Maude (1885 – 1968). Neil Richard (nee Robson; 1889 – 1966). Louis Claude (1890 – 1928). |
| Robert MITCHELL (1844 – 1876). Born in Shoreditch, London. Raised in Melbourne, Australia. Settled in Dunedin, New Zealand. Robert's marriage status is uncertain. |
| John MITCHELL (1847 – 1892). Born in Shoreditch, London. Raised in Melbourne, Australia. Landowner in Caversham, Dunedin, New Zealand. Blacksmith in Kempsey, New South Wales. John married Matilda EDWARDS (1859 – 1942) in the Wesleyan Church, Kempsey in 1877. Their known children were: Leslie Anderson (1878 – 1952). Horace Lees (1879 – 1952). Esther Maud (1881 – 1919). Ernest John McLay (1883 – 1951). Clarice Emily Elizabeth (1885 – 1903). Islet May (1889 – 1957). Susan Matilda (1890 – 1967). John (1892 – 1917). |
| Marshall MITCHELL (1849 – 1893). Born in Bishopsgate, London. Raised in Melbourne, Australia and Dunedin, New Zealand. Bricklayer and builder in Melbourne, Australia. Marshall married Annie COWEN (1853 – 1930) in the Independent Church, Prahran, Melbourne in 1877. Their known children were: Frances Marshall (1878 – 1951). Olivia Mary (1879 – 1956). Robert Anderson (1882 – 1936). Annie (1884 – 1949). John (1885 – 1949). Sara Louisa Florence (1889 – 1972). Vera Iris Marguerite (1891 – 1964). |
| Francis MITCHELL (1851 – 1936). Born in Bermondsey, London. Raised in Melbourne, Australia and Dunedin, New Zealand. Silver mining smelter in Sunny Corner, New South Wales, Australia. Francis married Margaret Mary “Margaretta” Kathleen McCARTHY (1868 – 1945) in the Bowraville Catholic Church, Bowraville, New South Wales in 1887. Their known children were: Charles John Vincent (1888 – 1969). Francis William Joseph (1890 – 1918). Norman (1892 – 1894). Eileen Mary (1894 – 1970). Kathleen Philomena (1896 – 1980). Madalene Lucy (1898 – 1981). Islet Margaret (1901 – 1994). Justin Robert Leo (1903 – 1972). Marshall Patrick Bede (1907 – 1975). |
