Climbing our Family Tree

Robert and Sophia married on the 5th January, 1816 at Stoke Climsland, Cornwall, England. They had eight children according to the research of cousin Margaret - Mary Ann Richards, Elizabeth, Harriet, Thomas, William Henry, Arthur Robert, Richard Richards, and Robert.

(2) Deborah Collings

Sophia died in late August, 1831 and barely 10 months later Robert married Deborah Collings (mother of John Collings Mutton who married William's widow) They had seven children - John Collings, Mary Maria, James Henry, Jane Ann, Emma, Eliza Mary and another James Henry (the first having died in infancy).

Ten years later, on the 13th February 1857, Robert and Deborah along with their three youngest children arrived at Port Adelaide, South Australia, on the ship "Burlington" Daughter Jane and her husband were also on the same ship, as was a Richard Mutton who hasn't been identified as a family member as yet.

John was a copper miner back in Cornwall and the family came out under a scheme to supply miners to the newly opened copper mines in the Wallaroo area. Deborah died in 1869, Robert died less than four years later, on the 8th May 1873, from Ascites, at Walleroo Mines. He was buried shortly after in the Kadina Cemetery.

3rd great grandparents

William Henry Mutton was born on the 22nd September, 1825 in Stoke Climsland, Cornwall, England; the fifth child of eight, and the second son of Robert Mutton and his first wife, Sophia Richards.

Elizabeth Lock was baptized 21st January 1823, at Bath, Somerset, England; daughter of Samuel Lock and Sarah Perkins.

William and Elizabeth married on the 10th January 1847, at St Saviours, Jersey, Channel Islands. William is noted as a 21 year old shoeing smith, and Elizabeth as 22 year old dressmaker. Though her maiden name was used, Elizabeth was recorded as a widow. I am unsure of the significance of this, if any. Perhaps she already had a child and wanted to appear respectable. The marriage was witnessed by Nicholas Watson and Selina Lock.

On the 21st December, 1848, William and Elizabeth sailed from Plymouth, England, bound for Australia as Assisted Immigrants. Their ship was the General Palmer, and they arrived at Port Phillip on the 10th April, 1849. They were both recorded as 24 years of age, William was a Blacksmith, and no children are listed on the Disposal List as coming with them. The note on employment says 'Went to Melbourne, disengaged'

William and Elizabeth had three children according to the family history, and to indexed birth records. Henry James was born on the 18th May, 1851 at Seymour, it being three weeks before he came home to Avenel. Eliza Jane was born on the 18th April, 1853 - the first white child born in Avenel. Her birth was not registered until the next year and the interesting bit about that was the entry relating to siblings - in this spot it said 2 living, 2 dead. George Thomas was born on the 20th January, 1855; this time the siblings were listed as 3 living and 2 dead. So it is obvious that William and Elizabeth had other children before it was required to register them. [Civil Registration began July 1853 - records before that are from Baptisms] Two of the children could have been born and died prior to coming to Australia. However, it appears that one child might have died between January 1855 and September 1856 - but this death is not registered. At this time William was very ill with Consumption which he had suffered for eighteen months. On the 22nd September, he died, aged 31. Family lore has it was the day after his birthday, on which day his brother arrived by chance in Avenel.

William's death was registered on the 23rd, he had died the day before, his brother being the last person to see him alive. His brother, John Collings Mutton and James Hilet were the informants on the registration, and only the names of the three living children are listed, Eliza being listed as 3 years (she was almost 3 1/2). William was buried in the "Avenel Estate" cemetery; there was not an official undertaker.

A little over a year later, on the 4th November, 1857, John Collings Mutton and the widow, Elizabeth, were married at the John Knox Church, Swanston Street, Melbourne. John is William's half-brother, as he has a different mother. His occupation is that of a Miner, and he is aged 24 years, eight years younger than Elizabeth who is now 32. When asked about children from her previous marriage, Elizabeth says that she has 3 living and 3 dead. Now there is no doubt at all, there were other children.

Elizabeth died on the 1st June, 1878, at Avenel. She had diarrhoea for six weeks, she had no medical attention for this so her death was not certified. There must not have been any suspicion of any wrong doings as there was no inquest or inquiry at all. Elizabeth was aged 53, and she was buried on June 3rd in the Avenel Cemetery. Her name appears with William on his headstone, but I'm not sure if she is actually buried there, the death register simply says Avenel cemetery. Rev. George Stewart, Episcopalian minister, conducted the service.

John, her husband, was the informant again and only the living children of the first marriage are listed. Henry 27, Eliza 25, George 23. The children listed for their marriage: Hannah, deceased; Frederick 16 9 mths; Harriet 14; and Arthur deceased.

John Collings Mutton was the eldest child of Robert Mutton's second marriage to Deborah Collings. I have exchanged information with Margaret McDonald from South Australia, a descendant of John's sister, Jane Ann. Eight years of illness with Chronic Rheumatism and Cardiac Disease led to Senile Decay and, finally, Cardiac Failure, John died on the 2nd February, 1909 at Healesville, aged given as 79 years. The informant was Frederick Mutton, his son who gave his address as Wunghnu. In giving the required information, it appears that Frederick couldn't recall the name of John's spouse - his mother! (Elizabeth nee Lock) and gave John's parents as Robert and Mary Mutton formerly Lock. It may have simply meant that he misunderstood the questions and got the mother's mixed up. John was buried in the Healesville Cemetery two days later. John's daughter, Harriet, lived in the Healesville area.

7 November 2006