Joseph Blackburn Cawtheray aka Joseph Cawtheray Prince was born on the 8th March 1840, at Wortley, Parish of Leeds - the first child of Thomas Cawtheray and Mary Child.  At some stage after 1861, Joseph changed his surname to Prince.  Family papers say that this birthday was celebrated on 7th March.   He has shaved some years off his age, probably because he was so much older than Eliza Jane.

(1) For information about Joseph's parents, and his first marriage to Elizabeth Cluderay, please go to the Cawtheray page.

The little book "Memories of Avenel" written by Amelia Jane Burgoyne (daughter of Joseph & Eliza Jane) says that Joseph settled in Avenel in 1867. He was a painter and interior decorator.  

(2) Eliza Jane Mutton was born on the 18th April, 1853 at Avenel; the fifth child of six to William Henry Mutton and Elizabeth Lock. Eliza was the first white child born in Avenel - this claim is on her headstone.

Joseph and Eliza Jane married on the 13th January, 1870, at the Wesleyan Church, Seymour. Eliza Jane was only seventeen and had the written consent of her mother, Elizabeth. Joseph was 25 years old.  According to Amelia's book, the bride wore a lavender grenadine dress, with blue velvet bands on the bodice and skirt. Accessories were a blue bonnet with lavender feathers, and lavender coloured boots and mittens. Her mother gave Joseph and Eliza a farm on Hughes creek as a wedding present.

However, they did not live on the farm, choosing to live in Avenel with the widowed Elizabeth.  Well, this is what Amelia's book says - but Elizabeth had remarried barely a year after her first husband's death and by 1870 had three children under the age of ten!  This second family does not get a mention at all in the book. 

Joseph and Eliza had fourteen children:

1. Helena (1870-1937) married Robert McMillan Randall
2. Mary Elizabeth (Polly) - born 22nd August 1872, but not registered until 1873; married George Stork; died 22nd November, 1964, aged 92. 
3. Alice Maude - born 30th September 1874; married Thomas Francis Hope; died Oct 1946, aged 73.
4. Eliza Cawtheray - born 12th June1877; married Francis Sheed; died 1964, aged 87.
5. Rose (1879-1964) married Samuel John James Lake 
6. Amelia Jane (1881-1964) married Frederick William Burgoyne
7. Florence Avenel Cawtheray (1883-1958) married Henry Pattison
8. Joseph Henry (1885-1970) married Minnie Irene Garth
9. Alfred George (1887-1943) married Elsie Alma Robinson 
10. Frederick William (1889-1971) married Matilda Mooney
11. Edith Hester Laura (1891-1980) married Alfred Daldy 
12. Charles Albert (1893-1970)
13. Sylvia Victoria May (1896-1977); married Harold Theodore Raverty
14. Leila Irene (1898-1984) married John Clyde Farrell

Joseph died 24th July 1903, aged 58, and was buried on the 26th in the Avenel Cemetery. Joseph suffered from chronic rheumatism, and during the last 5 months, asthenia (an older term meaning loss of strength).   On the death certificate his occupation is given as a painter; his parents are recorded as Thomas Prince, a fitter and turner, and Mary Prince maiden name Child.  Joseph's children are all listed along with their ages in years, months and days.

Thirty-four years later, on 28th August 1937, Eliza Jane died, aged 85; and was buried with Joseph in Avenel two days later.  The funeral service was conducted by Rev. Green the Church of England minister.  Her death was caused by toxaemia, due to cervical cancer.  During this trying time she lived with her youngest daughter in Brunswick, Melbourne.  She died at home.

According to her Will, on her death, her property was to be sold and the proceeds equally divided among her living children.  Eliza Jane bequeathed her sewing machine to Amelia Jane, and her enlarged photo and cane chair to Sylvia.   Daughter Helena had died only three months beforehand.

Eliza Jane is the Nanna Prince of our family stories. One story handed down was that Nanna Prince nursed Ned Kelly - this has changed slightly from the facts - Nanna Prince probably nursed Ned Kelly's young brother. Eliza was only a few years older than Ned.  As mentioned, Ned's father, Red, rented a diary farm from Eliza's mother when the family lived in Avenel.  They left after Red Kelly died. Amelia's book says her mother often said she went to school with Ned Kelly.

Updated: 29th March 2007