In 1853 my husband’s great grandfather John Morley (1823-1888), with his wife Eliza née Sinden (1823-1908) and their two children, Elizabeth aged 3 and William aged 1, emigrated to Australia. They sailed on the ‘Ida‘, arriving in Melbourne on 12 July. John was an agricultural labourer; the family was from Sussex.
They first settled in Collingwood, an inner city suburb, where four more children were born. Three of their six children died there. In 1861, when their daughter Anne was born, the family moved to Brighton. The youngest child, John William George, was born there in 1864.
In 1862 the rate books for the City of Moorabbin show John Morley living in a weatherboard house owned by Edward Carroll on Tuckers Road. The annual value was 8 pounds, significantly lower than neighbouring properties; the rates were 8 shillings. (Using average weekly earnings to measure worth £8 would be the equivalent in 2022 of about $10,000.)
In 1884 John Morley, carpenter, was occupying 1 acre and a 4 room house on Centre Road. It was owned by Cain Thorne. It was valued at £12 10 shillings (about $11,000). Next door Elizabeth Morley, no occupation, was occupying 5 acres on Centre Road valued at £10 and owned by G. P. Burney.
The rate book of 1886 describes John’s property as 1 acre and 2 room weatherboard house and Eliza’s property as 2½ acres. Ownership had not changed. John’s property was valued at £15 and Eliza’s property at £19.
On 9 November 1888, after an illness of 3 months, John Morley died at 7 Evelyn Street East Brighton of malignant disease of the stomach.
Tucker Road, Centre Road, and Evelyn Street are near each other. Perhaps the three addresses refer to the same property.
It seems Eliza kept cows. These sometimes strayed, and in 1890 for this she was fined 7s 6d with 2s 6d costs in the Brighton Police Court.
In 1891 Eliza Morley was the owner and occupier of a house and land at East Brighton. Her address was Village Street, not on current maps. The value of the property was £18.
On 23 April 1908, Eliza, 85, died at 7 Evelyn Street Bentleigh after an illness of ten weeks. Her death was attributed to ‘asthenia’ (generalised weakness, probably the result of a cancer of the pharynx). There are no probate papers.
On 17 February 1887 Henry Sullivan married Anne Morley at the residence of the Reverend Samuel Bracewell, a minister of the Primitive Methodist Church, at Lygon Street, Carlton. At the time, both Henry and Anne were living at East Brighton (later known as Bentleigh). On the marriage certificate Henry gave his profession as gardener and his age as 24 (he was really 23). He did not know who his parents were.
Henry and Anne had five children, all born at 7 Evelyn Street:
- Mabel 1887-1960
- Rosina 1889-1969
- Arthur 1891-1975
- Henry 1894-1969
- Francis William 1899-1956
Henry and Anne Sullivan lived at 7 Evelyn Street Bentleigh all their married life. They called their house “Navillus”, “Sullivan” spelled backwards.
Henry grew fruit and vegetables for sale at Navillus. He appears to have had an interest in flowers, too, for it is said that he bred a variety of violet naming it Navillus.
Henry died in 1943. When Anne Sullivan died three years later, there was a public sale of some of the household contents.
The house was sold. In the 1990s it was bulldozed and the site redeveloped.
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Wikitree:
Mom and Ideas said:
It is so nice to know so much about great grandparents! I guess I will try to find morning e about mine. Loved reading this post, took me to another time. See you around the A-Z challenge!
Hope you stop by my blog https://momandideas.com/
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Nancy Hill said:
Isn’t it amazing what a few records can reveal for the careful researcher?
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kristin said:
Interesting that he developed a violet and they really liked that name they made up!
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Arlee Bird said:
What a great historical account. I admire anyone who is good a growing things. It’s a talent I’ve never developed.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
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Miss Andi said:
Great details, and thank you for converting the process to today’s value, it helped a lot 🙂
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Anne Young said:
My daughter always asks me the question as to how much it is worth today so I have got used to putting the information in for her
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gigglingfattie said:
Oh wow, that was such an in depth account! It was lovely to read! I wish I knew that much about my ancestors.
Giggling Faitte
http://www.noloveforfatties.com
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lindamaycurry said:
It seemed to be quite common to be married at the minister’s residence rather than at the church. I suppose it was quicker and easier. Quite a few of my ancestors did it that way.
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Anne Young said:
certainly quicker and easier
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Lyn Baker said:
Excellent information, thankyou
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JenniferAlison Jones said:
I wondered if the navillus Violet was still available. Googled it and it appears not. I love the the household items for sale Items in the paper. I find them interesting. They even sold their Lino
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Sue said:
G’day Anne,
Would never have thought of reversing your surname to name the house you live in! Then to also use it for new flower varieties – wonder if people ever wondered how it got that name?
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cassmob said:
I just love violets so I’d have loved to see and smell the Navillus violet. I was so sad to see that Henry didn’t know his parents…that must have been so difficult for him. As for losing three of your children, I can’t, and don’t want to, imagine it.
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SteampunkCowCorn (Absenta, la Fée Verte) 🍸🎩 said:
Im in awe of how much you have researched about your family, I hope to one day being able to do the same. 😀
Visiting from: https://steampunkcowunicorn.wordpress.com/2022/04/07/f-is-for-fleeting-happy-as-a-clam/
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