The Family Tree of Captain James Cook (1728-1779)

Created and updated by Rod Fleck



Notes for Caroline SUNDERLAND


Extracted from the Relevant Baptismal Register the Church of Ireland in my custody by George Kingston, Clerk in Holy Orders that this is a true extract.
Residence of her married daughter Emily Williams - Duration of illness - 7 yrs 3 wks, registered by her Son, Robert Fleck, 'Elqin' Hall Street, Bondi.
by Minister of Religion - R. McKeown Entry No. 52635
Section 20-Plot 6006. Tombstone Inscription reads:
"IN MEMORY OR OUR DEAR MOTHER, CAROLINE FLECK
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE, 12TH JANUARY 1912.
AGED 75 YEARS AT REST."
Left Liverpool, 21st March, 1855 together with 436 Government Immigrants aboard the 'Golden Era'- Capt. Brown, Agent.
Father William (Farmer) living, Mother Jane (Deceased)
Caroline was born on Thursday the 10th day of October, 1836, in the Parish of Monasteraven, within the County of Kildare, Ireland, to Jane and William Sunderland (nee Mooney).
She is registered as being baptised by the Church of Ireland on Sunday the 27th Day of November, 1836, at St. John's Church within the Parish of Monasteraven.

(Monasteraven is both a Market, Parish and Post Town, in the Barony of West Ophaley, County Kildare, within the Province of Leinester; and is situated on the Mail Coach Road to Limerick, 30 Miles S.W. from Dublin Its name is derived from a Monastery, that was proclaimed a Sanctuary by St. Abban.)

Within this parish lies the township of Barraderra, covering an area of 190 Acres, 2 Roods and 19 Perches.
The Census of 1851, Part 1, Vol. 1, Page 73 shows that William Sunderland, the father of Caroline, leased a Tenement House, Office and Land at Barraderra, comprising of 6 acres, 3 roods and 12 perches, from the Marquis of Drogheda for 4 Pounds per Year - Ordinance S.21.

Life in those days was extremely difficult following the Potato Famines of the 1840's and the Typhus Plagues that followed them, thousands died of Malnutrition, people emigrated to both America and Australia in a state of panic.
Caroline is shown within the Immigrant Records as having sailed out of the Port of Liverpool, England on the 21st of March, 1855 aboard a sailing vessel called the 'GOLDEN ERA' together with another 436 Government Emigrants; they consisted mainly of unmarried females from Scotland and Ireland, where either one or both of their parents were dead - arriving in Sydney Harbour on the 16th of June, 1855, after a journey of 88 Days.
Caroline is listed in the Shipping Records as a Kitchenmaid, aged 20 that could both Read and Write; Religion - Church of England; father, William, living at Monasteraven and mother, Jane dead; her state of bodily health, strength and probable usefulness - Good; Relations in the Colony - Nil; her cost of transport was one Pound.

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD - June 16. 1855 - Shipping Section

"The Golden Era from Liverpool arrived off the Heads last night, after an excellent passage of 86 days, but by an extraordinary incident no papers were obtained although several files were on board at the time of leaving, all had been destroyed and unfortunately she brings no mail.
It certainly is to be regretted that such great neglect has been exhibited, more particularly at such a important time, an the fact that a vessel coming a distance of 16,000 miles, and unable to furnish a scrap of intelligence shows a considerable want of forethought on the part of the Captain.
There have been two births and five deaths (infants) on board during the passage, which had been fine throughout.
She reports no vessels spoken connected with the Colonies."

Caroline was billeted on arrival, Hyde Park Barracks together with another 118 unattached females and orphaned children pending employment.

The problems in Ireland could have been nothing compared with the Sleeping and Living Quarters they had below deck.
This area, "The Steerage" as it was called, is a space between the Top and Middle Deck situated in the middle of the ship, access being gained by means of a stepladder through a hatchway in the deck - this was closed each night and during rough weather.
Tables with fixed seats on each side of them ran the length of the ship with apartments for married couples and a children's Dormitory on either side, in the middle, Single Women forward and Single Men aft.
Many of the Ships which plied the route were totally unsuitable for the long voyage which took them deep into the high latitude of the Southern Ocean and the Roaring Forties; encountering winds that would force them on their sides and through mountainous seas for days on end secured below 'for their own protection'.
Steerage passengers struggled to walk, serve meals and attend to their toilet on heaving and crazily slanting decks.
The sufferings at such times was almost indescribable and many cabin passengers from the relative safety of their airy compartments complained 'of the stench issuing from the Between Deck' when the hatches were finally opened.

Caroline lived at Balmain for 2 years 5 months after arriving in her new country before marrying Cropton Fleck, a Mariner of Pitt Street, Sydney, at St. James' Church by George Gurney a Church of England Minister, on Tuesday the 24th of November, 1857.
Their marriage lasted 37 years 9 months and 11 days, concluding with the death of Cropton on Thursday the 5th of September, 1895, a total of eight children; two died in Infancy, all but one of the remaining six married and produced Issue.
Her life finally ended on Friday the 12th day of January, 1912, after an illness in excess of 7 years; she was buried at Waverley Cemetery - Section 20, Lot 6006 - on the Monday the 15th of January, after a Service conducted by R. McKeown a Church of England Minister.
* * * *

A short epitaph on her Tombstone reads:-


In Memory of our Dear Mother

CAROLINE FLECK

who Departed this Life, 12th January 1912,

Aged 75 Years.

"AT REST"

FUNERAL NOTICE - Sydney Morning Herald, Monday January 15, 1912.

FLECK - The Friends of the Late Mrs Caroline Fleck (Relict of the Late Captain Cropton Fleck) are respectively invited to attend her late Residence 52 Regent Street, Paddington this (Monday) morning at 8.45 a.m. for Church of England Cemetery, Waverley.
James Fleck & Family of 84 Dowling Street, Redfern.
Mr & Mrs Robert Fleck of 'ELGIN' Hall Street, Bondi.
Mr & Mrs Oswald Fleck of 357 Oxford Street, Paddington. Mr. & Mrs Sidney Fleck of 59 Marrickville Road, Marrickville.

Nominal List of Deaths on board Golden Era

Julia Tickerman - 6 Weeks - Convulsions
Jane Thomas - 18 months - Disease following Scarlatina
Matthew Doyle - 3 years - Disease following Scarlatina
Mary M. Neile - 14 mths - Scarlatina
Jane Galloway - 5 years - Scarlatina

HYDE PARK BARRACKS

LEVEL 2 - Stories
Female immigration depot 1848–1886
To remedy a domestic labour shortage and gender imbalance, many single or orphaned young women were encouraged to emigrate from Britain, initially from famine-racked Ireland, and offered the opportunity of employment in the growing colony.
In 1848 the Barracks was adapted to accommodate them. The arrival of 200 orphan girls on the Earl Grey launched the building's new role as a reception and labour exchange for 'unprotected female' assisted immigrants. It fulfilled this role from 1848 to 1886.
The women were supervised by a matron and resided in the Barracks for a short period until 'Hiring Day' when colonists engaged them as domestic servants. The thousands of women who passed through the depot were subject to a strict regimen of domestic duties, moral management and religious instruction. The women were confined for their own protection and ministered to by clergy.
In the early 1850s the Immigration Depot also housed the wives and children of convicts brought to the colony at government expense to be reunited with their husbands and fathers.




HOME | EMAIL | SURNAMES |

  Hosted by the Captain Cook Society 

Page built by Gedpage Version 2.21 ©2009 on 18 August 2017