Amelia Woodward
| Town/City | Chisholm, ACT |
|---|---|
| First name | Amelia |
| Last name | Woodward |
| Country of Origin | Guernsey, Channel Islands |
| Date of Birth | 6th October 1837 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1882 |
| Submitted by | Frank Duggan |
Story
Birth
Amelia Hartwell was born October 1837 in Rozel Cottage on Fountain Street, just uphill from St Peter Port\’s CBD on Guernsey, Channel Islands. Amelia\’s father, James, was one of four siblings who settled here for business purposes, core of which was arts and music. She was named for her mother, the widow Pirie, whose first marriage had been productive with a Scots migrant who died aged only 35. With the widow\’s mid-1835 second marriage to James Hartwell she brought three young Pirie lads to live in Rozel Cottage. They duly became half-brothers of mother\’s second family,Richard, Amelia and John Hartwell.
Hartwells had vice-regal origins in Chelsea, Middlesex, royal borough of greater London, though Baronet Hartwell\’s seat (and Buck\’s Head family crest) was at Bridgewater, Somerset, during the period when James\’s family was born. Hartwell branches began to migrate, some to America.
In April 1870 Amelia, only daughter of the melded family, married Charles John Woodward (see his story also) in St Peter Port Town Church, Guernsey. This made a double bond between Hartwell and Woodward families because John Hartwell had earlier wed Charles Woodward\’s sister Mary. Amelia had a happy marriage, six children being born during nine years to March 1979,Mabel, Eva, Charles, Ina, Norah and Adella. Come May 1882 the whole family would be settled in Colony of Victoria.
Country of Origin
Guernsey recreation included yachting, and Amelia\’s older brother Richard found time to show design talents. In 1870s his centreboard won a prize from Royal Yacht Club, Cowes. He ended up running the business after father died. Younger brother John, self-styled Professor of Music, was active teaching piano and performing in local concerts. He later migrated with family (and mother-in-law, Charlotte Woodward) to Auckland, New Zealand, whereas Amelia and Charles Woodward chose Western District, Victoria.
As mementoes of their former lifestyles both branches brought to the antipodes pieces of the treasured solid-silver cutlery bearing Baronet Hartwell\’s Buck\’s Head crest. Amelia also treasured a far-reaching Hartwell pedigree ‘that began with the Duke of Normandy’ which was handed around Victorian family mid-20th century,many descendants remembered it.
The Journey
Like breadwinner Charles, the seven-strong Woodward family sailed to Plymouth to catch their Melbourne-bound liner. They boarded it on Saturday, 25th March 1882. Shipping files show it was the Company flagship, RMS ORIENT. The passenger list gives their names and ages.
The liner carried 339 statute adults and eleven infants, the bulk (198) in steerage. It had been to Great South Land seven times before, sailing out via Cape of Good Hope and home via Suez. This time, reasons unknown, it went out the ‘home\’ route, entering the Mediterranean on Monday, 27th March. Naples provided the family\’s first chance to go ashore, which they did for a few hours. They sailed again on Saturday, 1st April. Next day was Amelia\’s 12th wedding anniversary,supposedly ‘silk and fine linen\’ as with her smart Indian pyjamas. On Wednesday, 5th April, ORIENT berthed at Port Said. It traversed the canal, clearing Suez at 7 p.m. on Saturday 8th April and then Aden on Thursday, 13th April.
Once in Australian waters, scheduled calls would be at Albany (mail stop) and Adelaide. No further intelligence is available until the liner\’s arrival at Melbourne\’s Station Pier three weeks later. While it would be wrong to paint this 41-day voyage of a mother and six small children as an immigration epic, it had its moments. The dining room would be visited well over 100 times for meals, not counting morning and afternoon teas. Friends gave Amelia a pretty crystal cruet with silver hinged cap, full of smelling salts,used to restore consciousness when a person faints. This was a practical gift. Would the donors imagine Amelia treating other fainting victims, or being victim herself? And during their long journey, who knows whose nose had most benefit.
Impressions on Arrival
Oral history knew nothing about Amelia\’s first impressions. Within an all-too-short two years, however, her husband\’s big-time farming ventures led to financial disaster and uprooting. He had splurged on a borrowed £4 000,a true fortune,and lost the lot. Creditors seized and sold his plant, stock and business assets.
Further reading
Charles and Amelia\’s full story can be found in a 2008 book (ISBN 9780646493619).