Tuesday, October 16, 2012

The push toward respectability


So ... some more relatives. Cousins, for sure. But which cousins? To work it out, one has to go back to the first ancestor in common. The woman buried here, Sarah Puckeridge Drennan, was a younger sister of my great-great-grandmother, Mary Ann Puckeridge Selby. So, counting back to Mary Ann is four generations. But we have to go back one more generation to Amelia Hughes Puckeridge. So five generations. This means, I think, that the descendents of Sarah Drennan are my fourth cousins, however much removed. Confusing, isn't it?


Keep in mind that Mary Ann and Sarah had grandparents who were convicts, and in those days that was a massive stain on the family reputation. Not like today, where it is regarded as a badge of honour!

Look at the plot here. It is massive. Well, very big, anyways. But it would need to be! It was purchased upon the death of William Drennan, Sarah's husband, in 1883 at the age of 46. It was, obviously, a mob that knew the value of money. Here is a list of who else is interred in this one plot out at Rookwood, in the Presbyterian Section 3A, in plot 1757
Edwin Bellis, 1896 aged 6 months, Sarah's grandson
Reginald Bellis, 1899 aged 7 months, Sarah's grandson
Arthur Tumeth, 1900 aged 11 months, Sarah's grandson
Sarah, 1928 aged 85
Sarah Atkins, 1939 aged 64 Sarah's 6th child
Thomas Drennan, 1942 aged 79, Sarah's oldest child
Thomas Drennan, 1943 abed 43, Sarah's grandson
Marion Drennan, 1950 aged 80, no idea where she fits in.
I feel really chuffed to have found just these three lines of the family, and to have given them a voice.


This is my contribution to the Taphophile Tragics Community

8 comments:

VioletSky said...

She does not look a happy woman. Must have been a very hard life for her.

SeaThreePeeO said...

When it gets to counsin being removed it always geat confusing. Fantastic post. Always great when you manage to stumble upon some new family membew.

6 and 7 months, poor babes. Jessica's only just 7 months old herself.

Beneath Thy Feet

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Good to find that out but any Idea as to where they came from in the UK

Julie said...

Bill - Joseph Puckeridge came from Brentford, Middlesex and was transported to New South Wales in 1801.

Thomas Hughes (the father of Amelia) came from Warwick in 1801 and Susannah Smith (the mother of Amelia) came from somewhere in Norfolk in 1814. She was convicted at Kings Lyn.

Dina said...

It is so wonderful that you can find and now know these family ties!

CaT said...

did you feel the urge to clean this out a little? :)

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Hi Sarah is my G.G.G grandmother. Marion is her daughter in-law she was married to Thomas, they are my G.G.Grandparents.. Thanks for the photo of the grave have been trying to get to Sydney to take photo's :)