Origin of Families Arrivals in Millers Point Sydney New South Wales

BYRNE GRANT LUCK SEITZ

There have been four families who have contributed to our heritage in Millers Point, the Luck, Grant, Byrne and Seitz/Sykes families. This summary only looks at their departure from their home country to their first occupation in Millers Point.

BYRNE

THOMAS BYRNE

1856 - On Thursday 27 November 1856 the family consisting of Thomas and his wife Catherine, their children John and Mary Ann and Thomas’ mother in law Catherine Killooley (nee Rose) set sail from Southhampton England on the ship the "MARY ANN" as assisted immigrants to Australia.

1857 - The family arrived in Sydney NSW on Thursday 19 March 1857, but the Ship was immediately placed into quarantine due to an outbreak of measles and was not released until Friday the 27 March 1857, eight days after their arrival.

1859 - Resided in Macquarie Place Sydney NSW

1861 - Resided in George Street Sydney NSW

1866 - Resided in Hutchinson Street Sydney NSW

1870 - Resided in Abercombie Lane Sydney NSW

Sometime between 1870 and 1887 - Resided in 4 Unwin Street Millers Point Sydney NSW

GRANT

ELIZA ANN GRANT

Born 12 April 1838 to James Grant and Sarah Young (nee King) in Ilsesworth Middlesex England. After the death of Eliza's father Eliza sailed to Sydney with her mother and sister Elizabeth (b.1841) on the ship "Vocalist" arriving in Sydney on the 28 August 1857.

Eliza's calling on the Assisted Immigrants List for 1857 was noted as being a nursemaid. Considering Joseph Luck's position with his two children after his first wife's death and Eliza's calling, the possibility is that their marriage may have come about thru Eliza being employed by Joseph to care for his children.

At the time of her marriage on the 28 May 1859 to Joseph Luck she was living in Gloucester Street Sydney. Eliza Ann's occupation of Millers Point appears to have taken place after her marriage to Joseph.

LUCK

JOSEPH LUCK

Born circa 1824/27 in Stepney London England, the fifth child of Isaac Luck and Rebecca Scott. He married Elizabeth Hawkins in 1853 and they sailed aboard the ship “Calphunia” from Plymouth England arriving in Melbourne in 1853 with their two children Louisa (b.1848) and Elizabeth (b.1852), the family then continued onto Sydney New South Wales, Joseph noted on the immigration documents his occupation as a sail maker. The eldest child Louisa was born in London prior to the marriage of Joseph and Elizabeth and may not have been Joseph’s daughter (Elizabeth’s occupation was as a prostitute at the time of Louisa’s birth in 1848) It must be remembered that Elizabeth's occupation was an accepted part of society at that time. In 1854 daughter Elizabeth passed away, the cause of death was from “Convulsions” and she was buried in Saint Stephens Cemetery at Camperdown Sydney, at the time of Elizabeth’s death the family were living in Frazer’s Lane Sydney. 1855 saw the birth of Emma, at this time the family were living in Essex Street Sydney.

In 1858 Joseph’s wife Elizabeth passed away from “Decline”, Elizabeth was also buried at Saint Stephens Cemetery at Camperdown, at the time of Elizabeth’s death the family were living in Princes Street Sydney (Princes Street was demolished to make way for the Sydney Harbour Bridge southern approach).

On the 28 May 1859 Joseph aged 32 married Eliza Ann Grant aged 21, the ceremony took place at the Holy Trinity Church also known as the Garrison Church in Millers Point Sydney. Joseph had noted on his marriage certificate his occupation as being a carpenter and was residing in Argyle Place Millers Point. It is to be assumed that sometime between Joseph’s first wife’s death and his marriage to his second wife Eliza Ann that he had moved into Millers Point so creating our first contact and heritage with Millers Point and “The Rocks”.

In the ensuing years Joseph and Eliza had ten children, Rebecca Sarah 1860, Joseph Henry 1861, James William 1863, Eliza Ann 1865, William Richard 1866, Bertha Jane 1868, Arthur John 1870, Alice Maud 1872, Ida Bell 1877 and Robert Ernest 1881.

After marrying Eliza in 1859 the family occupied a number of residences in the confines of Millers Point, these included both 17 and 18 Argyle Place, 38 Crown Road and at the time of Josephs death in 1886 the family resided at 38 Merriman Street.

From 1853 when Joseph arrived up until his death in 1886 his occupations changed, intermingled and centred around the waterfront of Sydney Harbour, from his arrival as a sail maker in 1853 to carpenter (1859-1870), waterman 1861, stevedore 1877 and finally as a diver (1862-1886). A family story as related by Brian Sykes a descendant of Josephs, has it that Joseph was employed as a diver in the construction of the sandstone retaining wall that can still be seen at Circular Quay and under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

SEITZ

JOHANN JOCHIM SEITZ

1876 - On the 27 September 1876 at the age of 17 Johann emmigrated from Hamburg Germany to Australia aboard the "Herschel".

Many factors may have contributed to Johann making the journey to Australia, it is unknown if Johann had any siblings but his mother passed away at an early age of 40 in 1874 and he may have found himself alone, put with this the fact that the political scene was very unstable with compulsory conscription and on going factional wars and religious bigotry. What may have been an attractive alternative was the fact that german immigration to Australia was the third highest in the 19th century. With this in mind and favorable reports by those who had already arrived in Australia, and the enticement of subsidised or free passage migration strategies in place, he may have found it to his advantage to find a new life in a young country.

1877 - On Friday the 12 January 1877 the "Herschel" birthed in Adelaide South Australia.
[Note: Johann J Seitz name does not appear on the Passenger list 1877 of arrivals in Adelaide South Australia but is on the passenger list of those who left Hamburg 1876. The error lays in the transcription of entries from one list to the other as both lists are identicial except for three entries, this includes Johann's name and the two persons either side of his name that have been omitted.] [Note: Part of a Report in "The South Australian Advertiser " on Saturday January 13 1877 stated the ships details as follows - "743 tons. Under the Master J. Kammann, the Agents were Elder, Smith and Company. Passengers were Mr. Theodore Gluntz and Dr. Harch in the cabin and 302 persons in steerage. Her cargo on this particular trip varied from 80 cases of bitters, 300 tons of coal, 250 dozen bottles of beer, 2 casks of sardines to 12 bales of paper plus more". This was the fifth of seven voyages made by the "Herschel" to Australasia. She was a Iron ship, 50.3 mts x 9.1 mts 5.79mts of the Rob. M. Sloman & Co. Line, and was the second ship to carry that name. Orginally a British ship the "Edith Byrne" built in 1865. ]

1877 - John stayed in Adelaide for two years before moving to Sydney NSW.
[Note: Source is from the Statutory Declaration made by John when applying for Naturalisation.]

1883 - I have found a document on the web which states that Johann Jochim Seitz (aka Scharmer) born 1859 was accused in 1883 in Schleswig-Holstein of illegal emigration or not showing for military service. This record had his employment as Seaman. The accusation made in 1883 means that was when the accusation was made not when he emigrated, Which leads me to think that if the accusation was made in 1883 it could be that he could not be found for military service. Johann Seitz emigrated in Sep 1876.

1883 - Resided at Concord Sydney NSW

1883 - Johann married Lucy Amelia Abbott on the 3 Mar 1883
[Note: There is only very basic information on the Marriage Certificate. Possibly a forced or rushed marriage as their first child Ada Seitz was born in Jul 1883.

1891 - At the time of the 1891 Census there were five related families residing in Concord Rd Concord. The 1891 Census District 96/A household #108 noted John Seitz as being the head of the family with 3 males and 4 females, Household #107 was William Abbott and his family of 1 male and 3 females, and in Household # 109 was Richard Morgan and his family - 3 males and 6 females. Joseph Morgan and his family - 6 males and 6 females, Frederick Morgan's family - 4 males and 2 females also appear in the Census.

1901 - Resided in 14 Wentworth Street Sydney NSW

1904 - Resided in 34 Bettington St Millers Point Sydney NSW