Sarah Ann Punch (b 1829)
parents Thomas Punch & Ann Brown


born 4 February 1829, Poplar, London, England
baptised 8 March 1829, All Saints C of E, Poplar, London England
died 15 March 1870, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
buried 17 March 1870, Kangaroo Flat, Victoria, Australia


Sarah Ann Punch was born on 4 February 1829 in Poplar, London and was baptised on 8 March 1829 at All Saints Church of England, Poplar, East India Dock Road, Limehouse[1].  


From the All Saints C of E Parish Register[1]

Sarah Ann probably grew up in the Limehouse area.  In 1851, Sarah Ann is recorded living with her parents at 1 Ratcliff Square, Parish of St Anne's, Limehouse[2].

She married John Barnes on 7 November 1852 at St Thomas' Church of England, Stepney, London.  Niether the bride nor the bridegroom could write their name[1].

From the St Thomas, Stepney C of E Parish Register[1]


John Barnes

John Barnes was baptised on 7 September 1823 at Syston, Lincolnshire, England. His parents were John Barnes and Sarah[11].  Syston is nearby Grantham.  On the 1851 Census, John stated his birth place as Syston (near Grantham), Lincolnshire and was noted as a Lodger at Sarah's parents home.  John stated he was 28 years old (born ca 1823) and worked as a Coal Carter[2].


from 1851 UK Census

In 1853 through 1855, the family lived at 7 Smith's Place, Tower Hamlets, London and John worked as a Labourer.  In April 1857 they lived in Batson Street, London[1].  When Sarah Ann and John arrived in Sydney in 1857, he stated he was 35 years old (born ca 1821 sic) originally from Grantham, Lincolnshire and his occupation was Farm Labourer[6].

FamilySearch has a baptism entry for John Barnes, parents John Barnes and Sarah for 7 Sep 1823 in Syston, Lincolnshire[11].


Emmigration to Australia

Sarah Ann together with John and three small children - Sarah Louisa, Eliza Jane and Anne Maria arrived in Sydney, Australia on 4 October 1857 on board the clipper ship "Light of the Age" which sailed from London Docklands[6].  They travelled from England with her older brother Thomas James Punch and his family and younder sister Louisa Charlotte and her husband Charles Young.  The three families made their way south to Bendigo where their brother, John Joseph was already established.


from the Light of the Age NSW Immigration inspection


The Empire (Sydney), 5 October 1857

The "Light of the Age" was a clipper ship of 1297 tons.  Its Master was S McBeath.  It left London on 29 June.

The ship had a poor record with its trip the previous year marred by a collision with the clipper "Dallam Tower" in the Great Australian Bight and was subsequently wrecked in 1868 at Point Lonsdale, Victoria on a voyage from Liverpool to Melbourne.

On the NSW Inspection, Sarah stated that she had two brothers in the Colony -  John Joseph and Charles Alexander and they were at the Jones Creek Diggings, Victoria.  With her three siblings and their children, John and Sarah made their way to the Victorian Gold Rush in early 1858.

In 1874 when their daughter, Eliza Jane married Richard Boyd, John's occupation is stated to be a Miner[15].


Passing On

Sarah Ann and John Barnes probably lived in the Bendigo area their whole lives.

Sarah died on 15 March 1870[3,13].  She was buried on 17 March 1870 at the Kangaroo Flat Cemetery near Bendigo, Internment No 04/063[4].  She died from Breast Cancer which was diagnosed some 15 months earlier.  She and John were living at Paton Street, Bendigo at the time of her death[13].


from Sarah Ann Punch's death certificate


John died in 1881 in Bendigo also.  He was buried at the White Hills Cemetery in grave 9816 on 25 May 1881[4].




Sarah Ann & John's Children:-

1.  Sarah Louisa Barnes was born in the London area of England on 3 October 1853 and was baptised at St Georges C of E on 30 October 1853[1].  She came to Australia with her parents in 1857[6].


from the St Georges parish records

Sarah Louisa married William Simms in 1884 and they lived in Kerang in northern Victoria. Sarah died in 1913 and William in 1928.  Sarah and William lie in the same grave at the Kerang Cemetery in Section C/E 11, Row 4, Grave 49.  Louisa was buried on 2 January 1913 and William on 11 September 1928[8].

Sarah and William had 7 children[5]:-

1.1  George Albert Simms was born in 1885 in Kerang and died in 1961 in Kerang.  He married Isabella McCann in 1919.  Isabella died in 1971 in Kerang.  George and Isabella lie in the same grave at the Kerang Cemetery in Section BAPT 6, Row 1, Grave XB 51.  George Albert was buried on 1 July 1961 and Isabella on 7 June 1971[8].

Also buried in the same grave is Sheldon Simms, born ca 1924 who died and was buried on 23 February 1926 aged 12 years.  Presumed to be a son.

1.2  Percival Stanley Simms was born in 1886 and died in 1891 in Kerang.  He was in the same grave as his parents[8].

1.3  Edward William Simms was born in 1888 in Kerang.  He died and was buried on 10 July 1971 at the Kerang Cemetery, Section C/E 13, Row 5, Grave CE 132[8].

1.4  Frank Nichol Simms was born on 6 March 1889 in Kerang and died on 23 June 1956 in Bendigo[17].  He was buried on 25 June at the Bendigo Cemetery in Section MON H2, Grave 37755[4].

Frank married Hilda Dolphin Horsfall on 27 April 1927 at St John's Church of England, Kerang[17].  Hilda was born on 29 March 1898 at Lake Charm, Victoria[5,17].  Her parents were Alfred Ernest Horsfall and Maggie Ellis[5].  Hilda died on 22 April 1983 in Kerang[17].  She was buried with Frank in Bendigo[4].

1.5  Walter Harold Simms was born in 1891 in Kerang and died in 1975 in Kerang.  He married Margaret May McMeeken in 1927.  Margaret died in March 1989 and was buried on 15 March 1989 at the Kerang Cemetery, Section C/E 13, Row 5, Grave CE 163. Walter died in April 1975 and was buried in the same grave on 18 April 1975[8].

1.6  Sydney Murray Simms was born in 1893 in Kerang and died in 1954 in Kerang.  He married Gwendoline Frances McCoy in 1930.  Sydney died in May 1954 and was buried at the Kerang Cemetery, Section C/E 10, Row 10, Grave A 80[8].  Gwendoline died in 1933 in Seddon, Victoria.  

Sydney and Gwedoline had a daughter, Valmai Dawn who died as an infant and was buried in the same grave as her father on 15 September 1930[8].

1.7  Louisa May Simms was born in 1898 in Kerang.  She married Joseph William Connelly in 1922.  William died in Parkville, Victoria in 1945 aged 50 years.


2.  Eliza Jane Barnes was born in London and baptised on 5 August 1855[1].  She came to Australia with her parents in 1857[6].


from the St Georges parish records

Eliza Jane married Richard Boyd on 1 August 1874 at the Manse of St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Bendigo[15].  Later, they lived in Kerang, Victoria through to the 1890s[7].  Richard was born ca 1849 in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland and his parents were John Boyd and Mary Haulon[15].  He worked as a Labourer when they were married.

Eliza Jane died in Kerang and was buried on 10 June 1927.  Richard was 10 years older and died very shortly after on 16 June 1927and was buried on 18 June.  His cause of death was stated as Seniledebility and heart failure[16].

Eliza and Richard lie together lie in the same grave at the Kerang Cemetery in Section C/E 10, Row 5, Grave A 55[8].

Eliza and Richard appear to have had 10 children[5]:-

2.1  Catherine Boyd was born in 1875 in Kangaroo Flat, near Bendigo and died in 1940 in Cohuna, Victoria.  She married William White in 1912.  They had, at least, two children - Eliza Jane Boyd born 1913 and Claude William born 1914 both born in Kerang.

2.2  Andrew Boyd was born in 1877 and died aged only 2 weeks.

2.3  Mary Ann Boyd was born in 1878 in Bendigo.  She married James Newstead in 1901.  She died on Kerang on 26 Mar 1905.  James was born on 13 March 1871 in Bendigo.  He died on 16 february 1926 in Kerang[5,9].

Mary Ann and James had three children[5,9]:-

2.4  George Ernest Boyd was born in 1880 in Kerang.  George married Charlotte Carbuhn in 1931.  Charlotte died rather young in 1949 and was buried at the Kerang Cemetery in Section C/E 10, Row 4, Grave A 197.  George died later in 1968 and was buried in the same grave on 17 January 1968[8].

George and Charlotte appear to have had 7 children[5,9]:-
2.5  Richard William Boyd was born in 1882 in Kerang.  He married Helen (Nell) Fletcher.  They may have had 4 children.

2.6  William Stanley Boyd was born in 1885 in Kerang and died in 1944 in Kerang.  He married Elsie May Vallance in 1914[5].  William died in Kerang and was buried on 21 September 1944 at the Kerang Cemetery in Section C/E 10, Row 5, Grave A15[8].  Buried in the same grave is Elsie May Boyd, buried 22 December 1956, aged 82 years. 

William and Elsie appear to have had, at least, 3 children:-

2.7  Sarah Ann Boyd was born in 1887 in Kerang and died in 1963 in Pasco Vale, Victoria.  She married John Gillies in 1922.

2.8  Edward Randolph Boyd was born in 1889 in Kerang and died in 1967 in Kerang.  He married Ellen Richardson in 1924.  Edward died in 1967 in Kerang and was buried at the Kerang Cemetery on 2 March 1967 in Section C/E13, Row 3, Grave 76.  Ellen died in 1987 and was buried in the same grave on 16 February 1987[8].

2.9  Daisy May Boyd was born in 1880 in Kerang.  She died on 17 April 1960 in Cohuna, Victoria. She married William Kershaw Robertson in 1915. 

2.10  Herbert Albert Boyd was born in 1892 in Kerang and died in 1959 in Cohuna.


3.  Anne Maria Barnes was born in London England on 29 April 1857 and was baptised on 21 June at St Anne's Church of England, Limehouse[1].  She came to Australia with her parents in 1857[6].  (Possible marriage to John Cook in Bendigo in 1901[5]).


from the St Anne's, Limehouse parish records


4.  John Thomas Barnes was born in 1859 in Bendigo but died shortly after in 1860[5].


5.  George Barnes was born in 1861 in Bendigo and died in 1922 in Swan Hill, Victoria[5].  In 1888, George married Mary Jane Cook(e).  Mary Jane's parents were George H Cook(e) and Mary Jane Bunton.  Mary Jane died in 1898 in Swan Hill, Victoria[5].  She was only aged in her 30s - so why did she die so young? 

George was buried at the Swan Hill Memorial Park on 23 April 1922[14].  Mary Jane was buried at the Swan Hill Memorial Park on 3 June 1898 in the Methodist Section[14].

When George died on 23 April 1922, he was farming land at Pental Island, near Swan Hill, Victoria.  In his Last Will, he divided his estate between his children and made a special provision of 5 shillings per week to be paid to his mother-in-law, Mary Jane Cook to be paid for the rest of her life.  George's estate was considerable and inlcuded a suburban house lot in Swan Hill, a half-share in farming land at Pental Island (the other half owned by his son, George Henry) as well as farm implements, buggies and wagons and some farm produce inventory.  All together a tidy sum of more than £2,300[10].

George and Mary Jane appear to have had 5 children[5]:-

5.1  George Henry Barnes was born in 1889 in Swan Hill and died there in 1963.  George Henry worked as a Farm Labourer at the Pental Island property in the 1920s[10].  The records of the Swan Hill Memorial Park state he died on 30 April 1964 and was buried on 2 May 1964[14].

5.2  James Barnes was born in 1891 in Swan Hill but lived for only 1 day.  He was buried at the Swan Hill Memorial Park[14].

5.3  John Robert Barnes was born in 1892 in Swan Hill.  He died in 1955.

5.4  Ruby Frances Barnes was born in 1894 in Swan Hill and died in 1965 in Swan Hill.  Ruby married Laurence Phillips in 1914[5].

5.5  Thomas Henry Barnes was born in 1897 in Swan Hill.  Thomas was a Blacksmith[10].  He died in 1968 in Heidelberg, Victoria.


6.  Thomas John Barnes was born in 1864 in Bendigo[5].


7.  Andrew Benjamin Barnes was born in 1867 in Bendigo and died in 1946 in Kerang[5].  He married Catherine Dickinson in 1893.  Catherine was born in 1868 in Kingston, Victoria and died in 1967 in Bendigo[5].  Andrew worked as Plumber all his life and they lived in (30) Wellington Street, Kerang[7].  Andrew and Catherine were buried at the Kerang Cemetery in Section METH 8, Row 3, Grave XO 135.  Andrew was buried on 1 September 1946 and Catherine on 7 April 1967[8].

Andrew and Catherine had 4 children[5,7]:-

7.1  Richard Dickinson Barnes was born on 25 November 1883 in Kerang and died on 1 January1964 in Kerang[12].  He married Grace Louisa Eleanor Kerr in 1920.  Grace died in 1972 in Kerang.  Richard worked as a Plumber and later as a Mechanic.  After they married, they lived in Victoria Street, Kerang and later at 58 Fitzroy Street from about 1949.  Richard was buried at the Kerang Cemetery on 1 January 1964 in Section C/E 10, Row 9, Grave A 264.  Grace was buried on 8 August 1973 in the same grave[8].  They had 4 children[12].

7.2  Percy Andrew Barnes was born in 1895 in Kerang and died in 1956 in Kerang.  He married Patience Mary Slee in 1928.  Patience was born in 1894 in Newstead, Victoria and died in 1976 in Kerang.  Percy worked as a Carpenter.  Initially, they lived with Percy's parents in Wellington Street, but by 1931 they had their own home in Victoria Street.  In the 1950s they lived at 17 Cullen Street.  Percy was buried at the Kerang Cemetery on 22 January 1956 in Section C/E 12, Row 1, Grave XD 151.  Patience was buried on 20 January 1976 in the same grave[8].

7.3  Charles William Barnes was born in 1898 in Kerang.  He lived with his parents for many years and was still there in 1954 at 30 Wellington Street.  It is likely he never married.  Charles worked as a Clerk but in what industry?  Charles died in Kerang in 1958 and was buried on 1 October 1958 at the Kerang Cemetery in Section METH 8, Row 3, Grave XO 194[8].

7.4   Annie Kathleen Adriana Barnes was born in 1902 in Kerang and died in 1971 in Croydon, Victoria.  She married Archie Bain Angus in 1924.  In 1931, they were living Meringur near Mildura and Archie worked as an Inspector of Land Settlements.  In 1942, they had moved to Brunswick, a Melbourne suburb, and Archied worked as a Clerk.


Kerang streets of interest:-


Google maps

References
  1. Ancestry Parish Records - www.ancestry.com
  2. 1851 UK Census, HO/107/1551
  3. Bendigo Advertiser Personal Notices, 16 March 1870
  4. Bendigo Cemetery Trust records
  5. Victorian Birth, Marriage and Death registers
  6. NSW Assisted immigration Passenger List 1828-1896
  7. Australian Electoral Rolls
  8. Kerang Cemetery Records, email 15 May 2012
  9. Neil and Bev's Family Tree - ww.ancestry.com
  10. George Barnes b1861 Probate
  11. FamilySearch.org
  12. Peter Edward Barnes, Ancestry family tree
  13. Sarah Ann Punch death certificate
  14. Swan Hill Memorial Park records
  15. Eliza Jane Barnes b1855 & Richard Boyd marriage certificate
  16. Richard Boyd b ca1849 death certificate
  17. Ancestry.com --"lotsafamily" public tree