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Sarah Anna Goyder
(1823 - 1909)
Sarah and Hugh's children began to grow up and Hugh became Inspector of Schools, in
Adelaide, South Australia.
Back in England, Sarah's parents had moved to Ipswich, Suffolk, where her father was
minister. While there he preached at the small Essex riverside town of Wivenhoe where he
started up a branch of the church. Through this his youngest daughter Margaret met and
married the son of shipbuilder Thomas Harvey. John and Margaret were married in the New
Christian Church, Argyle Square, London (a Swedenborgian church) in 1855.
Despite the long-lived nature of many members of the Goyder family, others were not so
fortunate. Margaret contracted tuberculosis and John took her and his young family around
England seeking to cure her.
In 1858 Sarah's life was struck by tragedy when Hugh died. Their son George was
fifteen, daughter Sarah was eight and younger daughter Margaret just six.
George joined his uncle George Woodroffe Goyder to become a surveyor. He became First
Class surveyor on Darwin Survey, later Chief Surveyor of Northern Territory.
In March 1861, Sarah was in Wivenhoe, living with (or more likely visiting) her
daughter Margaret and son-in-law John Harvey.
In 1863, her sister-in-law Frances Goyder gave birth to twins who died at birth while
her husband, George Woodroffe Goyder, was away on one of his many surveying trips.
Like her aunt Margaret Harvey, Margaret Goyder also contracted tuberculosis and died
during this period. Whether or not Sarah realised it at the time, she was to lose her
other two children to tuberculosis within the next ten years.
 Frances Goyder never recovered from the death of her twins and suffered
great loneliness when her husband was away surverying. In 1870 she took their children
back to England and while in Bristol, she took an overdose just before returning to
Adelaide and died on 8 April 1870.
 Frances's
unmarried sister, Ellen Smith brought the children back to Australia on board the ship
"City of Adelaide".
According to the press notice:
CITY OF ADELAIDE, ship, 791 tons, J. Bruce, master, from London May 24, Harrold
Brothers, agents. Passengers - Miss Smith, Miss Marian Smith, Misses M., E., J., and
Gertrude Goyder, Masters Geo., Alex., David, Frank, and Norman Goyder, Miss Carey, Miss
Lipscombe, Mrs. Dack, Miss Hunt, Mr. and Mrs. Mayer, and Messrs. Ellis and Hare, in the
cabin; Mrs Peck and family (2), Mr. and Mrs. Lyons and family (2), Miss Pick, Mr. Judell,
Mrs. Pitcher and child, Mrs. Creber and child, and Emma Smith, in the second cabin.
The vessel left London on 24th May and had an uneventful journey, according to the
South Australian Register of 19th August 1870:
THE CITY OF ADELAIDE was the second vessel in sight on Thursday morning, and in
view of the westerly weather the captain selected a berth well to the wind-ward, where she
anchored until the afternoon tide made up. when she weighed and was towed into harbour.
The voyage from England has been of ordinary character, without incident of importance to
break its monotony. Captain Bruce reports leaving Gravesend on the evening of May 24, and
the pilot landed at Dartmouth on the 26th. In the region of the north east trades there
were calms and variables, and on reaching the equatorial calm-belt 10 days was passed
without making any progress of importance; but it was somewhat consoling to have the
company of several sail in the same predicament. The Equinox was crossed on June 28 in
24° W., and subsequently fresh south-east trades gave a few good days run; and on July 22
in 41° S., passed the Cape of Good Hope. On Tuesday, August 16, made the land at Cape
Borda, but being to leeward had to beat up before taking the Straits. In appearance the
vessel is not much altered, and Mr. Robbins the chief officer, is recognised as a very old
friend.
Her story continues...
© Chris Goddard, 27 November, 2004
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