Frances (Fox) Morey (1856 - 1931)

Born 11 Dec 1856 in London, Middlesex, England

Ancestors

Wife of William Morey — married 27 Dec 1879 in Albury, NSW, Australia

Descendants

Died 17 Jan 1931 at age 74 in Mannus, New South Wales,Australia

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Biography

Birth

Fanny was born in London in 1855. According to her marriage certificate, her mother was Fanny Rice and her father was Unknown Fox of Unknown Occupation.

The certificate details appear to be incorrect.

Consensus among researchers has Fanny the likely daughter of Charles and Jane Fox of Clerkenwell, Middlesex, England. The couple certainly did have a daughter named Frances born at about the correct time in the Bromley workhouse. Given the family were doing it tough, it might make sense that they gave up their daughter.

However, orphanage records state that no relatives were known for our Fanny and that is odd. Families were generally held responsible for their children and listed as being unable to provide care.

That said, extensive investigation has uncovered no other likely birth. We are hoping that DNA might eventually provide confirmation.

Fanny emigrated to Australia in 1870 on the Ninevah. She is the only Fox on the passenger list. There is no one surnamed Rice on the list at all. Fanny's name is positioned between Ann Foder aged 63 and Ann Dane aged 20. It is possible that she was being supervised by one of these fellow passengers.

The Victorian archives shows these passengers as unassisted immigrants. The arrival record in several papers says:

'An accession to the population of the colony, the Australasian states, was made on Sunday by the arrival in the bay of the ship Nineveh, from London, with 431 warrant passengers and Government immigrants. There were only four of the latter, however, and the Nineveh is the first ship which has conveyed to these shores such a number, of assisted immigrants.

The Leeds Mercury of 25 Feb 1871 said in its column for Australian news "On the 18th December the ship Ninevah arrived with 431 warrant passengers, who have all gone to their friends."

Amongst the passengers listed on the same page as Fanny are Emma Johnson aged 25 and William Johnson aged 4. Also on board were a Mrs Johnson aged 51, a Mrs Johnson aged 57 and two children Lizzie and Mary Johnson aged 4 and 2, apparently travelling with Mrs Johnson aged 51.

Marriage

Fanny married William Morey in Albury in 1879 and they settled in Mannus, near Tumbarumba in New South Wales. The marriage certificate shows William as a bullock driver, and Fanny as a servant.

Her name is given as Fanny, although for most of her children's registrations her name is given as Frances.

The witnesses for their wedding were L and C Johnson. Both William and Fanny lived in Albury.

Perhaps the Johnsons were related to Fanny's fellow passengers? This is not known.

Marriage registration details: Marriage: No. 2256/1879, MOREY WILLIAM and FOX,FANNY, District: ALBURY ^[1]

Family

William and Fanny had about ten children. Fanny was very involved with St Michael and All Angel's Church in Mannus.

William died in 1914, by which time all their children were growing up. After his death, Fanny lived with various children.

Death

Fanny died in 1931 in Mannus. ^[2]

Mrs Frances Morey died in the Tumbarumba District Hospital on Saturday morning after a short illness following a stroke. Mrs Morey came to Australia at the age of about 12 years, and for a short time lived in Melbourne, later moving to Bethanga, where she met her husband. They were married in Albury, and made their home in the Bethanga district, moving after to Granya and to Sandy Creek. In these places nearly all the members of her large family were born. In 1905 the family settled at Manus. There they won the esteem and goodwill of everyone by their splendid example of life, which was the result of Mrs Morey's zeal for the Church and the religious training of her children. In 1914 her husband died and for a year or two Mrs Morey made her home with one of her married daughters at Wyong, returning to live with Mr William Morey at Manus about two years ago. Her family includes two sons, Messrs William and Charles Morey, who live at Manus; six daughters, Mrs Hawkins, Mrs Peard, Mrs Weule and Mrs Fuller, who lives at Wyong.

Sources

1. ↑ NSW Civil Marriage registration No. 2256/1879
2. ↑ "PERSONAL NEWS." Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW : 1896 - 1938) 23 Jan 1931: 46. Web. 6 Apr 2014 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102277355>.

• Civil birth certificate Frances Fox District Poplar, fourth quarter, Volume 1C page 564.

• DEATH Tumbarumba Cemetery Index K-Z

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Irene Dillon for creating WikiTree profile Fox-3115 through the import of DillonFam3.GED on Jul 20, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Irene and others.