Robert Harris (abt. 1808 - 1874)

Born about 1808 in Hackney, London, England [uncertain]

Husband of Mary Elizabeth (Hall) Harris — married 6 Jun 1832 in St. Leonard's, Shoreditch, London (Middlesex), England

Descendants

Died 14 Feb 1874 at about age 66 in Governors Bay, Canterbury, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Tracey Harris [send private message]

Biography

Robert was baptised at Saint John, Hackney on 29 January 1809. He was the son of William Harris.^[1]

From information given on the 1841 Census for London, Robert Harris was born in South Hackney, Middlesex. In 1838 Robert and Mary Harris and their family lived at No. 9 Richardson's Building, West Hackney, London.

Life was grim in London and poor children were working at 4 or 5 yrs of age, living conditions were deplorable, and in 1849 an outbreak of cholera in London killed 200 to 400 daily, during the summer months.

In 1850, the birth registration of the youngest English-born child Richard, showed the family living in a Workhouse in Lower Homerton, Hackney, London.

In 1849/50 posters were placed by the Canterbury Association appealing for young men with families to go to New Zealand. Many were given assisted or free passage.

On the 27th February 1851, the barque Steadfast, (Captain Spencer) under charter to the Canterbury Association, left Gravesend to arrive in Lyttelton on 9th June, 1851 - 101 days.

Robert Harris and his wife, plus 9 children (the youngest 3 months old) travelling as assisted steerage passengers.

On arrival the migrants were supplied with a barracks, for temporary use, but there was no school or church in Lyttelton. Food was rationed and expensive. Robert Harris evidently had experience as a brickmaker and bricklayer, and in November 1851 he advertised 10,000 well-burnt bricks for sale in Lyttelton. In 1853 a small parcel of land was marked 'Harris' and would have been leased to Robert for brickmaking (they may have put up a hut for the family to live in, on this land.)

In 1857 Robert Harris was granted 34 acres of land (rural section 723) above Governors Bay, ( 6 miles from Lyttelton) and the Harris family made their home there.

A train tunnel was being built under the mountains (Port Hills) between Lyttelton and Christchurch and Robert Harris found employment there. In February 1874 Robert Harris left his house on his horse, to go over the hill to Christchurch, via Dyers Pass. He was later found injured on this road (broken limbs and smashed-in rib cage) and it was assumed that the horse (who was nearby) had shied, and rolled on him.

He was buried at St. Cuthberts C or E. Church, Governors Bay aged 66. Robert Harris displayed foresight and endurance to give his family a better life.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NPSR-J66 : 19 September 2020), Robert Harris, 1809.