Thomas John Davis (bef. 1788 - 1847)

Born before 24 Nov 1788 in Wellington, Herefordshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Martha (Bytheway) Davis — married 2 May 1823 in Church of England, Stottesden, England

Descendants

Died 13 Mar 1847 after age 58 in Auckland, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Susan Scarcella [send private message]

Thomas Davis lived in Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Biography

The Name Davies /Davis are on his marriage record

For someone of very humble descent, Thomas Davis has managed to have a lot written about him! This is because of the times he lived in and the careers choices he made. The Davis family were, no doubt, Welsh in origin, but had for at least some time, lived across the border in neighbouring Shropshire and Herefordshire.

Thomas Davis’ parents were another Thomas Davis and Susanna, and they baptised Thomas 24/11/1788 in Wellington Herefordshire. Nothing is known of siblings, but it is recognised that the family were Roman Catholics. After the Second Jacobite Rebellion in 1745, however, Roman Catholicism had largely gone underground, as no marriages could take place outside parish churches or synagogues. Nor were Roman Catholics permitted to join the army.

When Thomas was a young boy, sometime between 1799 and 1802, the Napoleonic wars broke out. There were great fears amongst the British that the French would use Catholic Ireland as a back door to an invasion, so the censures against Roman Catholicism were not lifted. Eventually, however, a shortage of men, and fear of invasion anyway, led to a softening of the rules against those joining the army.

At the age of 12, Thomas Davis signed up as a drummer boy in the 9th Shropshire regiment. It is hard to imagine parents permitting children so young to join the army, but these were hard times. It could even be that Thomas had been orphaned, as many of the drummer boys came from the workhouses. Presumably, no one would miss them. This being because they had a high mortality rate, going in front of the troops into battle. Yet, somehow, Thomas Davis survived, and fought as a full soldier at the Battle of Corunna in 1808, one of the bloodiest of the battles of the Peninsula War. He served under Sir John Moore at Corunna during the Peninsular Wars in the 52nd Foot, and was present at his burial before dawn on the 17th January 1809 in the ramparts of Corunna. Later, he was transferred to Belgium, where received the Waterloo Medal, even though may not have fought at Waterloo! He seems to have been , instead, at the crucial battle of Quatre-Bras, two days before Waterloo. The Quatre-Bras Veterans were awarded the Waterloo medal as well. Well done, Thomas Davis. To have survived some of the most awful battles of the Napoleonic wars. Few drummer boys had got past the Pensinsula Wars. Thomas got through them all. (We would love to know if his medal still exists, as no one has come forward to say they have it.) [Some of the family say this is another boy of the same name - Kathryn]

The Davis family left for Australia on board the "Canton" (1834-1835) with the military. The family lived in Sydney until 1837 when they departed from Australia with Baron de Thierry on board the "Nimrod" which arrived in Hokianga, New Zealand on the 4 November 1837. Thomas Davis worked for Baron De Thierry, as his Bailiff/steward.

De Thierry was a Frenchman with a claim to land in NZ. This land had been purchased from the very first "New Zealand Company". The later NZ claimants said this had never occurred. Their defensive said his bid would put the land into possibly French Territory.

Soon after the family arrived into New Zealand they attended the first Catholic Mass with Bishop Pompallier. This was an historic occasion. Supposedly his son, young Thomas (aged 14 years) was the Altar Server at the Mass, and was given a crucifix as a thank you. There is a crucifix of the French style still in the family in N.Z. which supports this story.

This story the family tell is the same tale that Church historians write about. They claim the gathering was so large, everyone could not fit the room; many people had to stand outside and look in through the windows.

The Davis family stayed with de Thierry until 1840, then when his bond was completed they walked to Kororareke where they saw the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Thomas held up his daughter Ann (aged 12 half years) so she could see the actual signing. This event took several days, so we should presume they watched some people signing the treaty document. Everyone in NZ was invited and encouraged to attend.

After they arrived into the new township of Auckland they set up a bakery, in Fort Street which was then on the foreshore of Auckland. I also heard of a later property (verified) or bakery further up Queen Street, maybe on the corner of Durham Lane. This may have been the base for their timber business and home. Close by was the [future] Catholic Church, initially just a small building. [This is correct, but not sure if they continued the bakery, or just provided food). This plot of land in the very small Durham Lane, was where they lived and the centre of business.

This family were staunch Catholics. Many of New Zealand first leaders were setting up a country free from social rules of Europe and England. They would not accept prisoners as labour force, as they had seen occur in Australia. Unfortunately a two ships of reformed convicts had already been sent to New Zealand. When these ships arrived in 1842 the moneyed settlers "Blacklisted" the boys... commonly called the Pankhurst Boys. The boys were locked in the ships for some time, before being released into Barracks... some escaped. There are numerous tales are about what happened; many of these stories are fiction.

I can confirm that the Davis family gave support to some of these unwanted boys. These lads probably worked in the timber mills in return for food and clothing. This arrangement occurred through their Catholic faith.

One lad was quick to take advantage of the family - his name was John Ryan. In 1843, sixteen year old Mary Ann (Ann) Davis, his daughter gave birth to a daughter.

There are many family tales, that say this couple were married by Bishop Pompallier, at St Patrick's Church - others scoff at the idea, because no marriage record has been found.

"Benefield" family, relatives to "Mary Ann Davies" have published a book on Ann's Life. It states "We were wed quietly in St Patrick's Church in Wyndam St, and many of my new Irish friends attended in spite of not being invited, it was a simple yet beautiful occasion"

St Patrick's Cathedral, as we know it in 2015 had not been built. Priest (Father Jean Forrest) who worked hard to created a St Patrick Church, used every pressure he could within the Catholic community to built his church quickly, ahead of other faiths. He would been very quick to use the resources of the Davis family, and he would have made certain that any couple were married - especially as these children were baptized Catholic. The Davis family were staunch Roman Catholics, and therefore did not come under English law. Their marriage occurs before the British authorities have set up resources for settlers to marry. Mary Ann, used the title Mrs Ryan and at this time no one would create this new name unless they were married; it was a small community of just a few hundred people - the Priests would have known if she was unmarried.

This biography is the joint effort of Susan Scarcella & Kathryn Smith.

If you have more details about this family ... please add your information.

Eventually someone will read and translate some work and find this marriage record. If you have proof please confirm this. [read above]

Sources

Smith-86545 - General Knowledge. Whilst researching the Kilgour family history many people help collect the information for compilation. The one name I remember helping for this family was Mr Robertson, whose family had moved to Australia (Sue: he was descended from Catherine Canton Davis, who was born on "The Canton" after it arrived in Sydney Harbour.) We corresponded and shared many complex twists to the RYAN and MURPHY family tree. We shared copies of any paperwork. -Susan Scarcella researched work

Description of the Voyage

The Nimrod sailed with her King, her royal family, and her consignment of settlers on October 22nd, 1837, and, under the captaincy of a first-rate seaman, made an excellent crossing of the Tasman Sea in ten days.

The lower decks were gay as a village fair, with squeaking Jew'sharps and concertinas. In his cabin, the Sovereign Chief had begun to build up the etiquette of his little Court. There are still tremendous yarns about all that. Some say that Charles made all who entered the Presence retreat tail foremost, for all the world as if he were a Hapsburg, a Hohenzollern, a Bourbon itself. Others insist that he wished, on landing, to create his Captain an Admiral. In this there may be truth. He would certainly have coveted an Admiral. That he sailed with an Archbishop is little less than a miracle, and can only be explained by the notorious conservatism of Archbishops.

Was the voyage without calamity? Alas, no. On the fifth day out, he was called to preside over a burial at sea.

Poor Strawberry. And he had been so proud of her. She lives for ever in his records.… “A fine cow, which I bought myself for New Zealand, and which died by gross neglect.”

There was a sadder loss – though one should not under-estimate Strawberry, for cows, at this time, were scarcer in New Zealand than virtuous matrons, and the scarcity of virtuous matrons had to be personally investigated to be believed. You remember the “gentleman of high classical attainments”, the tutor? Charles lost him, too. He did not die – not at all. Worse than death. The day before the Nimrod sailed, he revealed still another attainment, also classical.

“He was seized with a violent fit of delirium tremens,” says Charles. “And I was forced to leave him in Sydney, convinced that he was no fit associate for the sons of gentlemen.”

On Charles de Thierry's own jour de fête, St. Charles's Day, November 4th, 1837, the Nimrod, flying bunting stem and stern, PAGE 99and at her mast-head the great crimson-and-azure flag of the de Thierrys, entered the river-mouth of the Hokianga.

“Where was the hostile array of natives which was to warn me from New Zealand? The Nimrod carried my flag at the main, the ships in the anchorage were gaily dressed in their colours, and my arrival was hailed with warm congratulations, except by two or three persons whose sullen look portended that they had much rather I had not interfered with their operations.”

Already, when the Nimrod anchored, twilight had dimmed the glitter of the waters. Settlers chattered, gaped, shouted, argued, sang. A splendid moon arose. Landing was for the morrow. https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-HydChec-t1-body-d12.html