Elizabeth Washer (Ashley) Lyons (1833 - 1904)

Born 7 Jun 1833 in Wrington, Somerset, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Wife of Edmund Lyons — married 16 Feb 1852 in St Mary's, Redcliffe, Bristol, England

Descendants

Died 1904 at about age 70 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Geoffrey Vincent [send private message]

Biography

Elizabeth was baptised on 7 June 1833 in Wrington, Somerset by parents James and Ann. ^[1]

In 1851 Elizabeth was one of 6 children living in Wrington with parents . James was a Mason and Ann was a Straw Bonnet Maker. ^[2]

On 16 February 1852 Elizabeth Washer Ashley and Edmund Lyons married in Bristol. Edmund was a Butcher, his father Francis was a Farmer. Elizabeth's father James was a Mason. ^[3] Later that year the couple sailed for Australia. Edmund was 21 and Elizabeth was 18. ^[4]

Elizabeth died in 1904 and is buried with Edmond in Geelong City, Victoria, Australia. ^[5]

Family Story

It should be noted that James Ashley was a Mason, as was his father Robert. Elizabeth's brother Ruscombe became a Shoe manufacturer but died aged 81. Elizabeth certainly didn't marry down.

By: Gladys Vincent (Nee Lyons) 22 Feb 1981

EDMUND LYONS, son of Francis Lyons of Yatton, Somerset was born in 1831 and baptised on the 20.11. 1831 at the Yatton, Church, becoming a butcher at a young age. By the age of 20 Edmund was living in Bristol and married ELIZABETH ASHLEY of Radcliffe Hill, Bristol, Somerset on 16 February 1852 in Bristol at St Mary Redcliffe Church by Rev. James Walter Crisp (Wesleyan Minister). Witnesses were James Ashley (Elizabeth’s father) and Ann Pearce. This marriage was by banns and not by license. Elizabeth’s father was James Ashley, whose father was Robert Ashley. They owned a boot and shoe factory in Bristol.

There is a family story that Elizabeth (born 1 February 1834) married below her station and was never recognised by her family again. (Lord) James Ashley (her father) forbade her mother and brothers and sisters to have anything to do with her, and Albert E Lyons of Tasmania (now deceased) visited and talked with Ruscombe (Elizabeth’s sole surviving brother in England (then in his 90s). This was the first he had heard of his sister since she married and he was a little boy. He showed Albert the family bible with her name ruled out in red ink with the wedding date and the word forgotten at the end of it. Evidently James Ashley had a boot and shoe factory and was quite well off. It must have been pretty serious to cause such a rift (They may have been Catholic and Protestant as this caused big issues in those days or she may have been pregnant with Mary, who died in infancy before she married).

EDMUND and ELIZABETH LYONS (nee Ashley) migrated to Australia on 7.7. 1852 shortly after their marriage, in the Sir Edward Parry, landing at Indented Head, on the Bellarine Peninsular, in the colony of Victoria, on 23 October 1852. They all came to Australia thanks to a Government assistance scheme, that was in operation at the time.

Extract from ‘The Somerset Years’ by Florence Chuck. Re: the ship ‘Sir Edmund Parry’.

The Sir Edward Parry was built at Sunderland in 1847, and belonged to the shipping firm of Gilmore and Harrison, of the Port of London. She suffered some damage in an early voyage and returned to the shipyards late in 1847 for repairs; while in 1850 her hull was sheathed in yellow metal for greater speed. What follows is the record of the voyage that the three Lyons brothers were on: She sailed from Gravesend in high summer. A mild day of 66 degrees with a Southerly wind made the first 4 hours more bearable for the emigrants. Weather became warmer as she sailed from the Downs and along the channel to Plymouth, where 84 degrees, with South Easterly winds gave the emigrants a taste of the tropics which lay ahead.

On her second visit to Port Phillip, the Sir Edward Parry carried 235 government immigrants. The passengers were all in good health, the vessel was very clean and uncrowded, and there were no deaths at sea. The immigrants, aware that they had an exceptionall good passage, presented the Master with a testimonial thanking him and his officers. They mentioned his own kindness and attention, and gentlemanly manner towards them, the unremitting and uniform kindness of the Surgeon and the high quality of the provisions and water provided for them. This document was signed on behalf of all the immigrants by the school master and the constables. A seaman unaware of his good fortune to be on such a vessel, deserted the ship at Geelong with the aif of a ladder.’

The ship was of 575 tons, and sailed from Plymouth, July 7, arriving at Geelong on 23 October 1852.

Edmund was the only one of the brothers to have employment waiting for him. He and his wife were employed by a Mr Valentine of Ballarat, for a period of 6 months, at 300 pounds per annum. From there Edmund opened up a butcher shop on the goldfields before eventually moving to Indented Head, on the Bellarine peninsula. It was here that Edmund and his wife settled, opening up the first butcher shop and slaughter house there.

Around 1858, Edmund and Elizabeth returned to Bristol, Somerset for a short while, having one child (Mary Sophia, born 6 Apr 1859) there (their fourth, the first two having died in infancy), before their return to Australia in 1861.

Edmund and Elizabeth had a total of 14 children, four of which died in infancy.

Edmund owned a 200 acre farm called “Cadbury Farm” at Murradoc, about 2 miles outside the town of Drysdale, on which he raised dairy cattle, pigs and bred horses. He also grew onions and potatoes on this property. This property and an additional sixteen half acre allotments, in the township of Drysdale, were sold at auction at the request of Edmund, on the 13 January, 1887. The auction took place at 2.10pm sharp at Mack’s Hotel, Geelong.

In the late 1800s Edmund and Elizabeth and their family moved to Maud Street, Geelong, establishing a butcher shop on the corner of Maud and Bellarine Streets, which after Edmund’s death in 1903 was carried on by Lyons Bros., Alfred and Arthur (Gladys Lyons remembers visiting the shop as a little girl and we have photographs of both shops).

Edmund died 16 February 1903 at Bellarine Street, Geelong, County of Grant, aged 71 years. He died of chronic bronchitis and debility. He was buried 17 February 1903 at the Eastern Cemetery. He had resided in Victoria for 50 years (information from his death certificate). His doctor was Dr P. A. Croker MD and the officiating Minister at his funeral was N.S. King. W.B. King was the undertaker.

Edmund apparently died with only 100 pounds to his name, 20 pounds of which was a donation towards funeral expenses by ‘The Sons of Temperance’. According to Elizabeth he owned no other property, yet when she died, less than a year later, she left an estate worth 1234 pounds. This included the butcher shop and attached house, a 6 room house in McKillop Street Geelong and a 4 room house in Maud St, Geelong, two horses, two carts and various personal items. All of which was left to Alfred Charles, Arthur Ashley and her two unwed daughters Emma and Laura.

Elizabeth died in 8 January 1904, of chronic bronchitis and debility, aged 71 years. Doctor was P.A. Croker. The name of her father is given as Washer Ashley “Mason” and her mother is listed as unknown. She was buried 10 January 1904 at Eastern Cemetery. Burial Minister is given as P. Murphy.

Both she and her husband were respected members of the community. They had celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1902, and the event was written up in the “Geelong Advertiser” in February of that year.

LYONS-ASHLEY Golden Wedding On February 16th, 11852, at St Mary’s Redcliffe Church, Bristol by Rev. George Campbell (Curate). Edmund Lyons, son of Francis Lyons of Yatton, Somersetshire to Eliza Washer Ashley, daughter of James Ashley of Wrington, Somersetshire. Present address Bellarine St. Geelong.

A very pleasing gathering took place in the Fire Brigade Hall last Monday night, the occasion being the celebration of the Golden wedding of Mr and Mrs lyons, of Bellarine Street. A sumptuous dinner was provided by the children of the aged pair. The chairman of the happy gathering (Rev, S. J. Hoban) proporsed the health of the “bride and bridegroom”, after which the whole company joined in the singing, “For they are jolly good fellows”. The most pleasing feature of the proceedings was the complete surprise expressed by the venerable couple when Mr T.F Lyons,( the eldest son) in a most filial and felicitous speech, presented them with a purse of sovereigns on behalf of the family. The gift was appropriately acknowledged by Mr Lyons sen., and after a number of games had been indulged in an exceedingly unique and happy gathering was brought to a close.

The last two children born to Edmund and Elizabeth also died in infancy. Of the remaining 11 children, details of James Edward, Mary Sophia, Ann Elizabeth, Alfred Charles and Arthur Ashley and their families are known. Evaline Emma and Laura Lavinia did not marry.

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism

   Name Elisabeth Waher Ashley

   Baptism Date 7 Jun 1833

   Baptism Place Wrington, Somerset, England

   Parish as it Appears Wrington

   Father James Ashley

   Mother Ann Ashley:

   Somerset Heritage Service; Taunton, Somerset, England; Reference Number: D\P\wri/2/1/6

   Source Information

   Ancestry.com. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914

   Ancestry uk Record 60857 #2681864

2. ↑ 1851 Census

   Name Elizabeth Ashley

   Age 18

   Estimated Birth Year abt 1833

   Relation Daughter

   Father's Name James Ashley

   Mother's Name Ann Ashley

   Gender Female

   Where born Wrington, Somerset, England

   Civil parish Wrington

   View related Ecclesiastical Parish

   County/Island Somerset

   Country England

   Registration district Axbridge

   Sub-registration district Axbridge

   ED, institution, or vessel 7a

   Household schedule number 63

   Piece 1937

   Folio 406

   Page number 18

   Household Members (Name) Age Relationship

   James Ashley 46 Head

   Ann Ashley 49 Wife

   Jane Ashley 22 Daughter

   Elizabeth Ashley 18 Daughter

   Frederick Ashley 13 Son

   Ruscombe Ashley 11 Son

   Sophia Ashley 9 Daughter

   Emma Ashley 5 Daughter

   Walter Badman 30 Lodger

   Class: HO107; Piece: 1937; Folio: 406; Page: 18; GSU roll: 221096

   Source Information

   Ancestry.com. 1851 England Census

   Ancestry uk Record 8860 #7416191

3. ↑ Marriage Free BMD Index

   Marriages Mar 1852 (>99%)

   Ashley Elizabeth Washer Bristol 6A 42

   Lyons Edmund Bristol 6a 42

   Ancestry Sharing Image

   Ancestry uk Record 61686 #92482557

4. ↑ Passenger List

   Name Elizabeth Lyons

   Nationality English and Welsh

   Arrival Age 18

   Birth Date abt 1834

   Departure Place Plymouth

   Arrival Date 23 Oct 1852

   Arrival Place Geelong and Victoria, Australia

   Ship Sir Edward Parry

   Public Record Office Victoria; North Melbourne, Victoria; Register of Assisted Immigrants from the United Kindom (refer to microform copy, VPRS 3502); Series: VPRS 14

   Source Information

   Ancestry.com. Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923

   Ancestry uk Record 1635 #3705719

5. ↑ Burial findagrave.com

   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147837585/elizabeth-lyons