Sarah Ann (Breakell) Willis (1856 - 1937)

Born 5 Jan 1856 in Wigan, Lancashire, England

Wife of Gordon Willis — married 1873 in Victoria, Australia

Descendants

Died 14 Oct 1937 at age 81 in Sandringham, Victoria, Australia

Biography

Sarah Ann BREAKELL was born on 5 January 1856^[1] and christened on 11 February 1856 in Wigan, Lancashire, England^[2]. She was the daughter of James Breakell and Hannah Barker.

The steam ship, Great Britain set sail from Liverpool, England on 6 October 1870 with the BREAKELL family among the passengers and arrived in Hobson's Bay, Colony of Victoria on 4 December 1870^[3][4]. The BREAKELL family consisted of parents, James (age 52, Labourer) and Hannah (40) and their surviving children, Sarah (14), Thomas (12, Labourer), Fanny (10), James (7) and Sophia (5).

Gordon WILLIS and Sarah Ann BREAKELL were married in 1873 in Colony of Victoria^[5].

Their children included:

Gordon Alfred WILLIS 1874-1952

Frances WILLIS 1876-1940 (surname listed as SADDLER at birth)

Lucretia WILLIS 1878-1957

Thomas Loftus WILLIS abt 1881-1939

Edward WILLIS abt 1884-1949

Charlotte Loftus WILLIS 1885-1948

Lily WILLIS abt 1889-1962

George Frederick WILLIS abt 1889-1915

Eileen Mary WILLIS abt 1891-1976

She passed away in 1937 in Sandringham, Victoria, Australia^[6] and was interred at the Cheltenham Memorial Cemetery, Cheltenham, Bayside City, Victoria, Australia^[7].

Death Notice 15 Oct 1937^[8]

WILLIS.— On October 14, at 2 Grange-road, Sandringham, Sarah Ann, relict of the late Gordon Willis, and loving mother of Gordon, Frances (Mrs. O'Kearney), Lucretia (Mrs. Ryan), Thomas, Edward, Charlotte (Mrs. Murphy), Lily (Mrs. Hume), George (deceased) and Eileen (Mrs. Fraser), aged 83 years. A resident of Benalla for 60 years. R.I.P.

Sources

1. ↑ General Register Office UK: Births. BREAKELL, SARAH ANN; BARKER; GRO Reference: 1856 M Quarter in WIGAN; Volume 08C Page 62. https://www.gro.gov.uk/
2. ↑ Manchester, England, Non-Conformist Births and Baptisms, 1758-1912. Name: Sarah Ann Breakell; Birth Date: 5 Jan 1856; Birth Place: Lancashire, England; Baptism Date: 11 Feb 1856; Baptism Place: Wigan, Lancashire, England; Church: Standishgate Methodist Chapel; Father Name: James Breakell; Mother Name: Hannah Breakell. Wigan Archives; Leigh, England; Reference Number: D/NM(W)1/15/B4 ancestry.com.au (Paid site)
3. ↑ Public Records Office Victoria. Unassisted passenger lists (1852-1923) Record Series Number (VPRS): 947. Steam Ship: Great Britain; Departed: Liverpool, England, 6 Oct 1870; Arrived: Hobson's Bay, Colony of Victoria, 4 Dec 1870. https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B3D2DF1-F96C-11E9-AE98-E9BFA8524AEB?image=170

   BREAKELL JAMES 52 1870 DEC GREAT BRITAIN GRAY JOHN

   BREAKELL HANNAH 40 1870 DEC GREAT BRITAIN GRAY JOHN

   BREAKELL SARAH A 14 1870 DEC GREAT BRITAIN GRAY JOHN

   BREAKELL THOMAS 12 1870 DEC GREAT BRITAIN GRAY JOHN

   BREAKELL FANNY 10 1870 DEC GREAT BRITAIN GRAY JOHN

   BREAKELL JAMES 7 1870 DEC GREAT BRITAIN GRAY JOHN

   BREAKELL SOPHIA 5 1870 DEC GREAT BRITAIN GRAY JOHN

4. ↑ Ship Arrival: SHIPPING INTELLIGENGE. (1870, December 5). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 4. Retrieved June 18, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5838898
5. ↑ Birth, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria Online Registry. Event: marriages; Registration number 2989 / 1873; Family name: WILLIS; Given name(s) Gerden; Spouse's family name: BREAKELL; Spouse's given name(s) Sarah Ann. https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history
6. ↑ Birth, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria Online Registry. Event: deaths; Registration number 9476 / 1937; Family name: WILLIS; Given name(s) Sarah Ann; Place of event: SANDRINGHAM, Australia; Mother's name Hannah BARKER; Father's Name: James BREAKALL. https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/214956200/sarah-ann-willis : accessed 18 June 2022), memorial page for Sarah Ann Breakell Willis (5 Jan 1856–15 Oct 1937), Find a Grave Memorial ID 214956200, citing Cheltenham Memorial Cemetery, Cheltenham, Bayside City, Victoria, Australia ; Maintained by BB (contributor 49825097).
8. ↑ Family Notices (1937, October 15). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved June 18, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206729751

• Death #9475/1937.