Caroline (Brighting) Clarkson (1838 - 1915)

Born 1838 in London, England, United Kingdom

Wife of Thomas Nicholson Clarkson — married about 1857 in New Zealand

Descendants

Died 28 Jul 1915 at about age 77 in Wanganui, Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand

Biography

The following biography was written by Shirley Synnott, descendant.

Sailing alone from London to NZ in 1856, was Caroline Brighting (1838-1915), aged eighteen, who became my great-great-grandmother.

Her German mother, Mary Ann Weeber, was distantly related to composer Carl Maria von Weber and through him, to Mozart. Her father, Stephen Saul Brighting from Eastern Europe, a master shoemaker and also food taster to Queen Victoria’s German consort, Prince Albert. Caroline and her siblings were educated alongside the royal children.

On arrival in Lyttelton, a young mariner, Thomas Nicholson Clarkson, bought passengers including Caroline ashore. She began to sing and charmed by her voice, Thomas fell in love; a year later they were married. The following year, aged twenty, Thomas gained his Master’s Certificate and began to sail the Southern seas on six-month trading voyages, with Caroline and the children by his side. Soon, Caroline’s family began emigrating to join her; her widowed mother who died on the day of her arrival, and brothers and sister.

Caroline and Thomas’s own family numbered fourteen; not all surviving infancy. In 1886, the family left for Timaru, when Thomas was appointed Harbourmaster. Many ships arrived at Timaru Harbour carrying ballast of sand, which was tipped out along the rocky shore; the resulting sandy beach was named Caroline Bay, after my great-great-grandmother.

When Thomas died in 1909, a much-loved and respected figure, girls in white lined the road to honour him. Caroline Brighting Clarkson lived another six years, dying in 1915 aged seventy-seven. She is buried in Timaru, beside her husband. Caroline was variously described as ‘haughty’, ‘proud’ and ‘imperious’, but her life shows she was also adventurous, impetuous, passionate, talented, intelligent and determined.^[1]

She passed away in 1915.

DEATHS.

CLARK SON—On the 29th inst., at the residence of her son-in-law, Captain Sawyers, senr., Durie Vale, Caroline, widow of tho late Captain T. \V. Clarkson, in her 78th year. Interment at Timaru. Christchurch and Timaru papers please copy.^[2]

She is buried in Timaru cemetery with her husband, who predeceased her in 1909. ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.suffrageinstitches.nz/panel-164
2. ↑ Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20422, 30 July 1915, Page 4
3. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157329668/caroline-clarkson: accessed 12 February 2023), memorial page for Caroline Brighting Clarkson (11 Feb 1838–28 Jul 1915), Find a Grave Memorial ID 157329668, citing Timaru Cemetery, Timaru, Timaru District, Canterbury, New Zealand; Maintained by MystikNZ (contributor 48009964).

• 1857 Married in New Zealand

Births, Deaths & Marriages New Zealand Marriage certificate 1857/2013

• 1915 Died in New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages New Zealand Death certificate 1915/5917 aged 77Y