Sarah Lee (abt. 1821 - 1908)

Born about 1821 in Wickmere with Wolterton, Norfolk, England

Wife of Thomas Riches — married 12 Oct 1840 in Norfolk, England

Descendants

Died 14 Apr 1908 at about age 87 in Sunbury, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Sarah Riches was born around 1821.

Sarah immigrated to Australia on the 18th of May 1848 arriving at Port Phillip Bay. Travelled on the 'William Stewart', age given: 25.

Her husband, Thomas Riches worked as an assistant Lighthouse Keeper at the new Cape Otway Lighthouse.

She was described as a mentally unstable- 'dangerous'. Perhaps suffering from some form of post natal depression.

She died at the Sunbury Asylum where she was moved to on the 30th of August 1892 at the age of 70. Before Sunbury she resided at Kew Asylum having been transferred there on the 12th August 1874. It is unknown if she was admitted anywhere else earlier. It appears that she was admitted to an asylum in England nine years earlier but this is unproven.

According to her medical report from the Sunbury Asylum Sarah was admitted to the hospital for reoccurring mania delusions (?) and had been in feeble health from the beginning of the year. She had been confined to bed on two or three occasions. When admitted she was feeble, but of good health up to 25.2.1908.

Sarah's cause of death was listed as Senile decay and pneumonia. She is buried at the Sunbury Asylum plot number 1435. She was 86 years old.

Sources

• Australian Death Index
• Walker, Donald., 1981, Beacons of Hope- An Early History of Cape Otway and King Island Lighthouses, Neptune Press, Melbourne. Chapter 9, 77
• http://www.lightstation.com/media/137/tv-shows-focus-on-cape-otway
• http://access.prov.vic.gov.au/public/veo-download?objectId=090fe27382807ced&format=pdf&docTitle=RichesSarah1908425&encodingId=Revision-2-Document-1-Encoding-1-DocumentData --> SUNBURY AUTOPSY REPORT