James Stevens - butcher, laborer and fruit grower

Birth

James Stevens was born on August 9, 1846, in Holborn, Middlesex England to Ann Earle, age 40, and John Stevens, age 38. They lived at Princes Court, Westminster. (birh certificate and parish register of baptism). 1846 is from daughter Ann and son John's birth certificate and ship's record. Strand in death certificate. Princes Court is near the strand. #JamesStevensMiddlesexEngland

Stevens, James baptism 1846 in the Field, Middlesex.

Residence

James Stevens lived in Middlesex, England, in 1841. Bedfordbury is a street in the Covent Garden area. Possibly his parents and siblings also lived there; John Stevens, the wine cooper, 30-34 with wife Anne 30-34, children Ann 7, John 5, Sarah 2, all of whom are born in Middlesex.

Birth Certificate

Born at the British Lying - in - Hospital, Brownlow Street, unnamed boy, parents John Stevens and Ann Stevens formerly Earle. The father's occupation is porter and informant is Margaret Simson Matron Occupier (no resident master).

Stevens, James birth certificate 1846.

Baptism

B 9 Aug, baptism 6 Sep 1846. Parents are John and Ann, WINE COOPER OF PRINCES COURT, from St Martin in the Fields parish register (Westminster area of Middlesex, includes part of the strand). Note that Princes Court is near the Strand.)

1851 Census

The name was mistranscribed. The census has the following: relationship: Son. At 7 Princes Court: John Stevens 43 wine cooper, with wife Ann 44, and children John G 15 porter, Frank 9 scholar, James 4 scholar, and mother - in - law Mary Earle 70 widow. All born London Middlesex except Frank b. Ramsgate.

~ Residence in 1851 ~

James Stevens lived in Aston, Warwickshire, England in 1851. NOT HIM James 'Stephen' Age: 6. b Westminster Middlesex, "son in law" of Thomas Gardner 27 (stone and marble m--?) b Barston Warwickshire, wife Elizabeth 27 b Scotland, son Thomas (age 1 or 2 or 4) b Westminster. He is related or is he adopted?

Death of mother

His mother Ann passed away on January 14, 1859, in Long Acre, Durham, England, at the age of 52.

Residence

James Stevens lived in Long Acre, Durham, England, in 1859. James Stevens of 3 Broad Court, Drury Lane, is informant in his mother's death registration.

Death of father

His father John passed away on December 28,1861, in Middlesex, England, at the age of 53.

Probable 1861 census

James Stevens, 14, coal carrier, b. St Martin Middlesex, is brother of John Stevens head 25 greengrocer (keeping 1 boy) b. Middlesex London, and wife Mary 21 b. Kent Gravesend, and son John 1 b St George in the East, (there is a butcher next door).

Arrival

He is a butcher, age 22 of London, part of the crew on the ship "Colonial Empire" 1305 tons of Aberdeen, captain James Bruce.

Stevens, James 1868 immigration.

Residence in 1870

James Stevens lived in New South Wales, Australia, in December 1870. He is employed as a general servant by Henry Geary, butcher, but they will have an altercation in February when James accidentally let the horses rush out of the stable - see newspaper reports below. Geary had a slaughtering licence in Jan 1871. (5 Jan MM&HRGA)

Newspaper Reports

Kenthurst Improvements.— Quite a number of property holders are busy having portions of their ground cleared here, among them being .... Mr. Stevens, some two acres along the Rouse Hill road; ...

Sickness.— ... Mr. Stevens is also suffering from a bad leg caused by a bruise from the chipping hoe on the shin hone. Through neglecting to attend to same, he has now to be treated by Dr. 'Killarney,' as he calls him.

Kenthurst. (1894, February 24). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 - 1919), p. 6. Retrieved June 15, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article85645622

WANTED about thirty to sixty Acres of Good Land.— Apply JAMES STEVENS, Kenthurst.

Advertising. (1899, March 18). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 - 1919), p. 4. Retrieved June 16, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article85785036

FOR SALE, A staunch, active Draught MARE, suitable for breeding pur poses. James Stevens, Kenthurst. Advertising. (1904, November 12). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 - 1950), p. 9. Retrieved January 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article85904367

NEARLY ALL ROCKS. James Stevens, Kenthurst. appealed against his assessment of £220 on 44 acres 1 rood and 15 perches. Appellant stated there was hardly anything but rocks on the property. Only about 4 acres was cultivated. He would take £66 for the lot. To Mr. Mobbs firvo -M-! to the Government for the land.—The assessor thought there was a clerical error in transmitting the figures from the r'_old book. He was agreeable to a reduction to the land tax assessment of £116. — Assessment reduced to £116. [not very clear]

Shire Valuations. (1907, November 23). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 - 1950), p. 8. Retrieved January 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article86155682

Baulkham Hills Shire Council. This council met at Castle Hill on Wednesday evening. Present: Council lors Hopkins (President), Lowe, Crans ton, Purser, Fripp, and Whitling.Correspondence included the following: From Jas. Stevens, Kenthurst, drawing attent'ion to the dangerous state of the unfenced bridge at the foot of Dyson'sHill on the Kenthurst-road. — Referred to the engineer for report. Baulkham Hills Shire Council. (1908, April 18). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 - 1950), p. 11. Retrieved January 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article85982632 Kenthurst. The Union. — The monthly meeting of the Fruitgrowers' Union was field on Saturday. Present: Mr. W. D. Wrench (in the chair), and Messrs. O'Regan, Tosh, Roughley, Featherstone, Tull, Stevens, and Hemers. Correspondence was read, stating that Mr. Sampson, expert fruit packer from California, was giving demonstrations on packing fruit in different centres, and asking whether the branch would arrange for a demonstration. The secretary was instructed to write to the Baulkham Hills Shire Council, asking that metal be placed on Cassil's Hill; also that culvert be put in opposite Mr. A. Roughley's property, Park-road. Kenthurst. (1912, June 15). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 - 1950), p. 8. Retrieved January 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article86137353

1871 Residence

James Stevens lived in Maitland, New South Wales, in February 1871. Maitland Gaol Description Book: Date of Admission: Feb 1871: Birth Place: London Age: 24; Arrival Year: 1868 'Colonial Empire', 5ft 2.5 in; med; fresh; brown; blue; R&W; butcher; prot; (assaulted employer Henry Geary at Morpeth - see newspaper story).

1 March 1871 - Sued Geary for wages. Morpeth Police Court.

Occupation in 1872 - Worked on military Road (Bondi), then as a butcher and he met Mary Ann when he sold meat to her. (Cec told by Auntie Annie and Noel).

~ Marriage ~

James Stevens married Mary Ann in Waverley, New South Wales, Australia, on July 29, 1873, when he was 26 years old. Occupations are butcher and house maid. Witnesses H Thiele, Ellen Thiele. The certificate is inaccurate in their birthplaces (Ireland instead of Australia and switched with London). St Charles Church register checked scanned and emailed by St Mary Immaculate.

St Charles Borromeo Church Waverley about 1870 - 1875 from the collection of the State Library of New South Wales.

Newspaper notice of marriage

Stevens - Blake - July 29, by special license, at St Charles, Waverley, by the Rev, Father Garavel, James Stevens, son of the late James Stevens, of West End, London, to Mary Ann, daughter of James Blake, of Dural. (SMH 1&9 Aug, Sydney Mail 9 Aug 1873).

Residence

Bloomfield Street, Surry Hills, birth of first son Francis George.

Birth of sons

His son Francis George was born on March 25, 1874.

His son William was born on April 17,1876.

His son John was born on April 17, 1876.

Death of sons

His son John passed away on May 3, 1876, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, when he was less than a year old.

His son William passed away on May 13, 1876 when he was less than a year old.

Residence

18776- butcher. 17 April: Argyle Place Miller's Point, 2 May: Crown Road Millers Point; 15 May: Merriman Street.

1 July, 1877

His son Charles was born on July 1, 1877, in Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia. Address is Albert Place, off Crown Street, Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia.

26 June 1880

His daughter Anne Mary (Annie) was born on June 26, 1880 in Dural, New South Wales, Australia.

Occupation

Butcher. By 1880he was a laborer in Dural. By 1885, he is a farmer at Little Dural (Kenthurst). He bought forty acres next to the O'Hara grant and took up fruit growing.

James Stevens senior.

Old Stevens homestead built by James 1st, Walter's home then Dave's 34A Annangrove.

6 Nov 1882

His son James Stevens was born on November 6, 1882 in Dural, New South Wales, Australia.

16 July 1885

His son Walter David was born on July 16, 1885 in Kenthurst, New South Wales, Australia.

~ 1893 was a good year for plums. ~

Death of sister

His sister Ann Mary died in 1897 when James was 51 years old.

Death of brother

His brother John Gad died on January 2, 1898, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, when James was 51 years old.

Death of son

His son Charles passed away on March 25, 1910, in Kenthurst, New South Wales, Australia, at the age of 32.

Death of wife

His wife Mary Ann passed away on December 23, 1914, in Kenthurst, New South Wales, Australia, at the age of 71. They had been married for 41 years.

Death

James Stevens died on April 15, 1920, in Concord, New South Wales, Australia, when he was 73 years old. Cause of death: senility, chronic nephritis. Died 'Grandview', Patterson Street, the home of his son George.

Burial

James & Mary Ann Stevens, and Francis George & Ethel May Stevens, grave in Rookwood taken 2012.

Notes

Two more unknown children. Another male child born and died bet 1877 and 1880, and a female born 1877-1880, died bet 1882 - 1885 (source children's certificates) One was probably auntie Annie's twin (Cec).