- William Bryant (1798-1850) - Life Events
Ann (Austen) Bryant
Headstone at Rookwood Cemetery
William was an agricultural labourer who lived with his family in, or near, the village of Benenden in Kent. He was educated and could read and write.
Like many from rural southern England he was undoubtedly impacted by the industrial revolution, poor harvests and a general downturn in the economy. As a result it was decided that the family should to move to New South Wales under the Bounty immigration scheme. So, on 25 March 1838 William, his wife Ann (nee Austen) and their seven children set sail from Gravesend (on the River thames in northwest Kent) on the 610 ton barque Westminster bound for Sydney, part of a total of over 250 men, women and children emigrants.
The Westminster arrived in Sydney on 26 June 1838 and the Sydney Herald of 28 June reported that:
"We certainly never saw an emigrant ship exhibit so much order and cleanliness, on her arrival, as the as the Westminster. She has also made an extra-ordinary quick passage...
There have been ten deaths, principally children, and nine births during the voyage."
On arrival in Sydney he was engaged as a farm labourer for 2 pounds per week by James Morton Esq. Their son 19 year old William was engaged by William Gurner as a farm labourer for 25 pounds per annum. Their daughter Sarah worked as a nursemaid for Mrs. Lamb of Sydney for 12 pounds per annum.
In later years William was reciorded as being a carpenter and a gardener living at Chippendale.
William died at home on 26 November 1850, aged 52 years and was probably buried at the old Devonshire Street Cemetery (now the site of Central Railway Station).
Ann lived to 83 years old, dying at Stanmore in 1882 and was buried at Rookwood Cemetery.