When Thomas LEAVER arrived in Australia on the 26th March 1849, aboard the "Steadfast", he was age 27 and a widower with a one year old daughter, Louisa. Of his wife I know nothing other than in the column Remarks is "wife died on voyage". As Louisa shows Native Place and County of Godstone, Surrey it is reasonable, until further research says otherwise, to assume that Thomas married in his wife's home town. 

In 1850, in N.S.W. Thomas married Matilda HUMPHREY. 

In the index for South Australian Births, where her 9 children were born, she is sometimes shown as HUMPHRIES. The Death Certificate of her son, Charles Henry Leaver, shows mother as Humphreys.   

I had been unable to find anything on Matilda until February of 2004 when I thought that maybe he might have met Matilda aboard the Steadfast . I  went back to the passenger lists and there she was.

Ships list of Passengers (Micofilm NSW Colonial Office 2135), Health Office report (Reel 1276) and Immigration Board report (Reel 2460) shows age 21, calling Houseservant, Native Place & County London, Middlesex, Religion C of E, Read or Write both, Relations in the colony, Uncle, William Humphreys, carpenter, Sydney, Health good. These recods show her parents to be Charles and Elizabeth and living in London.

The Steadfast departed Plymouth 24th November 1848 giving a voyage time of some 123 days. The Lading was described as general cargo with 12 cabin passengers and 'steerage' of 213 immigrant