01/27/08
Ellen Byrnes James Bocock Morrell
Ellen BYRNES
Died 10 January, 1861, Menindee, River Darling.
2 years old.
Cause of death - Accidental burning.
Father - Daniel Byrne, labourer.
Mother - Ellen nee White.
Informant - George Bell, District Constable of Menindie.
Registered - 30 March, 1861, Wentworth.
Witnesses - Thomas [Danke]; Constable Bell; Patrick Egan.
Deceased born Ireland; Two and a half years in Australia.
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The short life of Ellen Byrnes.
Ellen had been born to Daniel Byrne and Ellen nee Whyte at Ballykeane,
Wicklow, Ireland, on 11th April, 1858. The Byrnes family, 30 year old Daniel
and 28 year old Ellen, with their 2 year old son Sylvester and baby Ellen,
left their homeland Ireland in the "Frenchman" on the 1st July of that year.
Ellen would have only been 6 weeks old.
Arriving in Adelaide at the end of September, they headed for Wentworth on
the Darling River. As a two year old, young Ellen set off with her family
towards Bourke, only getting as far as Arumpo station when their plans were
changed by a two day visit of the Burke and Wills Exploratory Expedition in
September of 1860. A supply of food was cooked for them by Mrs Byrnes.
Shortly after the Party left Arumpo, Burke decided that desperate measures
were necessary to ease the weight of the overloaded waggons. The discarded
property was entrusted to the care of the Byrnes but the explorers were
never to return to collect it. The Byrnes either went with the Party to
Menindie, or followed soon after.
Christmas 1860 in Menindie must have been a time of great fun and festivity
for the Byrnes family, for just 3 days before, Ellen had given birth to
another baby boy that they were to call Garrett. What games there must have
been as 4 year old Sylvester found his perfect age match in George Paine,
and Ellen romped with two year old Eliza(beth) Paine. Then there were the
six or seven Maiden children whose ages ranged down from 18 years. A time of
perfect joy.
Disaster was to follow. On the 10th of January 1861, little two year old
Ellen was to lose her life by accidental burning. The circumstances
surrounding her death are unclear - the records of this period having been
lost. Perhaps there had been a moment's inattention from her mother being
distracted by young 4 year old Sylvester or the 19 day old baby Garrett. It
is not known if the father Daniel had returned from Wentworth where he had
happily registered the birth of his new son on the first day of January.
Born in the rolling emerald fields of Ireland. Rocked to sleep by the waves
under the ship as she crossed the world. Her first steps taken in a sunshine
land. Splashing in the the waters of the Darling on a hot day. Enfolded
always in the family's love. Then pain more than the body could bear.
The anguish.
The tiny body of Ellen Byrnes was lain to rest at Menindie the next day.
FROM BRADFORD TO MENINDEE
James Boocock Morrell was born in Bradford UK in 1848. In the late 1870’s, he left his wife (Charlotte) and five children, and traveled to Australia, possibly hoping to make his fortune in the Victorian Goldfields. Maybe he planned to bring his wife and children to Australia once his fortune was made. Life in England at that time was mighty tough, particularly for people in the middle to lower classes, so the dream of a better life was very attractive. .
James’ dream was short lived, and in 1883, he married Sarah Chapman, nee Eyles, in Melbourne. In the process he changed the spelling of his surname to ‘Morrall”. She was also a bigamist, and as a result of two previous marriages was already the mother of seven children. It is interesting that Sarah was one month short of her fifteenth birthday when she first married. Both Sarah and James went to considerable lengths to conceal their true identity when completing the church marriage records.
Following their marriage, James and Sarah headed for the ‘outback’ town of Wilcannia in NSW. The reason for choosing such a remote area is unclear but it is a fact that many people running from their past or the law did seek refuge in such areas around that time. Their eldest son Richard, was born there. Shortly after they moved to Menindee, where they had a further four children – May Elizabeth (my grandmother, bless her soul), Ida, James and Minnie, In 1884, records show James’ occupation as ‘wool scourer’ at Wenteriga Station, near Menindee. Nothing more is know, at this stage, of his life in Menindee.
On 12 January 1899, James was found dead in a tent by Lake Pamamaroo. According to the Death Certificate, the cause of death was ‘unknown’, but was more than likely due to ‘exposure’. It seems he had been dead for several months, and his remains were buried where they were found. F.C. Mcmillan, the police officer at Menindee, witnessed the burial. Sarah spent the rest of her life living first in Bourke, then in Collarenebri.
Establishing James’ true identity (Morrell), and his early family back in Bradford UK, took several years of research, and a good deal of luck. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to trace any of his living relatives in the UK, but the search goes on. Why James Boocock Morrell decided to come to Australia is still unclear, and the circumstances of his death are sad. But I am pleased he did. Otherwise I would not be here to write this short story.
I would be happy to provide a more detailed account of James Boocock Morrell’s life if requested. My email address is ‘ kwilliams@techno.net.au ‘