Descendants of Edward Dewhirst and Mary Anne Jarvis

in the line of Charles Chantler Dewhirst and Sophia Last

data provided by Peter Dewhirst of N.S.W. Australia - contact him thru Jana McPherson Black

Family of Edward Dewhirst and Mary Anne Jarvis

[1] Edward is documented as having been a pupil at the King Edward the VI Grammer School, at Bury St. Edmund, under the headmastership of the celebrated classisist Donaldson. He attended from 1825 to 1831, from 10 yrs of age to 16 yrs. of age. He was articled to a surgeon from the age of 17 yrs., studied for the medical proffession for 4 yrs. and had 6 mths. assistancy experience.

Edward abandoned his career as a surgeon aged about 22 yrs. of age, and in the spring of 1835 sailed for Jamaica. He states in his application to Homerton College 18 Apr 1838:

" I was pursuaded to proceed from this country to Jamaica, as a surgeon to some emigrants, who were going thither, which the law will allow, that I had never qualified to practice by anything else than an aprenticeship to the medical proffession, and a half years assistancy afterward. This undertaking was regarded by me in the light, which I hope it should have been, I felt the uncertainty of my ever seeing my native shores again, and my friends and fond father.

On arriving at Jamaica, which I did in safety, and with all my charges, I was offered and accepted a situation as clerk, and to make use of my surgical knowledge, on an estate at a distance from those emigrants, which I was in some degree at that time, and afterward sorry for, as in visiting that place 18 months afterwards, I found that 13 of 16 had fallen victims of the climate and their intemperance, had I been there, I think, from the attatchment manifested towards me on board ship, I might have been the means of saving them from so awful, and untimely, and I fear everlasting a destruction. I had been but 15 months in that country, when God saw it wise to inflict apon me a heavy and severe chastisement, not more than I deserved, but far less, in the yellow fever. And Oh! how great his mercy in sparing me, etc.etc. - The difficulty of attending a place of worship, weighed heavily apon me, the nature of my occupation disgusted me, a desire to benefit the souls of the poor creatures arround me was awakened and secretly I taught some to read, some to repeat, and disributed all my little books of Christian instruction among them. Some of the people had become endeared to me, yet I longed to return home, and thus I should have been much delighted in giving up my occupation and enrolling myself as advocate of my Saviours cause, yet feeling that the circumstances of my having been employed in a situation of authority over apprentices, would have created in the minds of the missionaries a degree of suspicion, I silently and secretly pursued my mode of instructions only being deterred from retirning home, by a false sense of pride, lest I might be accised of a want of stability, but God whose ways are above our ways, and whose thoughts are above our thoughts, again laid his hand upon me."

On the island he became aquainted with the late Rev. Hodge, then a minster at that island.

Although the trafficing of slaves was abolished in England arround 1801, the abolishment of slavery wasn't. England had vast investments in the sugar cane estates of Jamaica which Parliament protected against lobbying from prominent figures from the Abolisment of Slavery campaigns. So Edward must have seen at first hand the living and working conditions of slaves and their punative treatment. He may indeed have had to treat them medically after floggings, which were common place. The whip ruled the lives of the slaves. Although Independent Ministers were settled in Jamaica they could do little to improve the conditions of slavery. The powerful estate owners and managers could be life threateningly intimidating and the long arm of English Law appeared impotent. There are incidents that suggest that a few ministers were as punative as the estate owners and managers.

He arrived back in London in May 1837. He stayed and assisted his father in Bury St. Edmunds for 1 yr. Edward successfully applied to Homerton College in June 1838, where he studied under Dr Pye Smith until 1841. He then became minister at Billericay. Edward left Billericay church in 1846.

On the 17 Feb. 1847, Edward wrote a letter stating his conversion from dissent, and this was printed in the Bury and Norwich Morning Post. He had been for some time a preacher at the Independent Church of Billericay, in Essex and renounced the principles of dissent and had conformed to the Church of England. He intimated his intention to seek admission into holy orders at the hands of the Lord Bishop of Rochester, and was in the process of preparation for the ministry in the Church of England.

In 1853, Edward Dewhirst emigrated to Australia on the S.S. Caroline, then to Adeklaide on the SS Libertas in 1 October 1857. On 4 June 1857 his wife and 3 children set sail for Australia in the barque Libertas. Also with her were her 2 sisters Esther and Harriet Jarvis. There appear to be other Jarvis family members besides. For a time Edward occupied the pulpit of the old chapel in Ebenezer place and taught classics at the Adelaide Educational Institution in Stephens Place. He was appointed Senior Inspector of Schools, contributed to "The Farm and Garden" newspaper and worked on the literary stff of "The Register" for two years. He was a keen gardener and cricketer. Edward died in Adelaide in 1904, aged 89 yrs. of chronic arteriosclerosis. At Nairne, Kensington. According to research undertaken in Australia, he did not leave a will.

[2] Mary Anne Jarvis was b. 7 November 1823 in St. Heliers, Jersey, Channek Islands, Englandto Thomas Jarvis and ??? She d. 17 August 1913 in Adelaide, South Australia.

[3] Charles Hay Dewhirst ?? Ps Review July 1914 (what is this)??? Appointed Secretary Commisioner of Public Works in 1914, having been Chief Clerk since 1892. Previously Supply and Tender Board for 15 years. During part of his career, he was listed in the South Australia Year Book as an Accountant with offices n Adelaide. In 1914 he became a member of the Supply and Tender Board and later Department Chairman. In 1923 he was appointed Governor of Municipal Tramsway TRust and invested with Imperial Servie Order in 1928. He part owned and skippered the yacht, "White Cloud,"Squadron. Elizabeth Currie was the daughter of James Currie and ??? Children of this couple are Edward Norman Hay Dewhirst b. 30 November 1885; Marianne Dewhirst and Eva Dewhirst.

Family of Thomas Youngman Dewhirst anf Florence Amy Allen

[1] Florence Amy Allen was b. 2 August 1857, daughter of John Henry Allen and Louisa Benfield, d. 1 November 1939, buried Cheltenham Cemetary. The couple lived at 17 Hart St. and also with his father at 124 Molesworth St., North Adelaide in the 1800s. He worked as an electrician at Adelaide GPO ans was appointed to position at Perth GPO on recommendation of Sir Charles Todd. He returned as Inspector of Block Signals 1 July 1885 and retired as Railway Electrician 30 January 1924, due to ill health. He was Honoravble Secretary to the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron, owned and successfuolly raced his yachtm "Desire" in the 1880s before he and son John built the motorboat, "Rover."

[2] John Strickland Dewhirst was the Vice Commodore of the South Australia Yacht Squadron. Clarice Nellei May Frears was b. 7 November 1895 and d. 10 March 1986. Children of this couple are: Thomas John Dewhirst b. 19 September 1917 and d. 4 March 1942 in the WWII action HMAS "Yarra" ; Alice Joan Dewhirst b. 27 March 1919; Yvonne Rae Dewhirst b. 29 September 1929; Maurice William Dewhirst b. 11 May 1923; Adele Clarice b. 11 May 1923; Coral Ruth Dewhirsat b. 11 October 1927 and Margaret Fay Dewhirst b. and d. 1931, Cheltenham, Cemetery, South Australia.

[3] Dorothy was known to be a fun loving and friendly person.It is told that as children, she and younger brother Maurice (Bill) fed brandy to their father's chooks (chickens), casuing much amusement to the children, great distress to the chooks and much anger from their father, who thought the chooks had some illness and were dyiong. In 1977, Dorothy was awareded a Prioriy vote of thanks by the St. John Councilo for South Australia in recognition of service. Never married,
Dorothy spent her final years at the Dunbar Nursing Home.

[1] Allan Maurice Dewhirst grew up at Semaphore and worked as a Warehouseman for George Wills at Kent Town. He was a Sargeant, 781, D Coy, 37 Battalion, Austrailian Infantry Forces at Gallipoli wher he recieved a leg wound and returned TPI. He presented the Dewhirst Cup for Athletics to Pulteney GRammar, a trophy still contested today. Lillian Liriam Whaite was b. 11 April 1893 (same birthdate as her son, Peter) in Adelaide, the daughter of John Thomas Whaite and Jane Henrietta Schollar. She d. 21 February 1983 at Daws Road Repatriation Hospital and is bur. Centennial Park Cemetery.