Richard William MORGAN [1290]

  General Notes:

Richard and Ann were married at Bethnal Green, the witnesses to the marriage were Thomas Swindon and Elizabeth Swindon.

At the 1851 Census, Richard & Ann lived at 7 Mount Street, Bethnal Green and Richard's occupation was given as Carver. On the birth certificate of Elizabeth Ann, Richard's occupation was given as "cabinet carver master".

Richard, Ann and 5 children left Southampton on 17 February 1858 on board the "Parsee" and arrived in Melbourne on 14 May 1858. They went to Emerald Hill (now known as South Melbourne) on their own assistance on 19 May 1858.

Very little is known of Richard and his older children. Following the death of his wife it is thought that Richard may have kept his 2 older children, whilst the younger children were placed in an orphanage, however this is not certain. When Richard married i England, his occupation was given as carver, and that was also the occupation recorded in the shipping records when he and his family came to Australia. I have now found a Richard Morgan, whose occupation was recorded as wood carver, living in Australia Street, Newtown in Sydney in 1880 (Sydney and New South Wales, Sands Street Index, 1861-1930).

From handwritten notes of Theadora Morgan Dawes comes the following information:- Information I have is that, after the mother died, the three younger first were put in a home and the father went to Sydney, taking Jack, and, presumably Jane, with him. When old enough the three girls were put out to service and, I understand never heard from the others again.

Richard W Morgan died at the Macquarie Street Asylum. First listed as a Government Institution in June 1884, the Macquarie Street Asylum, Parramatta was formerly known as The Erysipelas Hospital, and "gradually merged into an Asylum for the Infirm and Destitute". The premises had originally been built as stables and barracks for convicts, before being converted into a Military Hospital in 1843. After the Military Hospital closed in 1851, the premises were utilised by The Erysipelas Hospital.

Although functioning primarily as an asylum for infirm and destitute men from 1884, wards for infectious conditions were still maintained and used for cases refused admission to Sydney Hospital, the Macquarie Street Asylum reputed to be "one Hospital whose doors are open to cases of all kinds of disease." The Government Asylums generally included medical wards, and Macquarie Street became the centre for treatment of serious eye conditions, with 342 ophthalmic cases treated at Macquarie Street in 1893. After administrative responsibility for Government Asylums transferred from the Department of Charitable Institutions to Public Health in 1913, Macquarie Street Asylum became known as the State Hospital and Asylum for the Blind and Men of Defective Sight and Senility, Macquarie Street, Parramatta.

Richard W Morgan died of throat cancer and his death certificate shows parents names unknown, occupation unknown and details of marriage also unknown but it is thought that this is the correct Richard as all other Richard Morgan deaths have been ruled out at this stage. His age was given as 60 years on the death certificate, although he would have been 62 at the time of his death. He was buried at the Rookwood Cemetery.

Cemetery Anglican & General Cemetery Trusts
Area AN
Section MM
Row N/A
Block/Plot N/A
Grave No. 0000067
Cemetery Address Hawthorne Ave, Rookwood
Cemetery Phone 9746 2177
Cemetery Fax 9764 2689
Cemetery Email administration@rookwoodcemetery.com.au
Cemetery URL http://www.rookwoodcemetery.com.au/
Grave Image No Image


The Sydney Daily Telegraph (NSW : 1879 -1883) Thu 5 May 1881 Page 3 FIRE IN CASTLEREAGH-STREET.
Shortly before 6 o'clock yesterday evening a fire broke out on the premises of Mr. E. G. Grace, upholsterer and French polisher, No. 222 Castlereagh-street, opposite the Gaiety Theatre. The fire, which evidently originated on the ground floor, entirely destroyed the building - a two-storied wooden one - owing to the inflammable nature of its contents. There were five occupants of the building, all of whom have suffered serious loss.

On the ground floor, besides Mr. Grace, there were two other persons carrying on business, viz., Messrs. Stenberg and Russell, electro-platers and gilders; and W. H. Hentsch, a surgical instrument maker. The upper storey of the building was occupied by Edward Williams, as a carpenter's workshop, and by Richard Morgan, a carver [is this father or son?]. It would appear that no one was on the premises at the time of the occurrence. Owing to the fortunate circumstance that two engines were located, one on either side, very near the place, the fire was confined to the building in which it originated, and was not allowed to spread to the adjoining premises, but these, nevertheless, were in considerable danger of being destroyed. A very few minutes after the first alarm was given, the City Fire Brigade from Park-street, and the No. 3 Company's engine from Castlereagh-street were on the spot, followed by the Insurance Companies' engine in charge of Superintendent Bown. A plentiful supply of water was then obtained from the main. The hook and ladder and fire escape, with their appliances, also very speedily arrived on the scene, and rendered good service under the guidance of their Superintendent, Mr. L. McGuinness.

Three large ladders having been hoisted against the adjacent house, the firemen, rapidly mounting, were from this commanding situation enabled to pour a well-directed stream of water into the burning building. A large crowd speedily gathered, and for some time the street was completely blocked, but the police, who quickly arrived on the scene, maintained order, and the firemen were by this means not impeded in their efforts to subdue the flames, and save the premises on either side threatened with destruction. Next to the building, on the northern side, stands the shop of Mr. Oatley, plumber, and there are several Chinese tenants who occupy the premises on the other side, all of whom had a narrow escape. One of Mr. Grace's men was seen to leave the building at about half-past 5 o'clock - the usual hour the workmen left off work, but at this time there appeared no sign of any fire on the premises. As far as is known, Messrs. Stenberg and Russell are the only tenants who have effected an insurance.

They have a policy for £300 in the Australian Mutual Insurance Company, but they state that they have lost at least £700 by the fire, the cause of which is not known.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Residence: Baker Street, 1841, Bethnal Green, Middlesex, England. ^2183,2187 possible data requires further verification.

2. Residence: 18 Wilmot Street, Dec 1850, Bethnal Green, Middlesex, England. Occupation carver. Father Richard William Morgan Carpenter. Witnesses to marriage where Thomas Swindon and Elizabeth Swindon.

3. Residence: 7 Mount Street, 1851, Bethnal Green, Middlesex, England. ²¹⁸⁸ Occupation carver.

4. Immigration: leaving Southampton, England and arriving, 14 May 1858, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. on the ship the Parsee

5. Residence: 8 Norton Street, 1875, Parramatta, NSW, Australia. occupation woodcarver

6. Residence: 25 Park Street, 1877, Waterloo, NSW, Australia. occupation woodcarver

7. Residence: Elizabeth Street, 1877, Waterloo, NSW, Australia. occupation woodcarver.

8. Occupation: wood caver in Australia Street - east side, Newtown, 1880, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

9. Residence: Church Street, 1884, Balmain, NSW, Australia. occupation - Turner.

10. Residence: 12 Tudor Terrace, Church Street, 1886, Balmain, NSW, Australia. occupaton wood carver

Richard married Ann Elizabeth SWINDON [1289] [MRIN: 392], daughter of Thomas SWINDON [3341] and Elizabeth HILL [3342], on 30 Dec 1850 in Bethnal Green, Middlesex, England ^{2175,2176,2177}.^,2178 (Ann Elizabeth SWINDON [1289] was born on 9 Apr 1830 in Shoreditch, London, England ²¹⁷⁵, christened on 20 Jan 1837 in Bethnal Green, Middlesex, England,^2179,2180 died on 21 May 1863 in Melbourne, VIC, Australia ²¹⁸¹ and was buried on 23 May 1863 in Melbourne, VIC, Australia.)