Wife Born: Caroline Hort nee Carey was baptised at Badminton
on the 3rd October 1830 the daughter of John and Diana
Carey nee Clark. Link to Carey Family
1841 Census: Samuel was a 12year old
living with his parents John and Ann and four of his siblings Jemima
l3years, Frances l0years, Thomas 8years and Sarah a two year old. Their address
given as "RAGGED CASTLE" Badminton.
1841 census: Caroline Carey 9years
living at Badminton with her parents John and Diana and younger sister Charlotte
6years and her grandfather John Clark aged 70years.
Link
to Badminton
Link
to Hawkesbury
Move from
Badminton to Sopworth Wiltshire
Marriage 1851: Prior to his marriage Samuel Hort moved from
Badminton
to
the village of
Sopworth
just over the border into Wiltshire. He married Caroline Carey from Little
Badminton on the 15th February 1851, in the Parish Church of
Sopworth. The Curate Robert Dyer performed this marriage by the rights and
ceremonies of the Established Church. They were both of full age. Samuel was a
bachelor, his occupation was given as a labourer, and Caroline was a spinster.
The two witnesses at this marriage were Matilda Hort and Joseph Baylip.
1851 UK Census: On census night 31st March 1851 Samuel 21yrs and Caroline
20yrs were living with Samuel's grandparents Thomas 73yrs and Sarah 71yrs
Fry, at Park Lodge Sopworth. Both Samuel and his grandfather were
Laborers. At this time Caroline was only weeks away from giving birth to their
first child John.
Link
to Badminton
Link
to Sopworth
Making
the Decision to leave England
The year after their marriage and the birth of their first
child
John, Samuel and Caroline made the decision to leave
England. This big step must have been made with a great deal of anxiety. The
thought of maybe never seeing their families again must have made the decision
even harder. One wonders why this young family wanted to leave their homeland?
Was it because of the terrible unemployment situation, poverty, poor wages and
rising taxes, or the promise of hope for the future with better conditions in
this new country Australia? Samuel and Caroline would have known the risk of a
sea voyage. It was generally believed when a couple left Britain with young
children under five years of age, there was always the chance of a child dying
on the voyage. Families with older children had fewer worries.
For Samuel and Caroline, who was very pregnant at this
time and their small son John, the journey from their home to the docks at
Plymouth would have been an adventure in itself. Being a laborer Samuel wouldn't
have had the money to go far from home before. Would they have traveled by
coach, or were they lucky enough to have gone by rail? My Great Great
Grandfather John was the first child born to Samuel and Caroline in Wiltshire in
1851, and Caroline was pregnant again with their second child before leaving
England.
Searching through shipping indexes for the arrival of
Samuel and Caroline Hort took a lot of patience. After checking all
different spellings for the surname Hort, I at last found them arriving under
the spelling of Hart.
Voyage
Of the Time & Truth
One wonders at the thoughts going through the minds of
Samuel and Caroline as they boarded the ship the ‘TIME & TRUTH’ at
Plymouth docks on the 17th September 1852. They gave their ages as
Samuel 22years, Caroline 21years and their son John one year old.
The ‘Time & Truth’ was a 576ton Barque, a small sailing
vessel; her hull was sheathed with yellow metal to keep it free from weeds and
barnacles. She was built at Sunderland in 1852, and was completed shortly before
this voyage. She was owned by Mitchinson, and belonged to the Port of London.
The ship’s Master was James Dodds, and the Surgeon Superintendent was
T.Girdlestone.
Newspaper Report: A sunny autumn morning dawned for
the departure of the 281 emigrants who embarked on the ‘Time & Truth” for her
first visit to Port Phillip Victoria Australia. Warm southwesterlies brought
days of 64°-70°F as she sailed along the lovely south coast of Plymouth. The
weather remained mild making the first few uncomfortable days at sea more
bearable for the emigrants.
The journey took three and a half months, during which
time Caroline gave birth to their daughter
Jane. (Jane's marriage certificate states she
was born 'At Sea, Atlantic Ocean.') The thought of giving birth on one of these
early voyages was a feat in itself.
The voyage was not without its troubles. Infectious
diseases such as dysentery, and whooping cough and other chest ailments, made
life uncomfortable and even dangerous in the crowded steerage compartments. Six
children died from these illnesses. On arrival at the port of
Geelong on the 5th
January 1853, ‘Time & Truth’ was immediately quarantined along with its
passengers until cleared by the Colonial Surgeon. It was five weeks before the
"Time & Truth’ sailed out.
Web
Link : More about Geelong Victoria
“Gertrude”
A likeness to the
“Time & Truth”
Searching for a photograph of the ‘TIME &
TRUTH’ was to no avail, the ship Gertrude at right was similar in
tonnage and design, and was built in 1852 the same year as the
Time & Truth, by the
same ship builders.
Samuel
& Caroline's Life in Australia
