Carl Johan Ludvig KJELSBERG

came to Australia as a sailor, unlike most of my other ancestors, who were either convicts or assisted immigrants. His discharge papers show that he arrived in Adelaide, South Australia, via the John Rennie, on 12 January 1880. He had been engaged for the trip only three months beforehand in London, England.

He married on 4 August 1888 in the presbytery of St. Thomas Catholic church in Petersham, just out of Sydney. As a non-catholic, he was unable to marry inside the church itself at that time. His bride was Mary Ann GREEN, daughter of William GREEN and Mary Jane MURRAY. William had been a shipwright, living in Woolloomooloo for many years. Carl most likely met the family there, and followed them in their move to Canterbury in the 1880s, where they ran the Wheat Sheaf hotel.

Carl and Mary Ann lived in St. Peters and Balmain briefly, before buying a house in Percival Street, Leichhardt. This house was rebuilt early in the century, after Carl won some money in the Tatts Lotto.

They had eight children, four of whom died young:

1. Ruby Henrietta KJELSBERG b.20 Feb 1890, d.4 Aug 1894
2. William Charles KJELSBERG b.13 Feb 1892, d.7 Feb 1893
3. Otto Joseph KJELSBERG b.20 May 1893, d.30 Aug 1901
4. Beatrice May KJELSBERG b.31 Jul 1894, d.12 Mar 1896
5. Mabel KJELSBERG b.29 Dec 1896, m.31 May 1919 John Joseph BURGESS
6. Ethel KJELSBERG b.17 Oct 1898, m.18 Sep 1920 Thomas John HALL
7. Alma KJELSBERG b.21 Jun 1900, m.
   1. 21 May 1921 Richard Frederick WILLIAMS (divorced)
   2. 15 Jun 1945 James Alexander MCINTYRE
8. Adelaide KJELSBERG b.18 Feb 1902, m.9 Jul 1927 George METCALF

Carl continued his connection with the sea by working as a stevedore on Sydney's docks for many years. His meticulous nature led to his keeping a notebook of his children's births and deaths, as well as the details needed for his own death certificate. This showed him to be born in Haugesund, Norway, one of a family of six boys. His naturalization certificate states that he arrived in NSW via the Birksgate, a steamer which travelled the coast between the then separate colonies.