Mary Ann Goyen

Mary Ann Bowden, daughter of John Bowden, farmer, was born at St Austell, Cornwall in 1825. While still a minor she married Peter Goyen on 4th August,1845, and they had four children in Cornwall and a fifth in Talbot. When her husband Peter Goyen left to come to Victoria, Mary Ann was left with four young children. Because her father was a farmer it is likely that they stayed on the family farm. The 1841 census reports the children as students. After Peter had been in Victoria for six years Mary Ann, accompanied by her four young children travelled in the Red Jacket from England to join him. This voyage would have been difficult enough, but was made more so by, firstly, the ship coming into collision with another vessel, and secondly her son John falling out of the rigging and breaking his leg. The family was reunited on the 2nd May 1859 when the Red Jacket reached Melbourne. Mary Ann died at Talbot on 29th November 1896, and is buried in the Amhurst Cemetery, Talbot.