Stephen Kerrison, Free Settler “Charles Kerr” 1835

Stephen arrived in Launceston as a free settler with his wife Mary and their family in 1835, on the "Charles Kerr", one of fourteen female emigrant ships the British government commissioned the London Emigration Committee to send to the Australian colonies to provide much-needed female labour. By 1835 the government paid the women's passages. Although many passengers were single women, a significant proportion comprised families with daughters eligible for 'the bounty', as in this case. Stephen had already been engaged to work as a bailiff or shepherd for James Cox and paid his own passage, but the government paid for the two eldest girls, Caroline (15) and Eliza (12). Caroline had been hired to work for James Henty. In the mid-1840s Stephen was living at Swan Bay, East Tamar. The last six of his children were baptised in St Matthias' Anglican church, Windermere and Stephen was involved in the life of this church. In 1852 he moved to Winkleigh where he purchased land and 'by honest industry' established a comfortable home, gaining the respect of all classes. He and Mary had thirteen surviving children. There were far more pregnancies: 23, according to the family. Stephen, with William Brown, played a leading role in establishing a Methodist community on the West Tamar from about 1857. The Launceston Methodist Church provided them with a minister to take monthly services at their two houses, and Stephen was one of four lay preachers who took other Sunday services. He gave a substantial donation towards the building of the Supply River Methodist church (1861), the first Methodist church on the West Tamar, and was actively involved in church affairs for the rest of his life.

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The "Charles Kerr", a ship of about 500 tonnes, departed Gravesend on the 9 July 1835, arriving into Launceston on the 21 Nov. 1835. The ship was chartered by the Immigration Committee to bring single females and families to Launceston

Stephen was born in 1799 to James Kerrison and Mary Long. Tony Dwyer gives date of birth as 13 May 1798. Stephen Kerrison married Mary Goodings in 1820. He passed away in1881.

• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: May 13 2023, 12:07:29 UTC

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• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Sep 28 2023, 4:06:37 UTC