portsea island 1840's - 1851

[rdarby]

I have just discovered that some of my ancestors were living in Portsea in the 1840's; very exciting to find a couple of ancestors in the Royal Navy! My 2x great grandfather, Charles Fisher Sheppeard, born in Suffolk in 1823/24 was married to Elizabeth Wells at Portsea in 1848. On the marriage certificate, it states he was a Purser's Steward on the Prince Regent. He had also seen service on the Vesuvius in the early 1840's. Elizabeth Wells' father's name was John Holland and his profession was "Carpenter,RN", so presumably he was also in the Royal Navy. Can't find them in the 1851 census - I was wondering what happened if the ships were at sea? Were the crew missed from the census, or did they have someone onboard to fill out the census?
I'm now on the trail of John Holland, my "new" 3x great grandfather! His wife may have been Sarah, as on the marriage cert I mentioned the witnesses were Sarah Ann Holland and Sarah Malpez (hard to read) maybe a sister?
Any comments re the Prince Regent, ship's census' or Hollands would be appreciated.
Roger

[fastfusion]

the Prince Royal was built about 1823 changed to screw propulsion and broken up about 1873...

her initial gun size was 121 reduced to 78 from memory.....

[crimea1854]

Can I suggest that the second witness was Sarah Malpas, wife of Edward Malpas, who was also a seaman in the Royal Navy, born and living in Portsea.

Martin

[rdarby]

Can I suggest that the second witness was Sarah Malpas, wife of Edward Malpas, who was also a seaman in the Royal Navy, born and living in Portsea.

Martin

Yes, thanks, you are probably right. Are you related, or know anything of Sarah & Edward Malpas? It is possible Sarah was the sister of Elizabeth Holland.
Roger

[Sharon01]

Hi,

In case you do not have this.

Elizabeth Holland married Edward Wells on 02/10/1842 at St Mary's Portsea.

Sharon

[Sharon01]

It seems that Elizabeth was already living with the Wells family in 1841.

William Wells 55
Ann Wells 55
Edwd Wells 20
Charles Wells 20
Elizabeth Holland 20
Ann Triggs 25
Robert Triggs 6 months

All born in county except the Triggs.
HO107/Piece 414/Book 3

Sharon

[rdarby]

Thanks Sharon; I had seen the marriage before, but hadn't thought to look in the census. Very interesting thanks. Also discovered that Edward Wells died in first quarter of 1843, in Portsea.
Elizabeth then married Charles Fisher Sheppeard in 1848. Their first child was Henry Charles Fisher Sheppeard, born 1849, died 1850. I wonder if it was the Cholera epidemic I read about?
I can't find Chas&Eliz in 1851 census; perhaps had cleared off to Australia already, although the family story was that they came in 1852/3.
Roger

[Raymond M]

Hi Roger, if it is of any value Sarah and Edward Malpas are in the 1881 census for Portsea Island. Sarah is 83 and Edward is 71 and shown as a Greenwich (ie ex RN) pensioner. Sarah died 2/5/1882 and Edward 12/6/1882, both deaths extracted from the Hampshire Telegraph BMD columns.
You may have said this elsewhere (sorry, new user of this site and still trying to navigate) but the LDS site shows baptisms of 2 children in Port Adelaide, South Australia to Charles Fisher Sheppeard and his wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth Patience in 1853 and Charles Keeble in 1857. The middle name Keeble might lead you onto an earlier family connection.
Finally and this may have nothing to do with your 'Hollands'. The Hampshire Telegraph & Sussex Chronicle of 26/10/1867 reports a complicated court case in Portsmouth in the matter of a will which involves a John Holland, Henry Holland, Sarah Holland and other family members. You might recognise some of the names - or at least have a slow good read followed by a stiff drink!
You can access this newspaper free via INFOTRAC online at your local library. (We can view f.o.c.  from home in Hampshire using our library card reference). Or you can view online via The British Library website.
Ray

[rdarby]

Thankyou Ray,
I will follow up on that newspaper article; I'm sure there will be something of interest there.
Yes you are right about the South Australian births.
I am still not sure exactly how/why/when this family came to Australia. If they were heading for the goldfields they didn't make it that far.The family story was that their ship the Patience was becalmed at sea near Adelaide at the time Elizabeth was due to give birth and the child was named Elizabeth Patience after the connection with the ship. I cannot find any records of such a vessel anywhere, or of their immigration on another vessel either. The next child was born in 1855 in Robe, South Australia.
 The Sheppeards were from Suffolk originally and I have found out quite a lot from the Suffolk county branch of this site. This is a very useful website and I have quite a few "discoveries" from it.
cheers,Roger