Sometimes when doing your family history, questions come to mind that
are 'wonderings' that you are unlikely to find an answer for. One such
question for me is: "Why did Catherine travel across the Tasman from
Victoria to Greymouth on the West Coast, as a young single woman?"
Catherine Rowland was born on 26 August 1845 to Christopher Rowland and Margaret Arbuckle, in Heidelberg, Victoria, and baptised in St James Church, Melbourne. Two more children were born in East Brighton, Melbourne, including Margaret Jane, the youngest, who also came to New Zealand later. Sadly their mother Margaret died in 1861 of consumption, and was buried in Kyneton, Victoria. Margaret was only 16 years old at the time (and Margaret Jane only four.)
What happened to Catherine in the intervening years is unclear, but she married James Lalor on 14 September 1871 in the Roman Catholic Chapel, Greymouth. Not much information was collected for marriage documents in NZ at that time and we can only glean a few facts. In her 'intentions to marry' document held at National Archives (NZ) she was said to be a spinster of full age, and although it is not clearly legible, her length of residence appears to be 8 months. This would make it possible that she crossed the Tasman in early 1871, with the caveat that 'length of residence' could have been interpreted as in the district, or in New Zealand.
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| Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 981. 18 September 1871 |
The only other document that we have that gives an indication about when Catherine might have arrived in NZ is her death registration. She lived a good long life in South Beach, Greymouth, until she died aged 83 of sudden myocardial failure on 3 January 1934. She was said to have been in NZ for 62 years, and this would give a time of arrival around 1871-2.
These two dates are consistent, and it seems that she did in fact arrive in New Zealand not many months before her marriage in September 1871. (Shipping records between Melbourne and Greymouth of the time are hard to come by.)
So the questions remain, did she cross alone as such a young woman? Or was she with a friend? Did she know someone in Greymouth, or did she just make the crossing in the hope that a better life existed for her away from Victoria? It is unlikely I will find answers, but it is still a nice thing to wonder about.
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| Catherine Rowland (Lalor) with a child (thought to be Eileen Hamilton) |
