Nat Gould

Francis Henry Marryat

Francis Henry Marryat was born on 29 October 1850 at 25 Great Portland Street in London, the son of Samuel Francis Marryat and Frances Alice Turner.

His father died at Mercer Lodge, Kensington Gore in London in 1855. His mother remarried in 1860.

On 23 August 1860 Francis Henry Marryat sailed with his mother and her second husband Charles Everest for Melbourne in Australia, arriving there on 24 November 1860. The ship was the Lord Raglan, a 756 ton vessel built in Cardiff in 1854 that was used in the 1850s and 1860s for transporting convicts to Australia. The family sailed as saloon passengers, however (1).

In Melbourne Francis Henry Marryat became a printer and stationer (2). He married Miriam Sophia Jones and they had three children Francis Albert Marryat, Benjamin Francis Marryat, and Frances Alice Marryat.

Their daughter Frances Alice Marryat (known as Ali) was born in 1886 in Melbourne. She married Robert John Kerr (known as Robbie) in 1921 in Melbourne, and they lived at 54 Airlie Street, South Yarra (3).

Francis Henry Marryat died in Melbourne on 4 October 1928. He was buried at the New Melbourne Cemetery, Fawkner on 5 October 1928 (4).

His wife Miriam Sophia Marryat died on 17 October 1930 (5).

(1) Diary of Albert G. Smith, a crew member. This manuscript is currently (October 2010) offered for sale by by M. Benjamin Katz of Toronto, Canada. The relevant portion reads: “List of Saloon Passengers: Mr. Charles Everest, nephew of Colonel Fanshaw going out with no settled views; Mrs. Everest, late daughter-in-law of Capt. Marryat inventor of the Marryat Code of Signals…with her son Frank by her first marriage at age 15. She used to sing solos at the Roman Catholic Chapel…but lost her voice when she commenced traveling with her husband; --- ”.
(2) The Argus (Melbourne) newspaper dated 1 May 1862.
(3) They had a son Peter Kerr born in 1925 who attended Scotch College. Frances Alice (Ali) was remembered as being dark, with a striking face and pronounced nose, and that she was an extremely good dressmaker: information of Sally Douglas of Melbourne, Australia.
(4) "MARRYAT.—On the 4th October, 1828 Francis Henry, beloved father of Mr and Mrs. Francis Albert Marryat, loving grandfather of Nat, Betty, Lorraine, and Francis, aged 78 years." : The Argus (Melbourne) 5 October 1928.
(5) "17th October, at Bethesda Hospital, Miriam Sophia Marryat, beloved wife of the late Francis Henry Marryat, mother of Frances Alice (Mrs. Kerr), Francis Albert, and Benjamin Francis." [[The Argus (Melbourne) 20 October 1930.]