Jane Berjew

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Jane was born on Saturday, 26 December 1778 at the village of Up Cerne near the town of Cerne Abbas, Dorset.^1,2 She was the daughter of Samuel Berjew and Catherine Wiltshire. Jane Berjew was baptised on Tuesday, 28 March 1780 at Up Cerne, Cerne Abbas, Dorset.¹

She married James MacKenzie Fooks, an architect and builder at the start of his career, son of William Fooks and Ann Williams MacKenzie, by licence in a Church of England ceremony by Reverend Edward Matthew West at St. Mary's on Tuesday, 2 March 1802 at the village of Bradford Abbas near the town of Sherbourne, Dorset. She was 23 and her husband James was 21. The wedding certificate was also signed by Mary Ann Barbara Berjew. Others who may have attended the wedding include Catherine Wiltshire as mother of the bride, Samuel Berjew as father of the bride, Ann Williams MacKenzie as mother of the groom and William Fooks as father of the groom. James and Jane went on to have nine known children together.^3,4,5,6,7,8It isn't clear why they were married in Bradford Abbas, Sherbourne, Dorset. Marriages typically happened in the bride's parish, but Jane's father was a rector at Cerne Abbas, seventeen kilometres away, before and after the marriage. The vicar who married then had been the incumbent at this church for 25 years; he would have no doubt known Jane's father. People with the name of Fooks were witnesses to marriages before and after this wedding, but none apparently closely related to James.⁹At the time of their wedding, Bradford Abbas had a population of about 480, with 82 small cottages, the church, a school and three or four public houses; economic conditions for the villagers was poor.¹⁰ Jane and James lived at 8 St. Thomas Street, Melcombe Regis, Weymouth, Dorset.¹¹

On April 28th 1811 their nine day old son, James' name-sake, died. This must have been deeply distressing to James and his deeply religous wife.¹² Just nine months later their first daughter Catherine died, whilst Jane was about six months pregnant. When he was born this child, also called James MacKenzie Fooks was to only live eighteen months. Jane was pregnant again soon, but this son, also with the same name, only lived seventeen months. Of their five children so far, only the first two sons were still alive.¹¹ She presumably lived with her spouse James at Melcombe Regis, Weymouth, Dorset, in 1814.¹³

Jane's child James received his baptism on Sunday, 30 January 1814 at Up Cerne, Cerne Abbas, Dorset. His family travelled at least 15 miles - a journey of several hours - so he could be baptised in the church his mother's father was rector of.^14,15

Her father died 11 October 1820 at the approximate age of 93. Jane was aged 41 when this happened.

Jane, aged 43 and James MacKenzie Fooks, aged 41 became the parents of Rev. Samuel Berjew Fookes on Tuesday, 27 August 1822 at Weymouth, Dorset.^2,16 Jane Berjew was a witness at the wedding of Lazarus Roberts and Mary Fooks at the parish mother church of St. Mary's on Thursday, 6 March 1823 at Radipole, Weymouth, Dorset. They went on to have a dozen children together..¹⁷

In James MacKenzie Fooks's will, his wife Jane Berjew was named sole executor by James to handle his estate on 18 October 1824. He made the will four days before his death. The entirely of his estate was left to his wife, although he asked that she also make funds available for the "support, maintenance and education of his children". He also nominated some prominent citzens as trustees and willed that the interest and dividends from his estate be used for their benefit. Further, when his children became 21 (or married) they were to get an equal share of the estate..^18,19

Her husband James died 22 October 1824 at the age of 43, leaving her a widow at age 45. She was to live another 50 years without him.²⁰

In Jane Iles's will on 6 November 1824 at Dorset Mary Ann Barbara Berjew, Catherine Jane Iles Fooks, Charles Berjew Fooks, William Samuel Fooks, Rev. Samuel Berjew Fookes, James MacKenzie Fooks, Ann Williams MacKenzie and Jane Fooks were named as heirs. Jane was granted £20. This was equivalent to half the annual wage of a labourer..^21,22

The will of James MacKenzie Fooks, in which Jane Berjew was named sole executrix was probated on 16 April 1825.¹⁸

The will of Jane Iles, in which Mary Ann Barbara Berjew, Catherine Jane Iles Fooks, Charles Berjew Fooks, William Samuel Fooks, Rev. Samuel Berjew Fookes, James MacKenzie Fooks, Ann Williams MacKenzie and Jane Fooks were named as heirs was proved on 24 April 1829 at Dorset.. Jane was granted £20. This was equivalent to half the annual wage of a labourer..^21,22

60 was allotted some land in Adelaide (Land Order number 302.)²³

At the age of 61 Jane emigrated with her son Samuel and her son William, his wife and four children, her daughter and her son-in-law from London on 5 July 1840 on the 'Waterloo.^24,25,26' After a voyage of about 5 months Jane arrived at Port Adelaide, South Australia, on 9 November 1840.^25,27,26


She was apparently was one of the Grantees of Adelaide Town Acres showing 'Jane FOOKS of Dorset, Widow.²⁸'

Jane, as the mother of the groom, may have attended the wedding of Samuel and Margaret Sarah Westbrook in a Church of England ceremony at St. John the Baptist on Saturday, 20 February 1847 at Buckland, Tasmania. Samuel was 24 and his wife Margaret was 24.. Others who may have attended include Mary Margaret Mason as mother of the bride and Dr. Samuel Westbrook as father of the bride. Samuel and Margaret went on to have four children together, two of whom lived into their adulthood.^29,30,31 She was living with her daughter Catherine's family at Stanley, Tasmania, in April 1875.²⁸

Jane died on 15 April 1875 at Stanley, Tasmania, at age 96.^32,33 Her body was interred at Stanley Pioneer Burial Ground on 19 April 1875 at Stanley, Tasmania. The Discovery Centre at Stanley has a copy of the Burial Register for the old Stanley Cemetery. Jane FOOKS is not listed in this register but there is a record of a Jane FOSTER aged 97 having been buried at the Old Stanley Cemetery on April 19th 1875. On the presumption that there would not have been two Jane F's of this age buried around this time we can assume that this is the burial record for Jane FOOKS which has been transcribed incorrectly. There is no marker for Jane FOOKS but we can also assume she would have been buried close to the KING Family..^28,34