Margaret Sarah Westbrook

#198, (12 September 1822-11 June 1854)
FatherDr. Samuel Westbrook1 (13 Jun 1795-2 Mar 1866)
MotherMary Margaret Mason (7 May 1799-15 Aug 1853)
ChartsBarbara Nicholson - ancestors
Last Edited14 Sep 2022
WikiTree ID:https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Westbrook-769.
     NOTE: The information on this page is my research to date and is subject to change as I become better informed. I very much welcome any corrections or additional info you might have - my email address is at the bottom of this page. Whilst historical facts are not copyright, my writing about these facts are. If you wish to use any text from this site on Ancestry or on any other website, please ask me first - Tim Hill.
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Margaret was born on Thursday, 12 September 1822 at Tower Hamlets, London.2,3,4 She was the daughter of Dr. Samuel Westbrook and Mary Margaret Mason.1 Margaret Sarah Westbrook was baptised at St. Dunstan's and All Saints on Thursday, 10 October 1822 at Tower Hamlets, London.2,5,6,7

At the age of 6 Margaret emigrated from London on 4 March 1829 on the 'Calista' with her parents and younger siblings. They were consigned to Hobart.8,9,10 Margaret arrived at Swan River, Perth, Western Australia, on 31 May 1829 with her parents and younger siblings. They came via Rio de Janeiro with 47 passengers.9


However, it seems that the Swan River District was a considerable disappointment:
"On Saturday last the long expected Calista arrived from England, via the new settlement at Swan River. The accounts brought by this ship of that place are far from satisfactory. The proposed colonization would seem to be a total failure ... The entrance to Swan River was found totally inaccessible, even to boats ; there being not more than four feet water upon the bar over which it unceasingly broke. The stores, and every thing else taken from the shipping, was therefore of necessity landed upon the beach, and carried a long distance across the land to the river inside the bar, to be again embarked in boats for conveyance to the proposed settlement, some 8 or 10 miles up the river. But the very worst part of the "Peel Colony," (as Mr. Hume called it in Parliament) is that the country itself seems to be altogether unsuited for the residence of man. The land is barrenness itself. Sand, sandstone, and granite, with- out an acre of good land, as far as observation has gone. The want of water is also most seriously felt; instead of those purling streams, and bubbling springs, which the London papers spoke of, the only bubbling appears to have been that which the Peel folks effected. In a word, the whole scheme seems to be an entire failure of the most unqualified description."11




Further describing the circumstances:
"The expectations of the settlers were somewhat disappointed, the quality of the soil not being near equal to what they had been led to anticipate; several exploring parties had been into various parts of the interior, but all the good land they had met with was reckoned not to exceed 3,000 acres. Two distinct settlements had been formed, one about twelve or thirteen miles up the River, which had been named Perth, and where Captain Stirling had pitched his head-quarters ; the other, close to the mouth of the River, had been called Fremantle. At Perth they were busily engaged in building dwelling-houses and stores, but at Fremantle they were all residing in canteens brought out from England. They were greatly in want of artificers."12


Aparently Samuel thought he might buy some land in the area but he continued on to Hobart. The conditions may have something to do with it, as might of his continuing role as the Calista's doctor. But perhaps the most important consideration might be family; his mother, probably widowed, emigrated to Hobart two years before and had endured a shipwreck.12,13

At the age of 7 Margaret emigrated from Perth, Western Australia, on 21 September 1829 on the 'Calista' with her parents and younger siblings.9,12 Margaret arrived at Hobart on 24 October 1829 with her parents and younger siblings.9,14
She presumably moved with her parents to Launceston, Tasmania, circa 1830.15 She presumably moved with her parents to Clifton House, in New Norfolk, Tasmania, on 17 February 1835.16

She married Rev. Samuel Berjew Fookes, a schoolmaster who emigrated from Dorset, son of James MacKenzie Fooks and Jane Berjew, in a Church of England ceremony at St. John the Baptist on Saturday, 20 February 1847 at Buckland, Tasmania. She was 24 and her husband Samuel was 24.. Others who may have attended the wedding include Mary Margaret Mason as mother of the bride, Jane Berjew as mother of the groom. Brothers and sisters who may have attended include Catherine Jane Iles Fooks, Harriet Eleanor Westbrook, Henry Armstrong Westbrook, James Horatio Westbrook, Samuel John Westbrook and Harry Fookes Westbrook. Samuel and Margaret went on to have four children together, two of whom lived into their adulthood.17,18,19

Margaret, aged 25 and Rev. Samuel Berjew Fookes, aged 25 likely became the parents of Rev. Henry Samuel Cox Fookes on 11 January 1848 at Richmond, Tasmania.19 Margaret and Samuel lived in 1854 at Impression Bay (now Premaydena), Tasman Penninsula, Tasmania.20

Margaret died on 11 June 1854 at Impression Bay (now Premaydena), Tasman Penninsula, Tasmania, at age 31 on Trinity Sunday of cancer.6,21,4,22 She was buried at St. George's Anglican Church, in Sorrell, Tasmania.21,23

Margaret had an obituary written on 5 August 1854:
"At Impression Bay, Tasman's Peninsula on Trinity Sunday Sunday June 11th, Margaret Sarah the beloved wife of the Rev S. B. Fooks, Chaplain to the invalides, Aged 32 Years. Deeply lamented by all who knew her."24,7

Timeline

DateEventPlace
Family
1822BirthTower Hamlets, London2,3,4
1
1822BaptismSt. Dunstan's and All Saints, Tower Hamlets, London2,5,6,7
1847MarriageSt. John the Baptist, in Buckland, Tasmania17,18,19
1847Married Name17,18,19
1854ResidenceImpression Bay (now Premaydena), Tasman Penninsula, Tasmania20
1854DeathImpression Bay (now Premaydena), Tasman Penninsula, Tasmania6,21,4,22
BurialSt. George's Anglican Church, in Sorrell, Tasmania21,23
1854Quotation type 124,7

Family

Rev. Samuel Berjew Fookes (27 Aug 1822-2 Nov 1892)
Children

Citations

  1. [S318] Kemp Family History (http://www.kempfamilyhistory.com) http://www.kempfamilyhistory.com/getperson.php
  2. [S1074] London. London Metropolitan Archives, London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1813-1917 Name: Margaret Sarah Westbrook; Gender: Female; Record Type: Baptism; Baptism Date:
    10 Oct 1822; Baptism Place: St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney High Street, Stepney, Tower Hamlets, England; Father: Samuel Westbrook; Mother: Aoury Westbrook; Register Type: Parish Register.
  3. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.3).
  4. [S1324] Australian Medial Pioneers Index (http://www.medicalpioneers.com/) http://www.medicalpioneers.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi (for year).
  5. [S569] Victor Malham,"Descendents of Samuel Brejew Fookes, Rev.PDF," , 23rd March 2012. Currently held by Tim Hill's collection, e-mail address page 1 (for place of birth and date).
  6. [S276] Westbrooks (http://www.vintners.net/~mikel/family/westbroo.html) http://www.vintners.net/~mikel/family/westbroo.html
  7. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.8).
  8. [S606] Western Australian Genealogical Society Inc. (http://wags.org.au) Settlers Gazette (http://wags.org.au/o/1829-ships/1829-shipping-arrivals/…).
  9. [S338] Ancestry.com.au Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com.au/) Archives Office of Tasmania; Tasmania, Australia; Reports of ships arrivals with lists of passengers; Film Number: SLTX/AO/MB/1; Series Number: MB2/39/1/1 ( http://search.Ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll).
  10. [S638] The Colonial Times (Hobart), Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 1829 'SHIP NEWS.', Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857), 30 October, p. 2, viewed 12 October, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8644627 (for departure date).
  11. [S590] The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1829 'SWAN RIVER.', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 26 November, p. 3, viewed 8 April, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2193945
  12. [S590] The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1829 'ADVANCE AUSTRALIA SYDNEY GAZETTE AND NEW SOUTH WALES ADVERTISER.', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 3 November, p. 2, viewed 8 April, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2193745
  13. [S608] The Colonial Times and Tasmanian Advertiser, Hobart, Tasmania, 1827 'Loss of the Hope.', Colonial Times and Tasmanian Advertiser (Hobart, Tas. : 1825 - 1827), 4 May, p. 2, viewed 9 April, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2450112
  14. [S638] The Colonial Times (Hobart), Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 1829 'SHIP NEWS.', Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857), 30 October, p. 2, viewed 12 October, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8644627
  15. [S638] The Colonial Times (Hobart), Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 1831 'Advertising.', Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857), 15 June, p. 1, viewed 12 October, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8645911
  16. [S609] The Hobart Town Courier, Hobart, Tasmania, 1835 'Classified Advertising.', The Hobart Town Courier (Tas. : 1827 - 1839), 20 February, p. 3, viewed 12 October, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4181622
  17. [S273] Tasmania, Marriage Certificate, 1847#1400 (Index only).
  18. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.3) (for exact place and minister).
  19. [S569] Victor Malham,"Descendents of Samuel Brejew Fookes, Rev.PDF," , 23rd March 2012. Currently held by Tim Hill's collection, e-mail address page 1.
  20. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.20).
  21. [S477] Australia Cemetery Index, 1808-2007 Ancestry.com, Cemetery: St. George Anglican, Cemetery Location: Sorell, Hobart.
  22. [S911] WikiTree (http://www.wikitree.com/) https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Westbrook-769 (for cause of death).
  23. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.8) (for inscriptions).
  24. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1854 'Family Notices', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 5 August, p. 2. , viewed 22 Nov 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49205149