Catherine Jane Iles Fooks

#188, (23 June 1819-14 May 1904)
FatherJames MacKenzie Fooks (7 Dec 1780-22 Oct 1824)
MotherJane Berjew (26 Dec 1778-15 Apr 1875)
Last Edited15 Oct 2022
WikiTree ID:https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Fooks-96.
Catherine's signature from her wedding certificate, 1839
     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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Catherine Jane Iles Fooks was likely born on 23 June 1819 at Weymouth, Dorset.1,2 She was the daughter of James MacKenzie Fooks and Jane Berjew. Catherine Jane Iles Fooks may have been born on 25 June 1819 at Weymouth, Dorset.3,4 Catherine Jane Iles Fooks was also known as Catherine Jane Eyles Fooks.5

Her father died 22 October 1824 at the age of 43. Catherine was aged 5 when this happened.6

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. Catherine was granted £20. This was equivalent to half the annual wage of a labourer..7,8

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.. Catherine was granted £20. This was equivalent to half the annual wage of a labourer..7,8

She married John Berjew, a schoolmaster, son of Charles Berjew and Susan Hooke, in a Church of England ceremony at St. Mary's on Wednesday, 11 September 1839 at Melcombe Regis, Weymouth, Dorset. Her husband was also nephew of her mother..9,10,4,11

At the age of 21 Catherine emigrated from London on 5 July 1840 on the 'Waterloo' with her husband, her mother and her brother.12,13,14 After a voyage of about 5 months Catherine arrived at Port Adelaide, South Australia, on 9 November 1840 with her family.13,15,14


In 1846, Catherine founded a ladies seminary at their home on at Kermode Street in the Adelaide suburb of North Adelaide.16

On 5 September 1846 they published an advertisment in the Adelaide papers:
North Adelaide Academy, Kermode-Street
Mr J. Berjew (late conductor of Milborne Port Academy, Somersetshire, England) respectfully informs the inhabitants of North and South Adelaide, that, on Monday the 28th instant, he purposes opening a School for the education of young gentlemen, and trusts, from his experience in scholastic duties, as well as his thorough knowledge of R.F. Hearle's universally approved system of teaching, that those pupils entrusted to his charge will make such progress as will ensure him the liberal support he will make it his study to merit.
The course of instruction includes Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Grammar, Geography, History, &c., &c., on the following terms: -
Per Quarter £ s. d.
Young gentlemen above eight years of age .. 1 1 0
Young gentlemen under eight years of age .. 0 15 0
Ladies' Seminary
[Alteration of Terms]
Mrs J. Berjew begs to inform her friends that after the 29th instant her terms for educating young ladies above ten years of age, will be 15s per quarter, and under ten years, 10s per quarter.17,18



She may have attended the wedding of her brother in the marriage of Rev. Samuel Berjew Fookes and Margaret Sarah Westbrook in a Church of England ceremony at St. John the Baptist on Saturday, 20 February 1847 at Buckland, Tasmania. Samuel and Margaret went on to have four children together, two of whom lived into their adulthood.19,20,21 She presumably lived with her spouse John at Kermode Street, in North Adelaide, in 1848.22

In July 1849 due to a lawsuit, the family had to sell their furniture and effects by auction.16 She presumably moved with her husband John to Melbourne in 1851.23 She presumably moved with her husband John to Circular Head, Tasmania, in April 1856.23 On 18 August 1871 they placed an advestisment in the paper in Stanley, Tasmania.
The Stanley Meteor 18 Aug 1871
Photograph by Tim
Catherine and John lived in April 1875 at Stanley, Tasmania.24

Her mother died 15 April 1875 at the age of 96. Catherine was aged 55 when this happened.

Catherine, as the mother of the bride, along with John may have attended the wedding of Eleanor and Sydney Harnett Wragg, a farmer, in a Church of England ceremony at St. Paul's on Monday, 14 April 1879 at Stanley, Tasmania.. Others who may have attended include . Sydney and Eleanor went on to have five children together.25,26 She presumably lived with her spouse John at Burnie, Tasmania, in 1884.23,27 Catherine lived with her daughter and her daughter's husband circa 1900 at Burnie, Tasmania.23

Catherine died on 14 May 1904 at Wilson Street, in Burnie, Tasmania, at age 84. "Mrs Berjew retired to her room about 10 o'clock on Saturday night in her usual health and spirits, and a few minutes later ... they found the unfortunate lady on her bed in a state of collapse, and she died within a few minutes without having regained consciousness".23,28,4 Her body was interred at Wivenhoe General Cemetery at Burnie, Tasmania.29

An obituary was published about Catherine on 16 May 1904.30

Timeline

DateEventPlace
Family
1819Birth-LikelyWeymouth, Dorset1,2
1819Birth-CandidateWeymouth, Dorset3,4
1839Married Name4
1839MarriageSt. Mary's, Melcombe Regis, Weymouth, Dorset9,10,4,11
1846Note memo only CR CR at Kermode Street in the Adelaide suburb of North Adelaide16
1846Quotation type 317,18
1849Note memo only CR CR16
1875ResidenceStanley, Tasmania24
1904DeathWilson Street, in Burnie, Tasmania23,28,4
BurialWivenhoe General Cemetery, in Burnie, Tasmania29
1904Note memo only CR CR30

Family

John Berjew (1815-19 Mar 1894)
Children

Citations

  1. [S806] Jane Fookes,"Extract from Jane Fookes' bible," Bible extract, vital dates , n.d.. Currently held by unknown repository, unknown repository address (for date).
  2. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.3).
  3. [S566] The Examiner, Launceston, Tasmania, 1904 'DEATH OF AN OLD COLONIST.', Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), 6 July, p. 2 Edition: DAILY., viewed 26 May, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article35810840
  4. [S255] The Berjew Family,.
  5. [S766] E-mails from Donald Reid to Tim Hill, 2014- 'Re:Descendants of James MCKENZIE (Family Tree Maker)' - 12 March 2014 09:45 attachment 'John BERJEW Note ex J Breheny.jpg.'
  6. [S274] Grahame R. Fooks, The Fooks Family Records p.4.
  7. [S781] England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills Ancestry.com, The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 1754.
  8. [S561] Dorset Online Parish Clerks (http://www.opcdorset.org/) Cerne Abbas - Wills Extracts A - M (https://www.opcdorset.org/BradfordAbbas/…).
  9. [S1109] England, Dorset, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1921 Ancestry.com, (www.ancestry.com) Name: James M Fooks; Gender: Male; Child: Catharine Jane Isla Fooks.
  10. [S1402] The Sherborne Mercury, Sherborne, Dorset, England, 16th Sep 1839 p.3.
  11. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.3) (for exact place).
  12. [S1217] Oz Ships - Australian shipping 1788-1968 (http://www.ozships.net/) 'Waterloo' - 5/7/1840 to 9/11/1840 http://www.ozships.net/ozships/events/2/171.htm#10449 (The family's name is transcribed as 'Tooks').
  13. [S386] South Australian Migrant Shipping (1836-1860) (http://www.perthdps.com/shipping/mig-sa1.htm#sa1) Waterloo 9th Nov 1840 (This citation is for the date and details of the ship; the presence of the Fooks family on it has not been verified.).
  14. [S256] Grahame R. Fooks, The Fooks Family, 1780-1980 p.4.
  15. [S1216] The South Australian Record and Australasian and South African Chronicle, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1840 'SHIPWRECK.—LOSS OF THE BARQUE LANCIER.', South Australian Record and Australasian and South African Chronicle (SA : 1840 - 1841), 18 July, p. 7. , viewed 22 Nov 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245932986
  16. [S415] Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org) John Berjew https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Berjew
  17. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, "Advertising," South Australian Register, Saturday 5 Sep 1846, p. 1 (as reported by Penny Mercer).
  18. [S1017] E-mails from Penny Mercer to Tim Hill, 2018- 'John Berjew' - 29 January 2018 at 19:02.
  19. [S273] Tasmania, Marriage Certificate, 1847#1400 (Index only).
  20. [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).
  21. [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.
  22. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1848 'Family Notices.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 3 June, p. 2, viewed 27 May, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48727078
  23. [S768] The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times, Tasmania, Australia, 1904 'Sudden Death at Burnie.', The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times (Tas. : 1899 - 1919), 16 May, p. 3, viewed 26 May, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65132305
  24. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.2).
  25. [S273] Tasmania, Marriage Certificate, 1879 #318/186.
  26. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.6).
  27. [S767] The Wellington Times and Agricultural and Mining Gazette, Tasmania, Australia, 1894 'No title.', Wellington Times and Agricultural and Mining Gazette (Tas. : 1890 - 1897), 22 March, p. 3, viewed 26 May, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64960131
  28. [S566] The Examiner, Launceston, Tasmania, 1904 'COUNTRY NEWS.', Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), 17 May, p. 7 Edition: DAILY., viewed 26 May, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article35804042 (for exact location).
  29. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.5).
  30. [S768] The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times, Tasmania, Australia, 1904 'Sudden Death at Burnie.', The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times (Tas. : 1899 - 1919), 16 May, p. 3, viewed 26 May, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65132305 (Sudden Death at Burnie.
    AN OLD COASTAL RESIDENT.
    An old and greatly respected resident of the North-West Coast passed away to her last long rest on Saturday night in the person of Mrs Catherine Berjew, of Burnie. Deceased resided with her daughter, Mrs Alfred Stutterd, of Burnie, and had of late not been in good health. Still, Mrs Berjew retired to her room about 10 o'clock on Saturday night in her usual health and spirits, and a few minutes later the attention of Mrs and Miss Stutterd was attracted by a noise in the bedroom. On going thither they found the unfortunate lady on her bed in a state of collapse, and she died within a few minutes without having regained consciousness. Dr Rooke was summoned, but could not render any aid- Deceased had reached the ripe old age of 86.
    Mr and Mrs Berjew left England in the sailing ship Waterloo in June, 1840. and landed in Adelaide in December of the same year. They left Adelaide for Melbourne in 1851, and went from Melbourne to Circular Head in April, 1856, 48 years ago ; and for 28 years they conducted a high class school at Stanley. They removed to Burnie in 1884, where in 1889 they celebrated their golden wedding. In 1890 Mr Berjew had a stroke of paralysis from which he suffered for four years, and Mrs Berjew herself undertook for a time the management of the school, which they had opened, relinquishing it in 1891. Mr Berjew died in March, 1894—10 years ago —and since the deceased lady had resided with Mrs Stutterd. Mrs Berjew was born at Weymouth, England, in 1818— the year in which the late Queen Victoria was born — and was thus eighty-six years of age at the time of her death. She leaves a very large circle of relatives and friends, being connected with many well-known families in different districts of the North-West Coast. There were six children in her family, of whom only two daughters survive— Mrs Alfred Stutterd of Burnie, and Mrs Joseph Alfred, of Melbourne. The deceased lady was widely esteemed, and very many will miss the dear old lady who was 'gran' to so large a number of personal friends. The sincerest sympathy will be extended to the bereaved relatives.
    The funeral will take place to-morrow. Last night at St George's Church, Burnie, appropriate reference was made to the death of Mrs Berjew— who was one of the oldest members of the church— by the rector, Rev J. Tryon Wilson ; and at the conclusion of the service the organist, Mr Walter Richards played 'The Dead March in Saul.').
  31. [S356] GEDCOM file created by Lynda Creely, 21 March 2011.