Ellen Masters Baker1

#14498, (circa 1838-17 August 1919)
FatherReverend Edward Knight Baker1 (5 Jan 1805-20 Jan 1885)
MotherRuth Wayte1 (c 1802-9 Jun 1885)
ChartsWayte Family - descendants
Last Edited8 Dec 2022
Memorial marker for Ellen Masters Baker and her Daughter Ruth Tapley.
Source: Find a Grave Memorial 194184193
     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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Ellen Masters Baker was born circa 1838 at Mauritius.2,1 She was the daughter of Reverend Edward Knight Baker and Ruth Wayte.1

Ruth returned briefly to England on the John Bagshaw, arriving 31 July 1841 where "she entered the two oldest children in the missionary school at Walthamstow and the returned with the youngest to Mauritius".3 At about the age of 6, Ellen travelled with her 29 year old cousin Mary Leonard and her older sister Harriet from London on 25 July 1845 on the Templar.4,5 Ellen arrived at Port Adelaide, South Australia, on 24 November 1845.4



She married John Edward Tapley, an accountant from Adelaide, son of Richard Edward Tapley and Arabella McDonald, They were married at her parent's residence in a Congregationalist ceremony conducted by Ellen's father at Hillside House on Friday, 25 December 1857 at Morphett Vale, South Australia.. Others attending the wedding include Ruth Wayte as mother of the bride, Arabella McDonald as mother of the groom and Richard Edward Tapley as father of the groom. Brothers and sisters who may have attended include Harriet Whitridge Baker and Emma Frances Baker. John and Ellen went on to have two children together.6,7,8

She may have attended the wedding of her sister in the marriage of Reverend Charles Manthorpe and Harriet Whitridge Baker in a Congregational ceremony performed by Reverend Thomas Quinton Stow at her father's house on Thursday, 20 October 1859 at Morphett Vale, South Australia. Charles and Harriet went on to have as many as 13 children together.9,1

John travelled to Madras in 1860. He stayed their briefly before settling in Calcutta. Form there, John sent Ellen letters and small sums of money.10

John and Ellen story quickly took a turn for the worse:

However in 1863 when the sums stopped coming she travelled to Calcutta where she found him living under the name H. Clarton with another woman [whom he had married the year before]. He refused her request that he return to Australia with her.10,11

Back from her shocking trip to India, Ellen moved in with her parents where she lived for the next decade. She and John Edward Tapley were divorced in October 1873 and the Chief Justice stated that "it appeared to him the desertion and adultery were clearly proved". After the divorce, Ellen reverted to her maiden name.12,13

She married Charles Mosse Sprigg, a farmer marrying for the second time, in a Congregational ceremony conducted by her sister's husband Reverend Charles Manthorpe at Glenelg Congregational Church on Wednesday, 2 September 1874 at the Adelaide suburb of Glenelg.. Others who may have attended the wedding include Ruth Wayte as mother of the bride and Reverend Edward Knight Baker as father of the bride. Brothers and sisters who may have attended include Harriet Whitridge Baker. Charles and Ellen went on to have just one known child together.14,10

Her father died 20 January 1885 at the age of 80.

Her mother died 9 June 1885.

After their death in 1885, Ellen's parent's 8 room stone house passed to her.15

Ellen died on 17 August 1919 at her home at Morphett Vale, South Australia.16,1 Her body was interred at Bain's Cemetery on 18 August 1919 at Morphett Vale, South Australia.17,18

Timeline

DateEventPlace
Family
1838BirthMauritius2,1
1
1857Married Name10
1857MarriageHillside House, in Morphett Vale, South Australia6,7,8
1860Note memo only CR CR10
Quotation type 110,11
Note memo onlySouth Australia
1873Divorce12,13
1874Married Name10
1874Marriage at Glenelg Congregational Church in the Adelaide suburb of Glenelg14,10
1885Note memo only CR CR15
1919DeathMorphett Vale, South Australia16,1
1919BurialBain's Cemetery, in Morphett Vale, South Australia17,18

Family 1

John Edward Tapley (c 1837-6 Jan 1903)
Children

Family 2

Charles Mosse Sprigg (c 1823-1904)
Child

Citations

  1. [S864] E-mails from Carole Knight Baker to Tim Hill, 2015- 'Re: WAYTE families query' - 10 March 2015 at 14:49.
  2. [S321] The South Australian Advertiser, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1919 'Family Notices.', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), 18 August, p. 6, viewed 1 May, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5615859 (died in her 82nd year).
  3. [S865] Gwyn Campbell David Griffiths and the Missionary “History of Madagascar” p.863.
  4. [S532] Bound for South Australia (http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/fh/passengerlists/…) http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/fh/passengerlists/1845Templar.htm
  5. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1845 'The South Australian Register. ADELAIDE: Saturday, November 18, 1845.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 26 November, p. 3, viewed 23 April, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27451403
  6. [S865] Gwyn Campbell David Griffiths and the Missionary “History of Madagascar” p.876 (the year stated is incorrect).
  7. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1857 'Family Notices.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 31 December, p. 2, viewed 15 March, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49210027
  8. [S1152] Lavender Blue - The Tapleys (http://www.louisenordestgaard.com/Tapleys.html) RichardEdward Tapley 1811 to 1891 (http://www.louisenordestgaard.com/…).
  9. [S321] The South Australian Advertiser, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1859 'Family Notices.', The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889), 26 October, p. 2, viewed 2 May, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1198547
  10. [S865] Gwyn Campbell David Griffiths and the Missionary “History of Madagascar” p.876.
  11. [S1152] Lavender Blue - The Tapleys (http://www.louisenordestgaard.com/Tapleys.html) John Edward Tapley 1837 to 1903 (http://www.louisenordestgaard.com/…).
  12. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1873 'LAW AND CRIMINAL COURTS.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 28 October, p. 3, viewed 15 March, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39304939
  13. [S1152] Lavender Blue - The Tapleys (http://www.louisenordestgaard.com/Tapleys.html) John Edward Tapley 1837 to 1903 (http://www.louisenordestgaard.com/…) (for maiden name details).
  14. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1874 'Family Notices.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 5 September, p. 4, viewed 15 March, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39813915
  15. [S653] The City of Onkaparinga - Local Studies Online (http://www.onkaparingacity.com/libraries/localstudies/…) http://onkaparingacity.com/libraries/localstudies/…
  16. [S321] The South Australian Advertiser, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1919 'Family Notices.', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), 18 August, p. 6, viewed 1 May, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5615859
  17. [S592] Australia Cemeteries (http://www.australiancemeteries.com/) Morphett Vale - Bains Road Cemetery (http://www.australiancemeteries.com/sa/onkaparinga/…).
  18. [S466] Find a Grave (http://www.findagrave.com) Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194184193/… : accessed 17 December 2021), memorial page for Ellen Masters Baker Sprigg (1836–1919), Find a Grave Memorial ID 194184193, citing Morphett Vale Bains Cemetery, Morphett Vale, Onkaparinga City, South Australia, Australia ; Maintained by TanKris (contributor 49742925) .
  19. [S338] Ancestry.com.au Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com.au/).
  20. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1878 'Family Notices.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 26 January, p. 7 Supplement: Supplement to the South Australian Register., viewed 15 March, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article40777683