Sunday, April 20, 2008

laurencestephenson - The Good Doctor and his Family

laurencestephenson - The Good Doctor and his Family: "Dr Richard Stephenson LS.A Lond 1884 arrived in Melbourne sometime in 1856. Why he came we can only guess, how he arrived is also a mystery, but arrive he did. Some time after arriving he married Anne Butcher a lady of quality and moved with his new wife to Berwick, with the unbound vision of a young couple they planned to settle and raise a family in this small farming community.

Alas not all things go as planned and soon Richard discovered the people of Berwick could not support his fledgling family. He turned his hand to part time teaching at Narre Warren North and private tuition in surveying. This was not enough to keep the family, so he bought a practice at Donny Brook (now Kalkallo). In a short time this business failed and the good doctor was declared insolvent.

They lived on at Donnybrook for a time but in 1867 Richard succumbed to T.B. and died leaving his family destitute. Annie along with her young family returned to Berwick where she had many friends. She was welcomed back and the locals built them a small cottage on land adjoining the old Mechanics Institute in Irby Street (now known as Rutland Road) With work cleaning the local church and organizing the Mechanics Institute Library the family was once again secure.

Disclaimer

I remind everyone that this site is only as good as the information I am given.

A good percentage of information on this site is as yet untested and can only be taken as a guide.

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