William Thomas Bennett Stephens was born in Clearwell, Gloucestershire in March 1840.  He was baptized in Clearwell on 8 August 1847.  He was the son of Matthew Stephens and Elizabeth (nee Bennett).  William arrived in Victoria on 15 February 1853 with his family aboard the South Sea.

William Married Ellen Webber on 20 December 1860 at Christ Church, Church of England, South Yarra, Victoria.

Ellen Webber was born in Cove, Devon on 11 November 1838.  She was the daughter of Thomas Parkhouse Webber and Jane (nee Oxland).  She arrived in Australia on 30 June 1857 with her family aboard the Tudor [2].

William and Ellen remained in Victoria 1853-1887 then moved to New South Wales in 1887.  William and Emma had ten children of whom two died in infancy.  Jesse Emmanuel (1861-1862, born Malvern), William Thomas Bennett (1863-1944, born Carlton), Matthew Henry (1865-1949, born Bairnsdale), James Benjamin (1867-1946, born Malvern), Alfred Stephen (1869-1945, born Camperdown), Mary Jane (1871-1933, born Camperdown), Frank Douglas (1873-1936, born Warrnambool), Ellen (1874-1954, born Warrnambool), Thomas Parkhouse (1878-1878, born Warrnambool) and Sydney (1879-1956, born Wangoom).  William’s occupation, as provided on the birth records of his children, was butcher, carter and contractor.

Following the death of William, Ellen lived with her youngest daughter, Ellen Moorhousen and her family [2].  Ellen lived to celebrate her 100th birthday.  She died on 15 November 1938 and is buried at Worona cemetery, Sutherland, New South Wales.

References and Notes:

[1]  Jansen, ME (editor) Warrnambool Pioneers’ Register Australian Institute of Genealogists, Warrnambool Branch, 2003, p 280, 346.

[2] Disembarked on July 4?  See letter written by Ellen Webber.

Links:

Clearwell, 1851 census

Christ Church, South Yarra

Passenger list for the South Sea 1853

  Index to Unassisted Inward Passenger Lists to Victoria 1852-1923

Passenger list for the Tudor 1857

  Index to Assisted British Immigration 1839-1871