Caroline Merrin
James Merrin > John Merrin > Caroline Merrin > John Merrin
Caroline Winifred Merrin was the second child and oldest daughter of John Merrin and his wife, Catherine, nee Cavanagh. She was the sister of my great-grandfather and hence my great-great-aunt.
I am interested in Carrie's story because she fell pregnant at the age of 36 when she was unmarried and was sent away from Sydney to give birth to her son. She died, a single woman, of cancer of the uterus in a hospice for impoverished people in Sydney.
I am interested in Carrie's story because she fell pregnant at the age of 36 when she was unmarried and was sent away from Sydney to give birth to her son. She died, a single woman, of cancer of the uterus in a hospice for impoverished people in Sydney.
Early Life
Carrie was born at home in Morrisset Street, Bathurst, on 12 February 1862. Her birth was registered by her father on 28 March in Bathurst.
Carrie's father, John Merrin, was an Irishman who had emigrated to New South Wales in 1856 to become a policeman. When Carrie was born in 1862 he was a mounted policeman stationed in Bathurst however the family moved to several other towns in the area during the course of Carrie's childhood as John's career in the police force progressed. At various times, the family also lived in Mudgee, Hartley, Gulgong, Carcoar and Cowra.
Carrie's father, John Merrin, was an Irishman who had emigrated to New South Wales in 1856 to become a policeman. When Carrie was born in 1862 he was a mounted policeman stationed in Bathurst however the family moved to several other towns in the area during the course of Carrie's childhood as John's career in the police force progressed. At various times, the family also lived in Mudgee, Hartley, Gulgong, Carcoar and Cowra.
Teaching Career
The introduction of the Public Instruction Act in 1880 meant parents of children aged between six and 14 years of age had to ensure that their children attended school for a period of no less than seventy days every half-year. This in turn meant that enrolments in government schools jumped in 1880 by 25% and the government had to find teachers to cater for this growth in enrolments. There were also further increases from 1883 when the government system absorbed pupils from denominational schools which had either been converted into government schools or had been closed due to the withdrawal of state aid [1].
In 1880 the NSW Government stated its intention to establish a number of public schools in the mining areas around Gulgong, including at a place known as Wyaldra Creek. A few months later it announced that "The Diamond Mines, Wyaldra Creek School" would be designated "Beryl" [2].
Carrie Merrin would not have had many years of schooling however she was single and seems to have benefited from the need for more teachers in the early 1880s. In 1882 she was 20 years old and, on 28 November 1882, was "instructed to take temporary charge of Beryl P(ublic School)". On 6 December 1885, she moved from Beryl P School to Avisford P School. Beryl and Avisford are two of many once-thriving gold-mining communities that now exist only as localities near Gulgong.
In 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886 and 1887, Carrie sat an examination for teachers but "failed to obtain promotion". It seems that success in these examinations meant that the teacher would be promoted to teach an older class and perhaps also be eligible for further training by the Education Department. On 3 March 1888, Carrie resigned from her position as teacher of Avisford Public School due to ill health [3].
In 1880 the NSW Government stated its intention to establish a number of public schools in the mining areas around Gulgong, including at a place known as Wyaldra Creek. A few months later it announced that "The Diamond Mines, Wyaldra Creek School" would be designated "Beryl" [2].
Carrie Merrin would not have had many years of schooling however she was single and seems to have benefited from the need for more teachers in the early 1880s. In 1882 she was 20 years old and, on 28 November 1882, was "instructed to take temporary charge of Beryl P(ublic School)". On 6 December 1885, she moved from Beryl P School to Avisford P School. Beryl and Avisford are two of many once-thriving gold-mining communities that now exist only as localities near Gulgong.
In 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886 and 1887, Carrie sat an examination for teachers but "failed to obtain promotion". It seems that success in these examinations meant that the teacher would be promoted to teach an older class and perhaps also be eligible for further training by the Education Department. On 3 March 1888, Carrie resigned from her position as teacher of Avisford Public School due to ill health [3].
Birth of a Son
In 1898, Carrie was 36 years old and unmarried when she fell pregnant.
I am not sure where Carrie was living at the time but I suspect she was living in Mudgee with her parents and younger siblings. Her father, John, had retired from the police force by then and was acting as a part-time warden at the gaol in Mudgee. Her older sister, Mary Ann (Minnie) had married in 1883 and was living in Port Macquarie with her husband and children. John and Catherine Merrin "and family", moved from Mudgee to Sydney in March 1900.
In 1898, Carrie was sent to Port Macquarie to give birth to her son, John, who was recorded as being illegitimate. It is likely she was sent there while she was pregnant so she could give birth away from anyone who knew her. No father's name was recorded on John's birth certificate and I've never been able to discover who his father was, nor what became of him. I do know that Carrie and John came back to Sydney at some stage as both eventually died in Sydney.
Carrie's mother, Catherine, died in Port Macquarie is 1903 when Carrie's son would have been about 5. Were Carrie and her son still living in Port Macquarie is 1903?
I am not sure where Carrie was living at the time but I suspect she was living in Mudgee with her parents and younger siblings. Her father, John, had retired from the police force by then and was acting as a part-time warden at the gaol in Mudgee. Her older sister, Mary Ann (Minnie) had married in 1883 and was living in Port Macquarie with her husband and children. John and Catherine Merrin "and family", moved from Mudgee to Sydney in March 1900.
In 1898, Carrie was sent to Port Macquarie to give birth to her son, John, who was recorded as being illegitimate. It is likely she was sent there while she was pregnant so she could give birth away from anyone who knew her. No father's name was recorded on John's birth certificate and I've never been able to discover who his father was, nor what became of him. I do know that Carrie and John came back to Sydney at some stage as both eventually died in Sydney.
Carrie's mother, Catherine, died in Port Macquarie is 1903 when Carrie's son would have been about 5. Were Carrie and her son still living in Port Macquarie is 1903?
Illness and Death
Carrie Merrin died on 18 January 1921 at the age of 53 at the Home of Peace, Marrickville. Her death certificate notes that she died of cancer of the uterus and that she had been ill for 15 months.
Her death certificate also states that Carrie was "late of Avoca Street, Bondi" and that she was unmarried. No child is listed. Carrie's older brother, John George Merrin, who lived at Bondi at the time, was the informant and also attended the burial. Their mother had died in 1903 and their father in 1912.
Her death certificate also states that Carrie was "late of Avoca Street, Bondi" and that she was unmarried. No child is listed. Carrie's older brother, John George Merrin, who lived at Bondi at the time, was the informant and also attended the burial. Their mother had died in 1903 and their father in 1912.
Burial
Carrie was buried at the Roman Catholic Cemetery, Waverley on 19 January 1921. She shares a grave with her sister, Gertrude Mary Gunnell, who died in 1912 [4,5].
What happened to Carrie's son?
Carrie's son, John Merrin, died on 24 April 1927. He is buried in an unmarked grave at Field of Mars Cemetery in Sydney (Roman Catholic, Section E, Grave #1895).
Clearly John eventually came back to Sydney because he is buried in Sydney however I think it's possible he spent some of his life elsewhere in New South Wales. There is a John G Merrin who married Ivy L Silk in Hamilton in 1922 (NSW BDM 7089/1922). John would have been 24 at the time. Is this Carrie's son? I searched between 1921 and 1922 and could not find any children of this marriage.
Carrie's brother Peter Arthur Merrin lived in Newcastle at least during the years between 1919 and 1923. He was a commercial traveller and also worked for 30 years at a company called Stuart Walker & Co. This would suggest that he was well-known in Newcastle and perhaps fairly comfortably-off. Perhaps John was in Newcastle because his uncle lived there. He may have helped John find work and may even have acted as a father-figure and mentor to him.
Clearly John eventually came back to Sydney because he is buried in Sydney however I think it's possible he spent some of his life elsewhere in New South Wales. There is a John G Merrin who married Ivy L Silk in Hamilton in 1922 (NSW BDM 7089/1922). John would have been 24 at the time. Is this Carrie's son? I searched between 1921 and 1922 and could not find any children of this marriage.
Carrie's brother Peter Arthur Merrin lived in Newcastle at least during the years between 1919 and 1923. He was a commercial traveller and also worked for 30 years at a company called Stuart Walker & Co. This would suggest that he was well-known in Newcastle and perhaps fairly comfortably-off. Perhaps John was in Newcastle because his uncle lived there. He may have helped John find work and may even have acted as a father-figure and mentor to him.
References
[1] https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/our-people-and-structure/history-of-government-schools/government-schools/public-instruction-act-1880
[2] https://dibley-history.blogspot.com/2021/10/beryl-public-school.html
[3] Teachers' Rolls, 1869-1908. NSW State Archives. (copy on file);
[4] Email dated 3 June 2022 from Petra De Bartolo, Cemeteries Administration Officer, Waverley & South Head Cemeteries;
[5] https://hwt.concordengage.com/waverleycemeteries/search/cemeteries/all/results?lastName=gunnell
[2] https://dibley-history.blogspot.com/2021/10/beryl-public-school.html
[3] Teachers' Rolls, 1869-1908. NSW State Archives. (copy on file);
[4] Email dated 3 June 2022 from Petra De Bartolo, Cemeteries Administration Officer, Waverley & South Head Cemeteries;
[5] https://hwt.concordengage.com/waverleycemeteries/search/cemeteries/all/results?lastName=gunnell
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