Family of James Goddard and Mary Askew

Marriage of Mary Askew and James Goddard

On 6 January 1853, James Goddard (aged about 30 years) and Mary Askew (aged about 32 years) were married in the Anglican Christ Church, at the corner of McKillop and Moorabool Streets, Geelong. This was the first Anglican church built in Geelong and was designed by the noted colonial architect Edmund Blacket. The church is of early Victorian Gothic design, and was built between1843 to 1847. It is Victoria’s oldest church in continuous use.

The official record of the marriage (Victorian Registrar of BD&M) contains the following information:

Page129Marriages Solemnized in the Parish ofChrist Church Geelongin the County of Grantin the Colony of Victoria, in the Year 1853.

No. 509 James Goddard of the Pollocks Ford Parish Widower; Mary Askew of the Same place Parish Spinster. Married in this Church by Banns this sixth day of January in the year 1853 By me Theodore CB Shet.?

This Marriage was Solemnized between us James Goddard, Mary Askew,

In the Presence of Thomas Askew of ...., Ann Siddall of .... (23807).

Family of James Goddard and Mary Askew

Four children came from the marriage: Mary Jane (04/09/1853-26/05/1934), Elizabeth (1855-25/07/1935), Anne or Annie (17/07/1857-02/06/1860), and James Thomas (17/04/1859- ?).

Mary Jane Goddard (04/09/1853-26/05/1934)

Mary Jane Goddard was born at Murgheboluc, Grant County, about 25 km from Geelong and between Geelong and Inverleigh. She lived her whole life in Victoria. She was raised in Geelong and worked some time as a milliner, before moving to the Clunes district about the early 1870s.

Mary Jane Goddard was married to William Hudson, age 45, farmer of Smeaton, at Skellgill Farm, Campbelltown (also listed as Ullina), Talbotshire on 4 September, 1873. The certificate records that she was aged 20, a domestic of Campbelltown. Written permission for the marriage was received from her mother (Mary Askew/Goddard/Sinclair) as her father (James Goddard) had died some thirteen years earlier, in 1860. Seventeen children were born to the marriage of Mary Jane Goddard and William Hudson (see William Hudson and Mary Jane Goddard for details).

She died of senile decay and heart failure at age 80, on 26 May, 1934 at "Sunny Brow", 22 Bond Street, Ballarat East. Her occupation was listed as home duties, but she had been blind for some time prior to her death, and was cared for by the family of her daughter, Doris Hudson/Smyth. She was buried on 28 May, 1934 in the Hudson family grave at Smeaton Cemetery.

Elizabeth Goddard (16/08/1855-25/07/1935)

Elizabeth Goddard was born at Geelong in 1855, and her birth is recorded in the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.– Her parents are listed as James Goddard and Mary Askew (Reg. No. 1855/7932). The records of Christ Church Geelong (Geelong Historical Records Centre) give her birth date as 16 August 1855 and her date of baptism as 13 October 1855. Her parents are listed as James and Mary Goddard of South Geelong, and her father’s profession is given as “merchant”. In 1874, Elizabeth Goddard married John Weatherson (1852-1931; birthday 23/11/1931), and the couple lived on the Weatherson farm at Middle Creek. John and Elizabeth Weatherson had no children. They were buried at the Campbelltown Cemetery..

 Marion Smyth/Charles recalls that Elizabeth Goddard/Weatherson was referred to as Auntie Lizzie “Turkey Hill”, presumably because she lived at a place with that name.

Anne (Annie) Goddard (17/07/1857-02/06/1860)

Anne Goddard was born at Geelong in 1857, and her birth is recorded in the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Record 1857/10822 – Parents James Goddard and Mary Askew).

Her death occurred in 1860 and is recorded in the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Record 1860/5768 – Parents James Goddard and Mary Askew, age 3).

 James Thomas Goddard (17/04/1859-?)

James Thomas Goddard was born in 1859 at Strawberry Hills, Geelong (located near Shannon Avenue Bridge, and now known as Highton). He married Catherine Sinclair Davidson in 1882. Details of the family are:

Catherine Sinclair Davidson’s parents were William Sinclair Davidson and Catherine McMullan (~1829-1883, died at Smeaton age 54). William and Catherine Davidson had the following children: Catherine Betsy Shepherd Davidson (1861-), Catherine Sinclair Davidson (1864-1910, died at Ballarat age 45), and Mary Ellen Davidson (1865-).