Newton (7) WEDDELL (Jnr) ⁴²³

  Events

• Newton (7) was only six years old, living with his parents and siblings at 20 Dunns Terrace, Byker, Newcastle, at the time of the 1881 Census (March 1881).

His father, also named Newton(5), was the head of the household at 20 Dunns Terrace, Byker. He was 31 years old, and at the time of the census, Newton's father's occupation was a Laborer, Shipping.

Living in the house also was Jane, Newton's mother, who was 31 years old at the time of the census.

Also living in the house were his siblings:

Newton was six years old; Hannah, his younger sister, two years old, and little Elizabeth, only seven months. All three children were born in Newcastle.

• Living at 100 Kirk Street, Byker, Newcastle, on the evening of Sunday 5th April, 1891, were:

Newton, Head, married, 41 years old, General Labourer
Jane A, Wife, married, 41 years old
Newton, Son, single, 16 years old, Fitter and Turner, apprentice
Hannah, Daughter, 12 years old, scholar
Elizabeth, Daughter, 10 years old, scholar
William L, Son, 5 years old, scholar
Mary, Daughter, 1 year old.

All seven members of the Weddell household were born in Northumberland, Newcastle.

• Newton was shown as an Engineer his Marriage Certificate to Sarah Blair in June 1897. Newton was shown on his son John Arthur Weddell's marriage certificate as being a Mechanical Engineer, in 1925.

• Newton's birthday book, in which over the years the Weddell family has detailed important events and dates, is inscribed inside the front cover:

"To Newt,
From your loving sister
Mary"

It is dated 10 January 1909, Newton's 34th birthday, and his last birthday celebrated in the United Kingdom. Newton, his wife Sarah, and his two children John and Olive were to board the S.S. Perthshire later that year, on Thursday 28 Oct 1909, and would arrive in Australia on Thursday 23 Dec 1909.

• Newton left England on Thursday 28th October 1909, with his little family, bound for a new life in Australia.

They sailed on the SS Perthshire, which was built in 1893. It was a vessel of 5,574 gross tons, length 420 ft x beam 54 ft, with one funnel, two masts, single screw, maximum speed 11 knots, accommodation for only twelve passengers. It was completed in December 1893 by R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn-on-Tyne, for the Elderslie SS Co. (Turnbull, Martin & Co).

In 1899, the SS Perthshire went missing on a passage from Sydney to Wellington, but was found by the Union SS Company of New Zealand ship, SS Talune, and on 19th June 1899, it was towed back to Sydney, having lost her tailshaft.

In 1910, the SS Perthshire was transferred to the Scottish Shire Line Ltd.

In 1915, it was requisitioned by the Admiralty as a frozen meat carrier.

In 1919, it was designated HMS Perthshire as a fleet supply ship.

In 1929, it was set on the China Station and painted white with a yellow funnel.

It was decommissioned and scrapped in 1932.

• Listed as passengers on the SS Perthshire were Newton (34, Turner); Sarah (33, wife); John (6, son) and Olive (2, daughter).

The family were "nominated" passengers. Nominated or Remittance Passages could be arranged by any natural born or naturalised person residing in Queensland, desiring to provide a passage to the colony for a friend or relative in Europe, by obtaining a passage warrant from the Government in payment of the required amount. The warrant was then forwarded to the friend or relative in Europe. On presentation of the warrant, the Government representative in Europe would arrange a passage for the emigrant.

The SS Perthshire departed England on Thursday 28 Oct 1909, and arrived in Australia on Thursday 23 Dec 1909.

• According to the Queensland Electoral Roll of 1913, Newton was living at King Street, Woolloongabba.

• According to the Queensland Electoral Roll of 1913, Newton's occupation was as an Engineer.

• Newton (7) left Australia on 21 September 1916 for munition work in England. He returned to Australia after the war.

Details of the work Newton has done for the Australian war effort are held in the National Archives.

Newton and Sarah are seen here in the front garden of their home at Junction Terrace, Annerley, in the 1930's.

• Newton and Sarah lived in a grand house in Junction Terrace, Annerley. It is not known yet when this house was purchased, however, it is known that John was living in it at the time of his marriage to Winifred Ida Louise Latimer, on 22 August 1925.

• He is seen here with Sarah, in their later years.

• There is a fine history of Newton Weddells in our family, as you will see.

Patrick Brennan has done a superb job of research of these family members on his website, The Weddells of Stowell Street, Newcastle.

His website can be found at http://www.donmouth.co.uk/.

Newton married Sarah BLAIR, daughter of John BLAIR and Eliza BRAND, on 5 Jun 1897 in Byker St Anthony, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland ⁹⁷.^,422 (Sarah BLAIR was born on 31 Aug 1875 in Cliffords Fort, Tynemouth, Northumberland, England ^37,97,99 and died on 22 Oct 1960 in Australia ⁹⁷.)