REUNION

Pattrick Mould's

ROSE FAMILY RESEARCHES:

From the “ROSE REUNION 1999”:

Summary on the Reunion. -Wendy Rose

The Woodhouse/Rose Family in Australia – Robert Jones

The life and loves of Thomas Rose - Anne Sheppard

Thomas and Elizabeth Rose – Eric Jowett

Thomas Rose and Sarah Perkins – Diane Giles

Thomas Rose 1773-1837. – Bennie The Poet 1999 (rose inc.)

Summary on the Reunion. -Wendy Rose

25 August 1999, Dear Rose Relative. My apologies for the delay in writing to you all. There are a variety of reasons for the delay and that is all behind us now.

I should like to thank everyone who was able to attend the Reunion Days. Henry and I felt the two days were most interesting and certainly presented a unique opportunity for members of this extended family to meet and be aware of one another’s existence. When Henry and I first discussed the idea of a 200 year reunion with Ben Rose we had no idea that there were so many strings to old Thomas’s bow. It has been a fascinating journey to commence and I feel sure that in a few years there will probably be another reunion concentrating on having as many people as possible attending.

· The Rose family, or as Eric Jowett put it “The Rose Club”, were addressed by most capable speakers telling us of Thomas Rose and each of his relationships – that we know of so far! Ben Rose welcomed everyone to the Reunion with a poem – I have enclosed a copy for you. You may be interested to know that Ben is recuperating from a hip replacement operation that has been successful. Eric Jowett then spoke to us about Thomas Rose and Elizabeth Bartlett and their children. Unfortunately Eric was in a great deal of pain with his knee and was unable to stay for most of the day. However Eric is also well on the mend. Diane Giles spoke to us about the relationship of Thomas and Sarah Perkins. Diane has done a great deal of research in this area and she was most interesting. Members of the descendants of that relationship were able to be present and they, as well as we, learnt much about their forebears. Anne Sheppard spoke to us after lunch about Thomas and Sarah Pye and their children. One gets the impression that Sarah Pye was either a long suffering wife or a particularly compassionate one! Old Thomas must have been demanding to live with. Finally Robert Jones spoke about his ancestors from the relationship Thomas had with Elizabeth Woodhouse. Robert spoke without notes and most endearingly about his ancestors – we felt as if we knew them a little when he had finished speaking. Robert could not understand how the other branches of the Rose family did not know of the Woodhouse connection. Maybe we hadn’t bothered to look before!

Anne Sheppard mentioned in her introduction to Thomas Rose that he has great grandchildren still living. This is really remarkable as we are talking of a man who lived 200 years ago. These great grandchildren are:

Frida Linz nee Payten age 98 granddaughter of Hannah Rebecca Pye Rose

Philip Rose age 94 grandson of Charles Henry Jacob Rose

Ben Rose age 76 grandson of Reuben Uther Bartlett Rose

Tom Rose age 73 grandson of Reuben Uther Bartlett Rose

Jim Payten age 77 grandson of Sarah Elizabeth Jane Rose

Tony Payten age 72 grandson of Sarah Elizabeth Jane Rose

I have copies of the presentations by the speakers on the day of the reunion. If you would like a copy please indicate on the order form enclosed. The group photo that was taken has turned out reasonably well. Most people you can see in it and I have nearly everyone named. So please order if you would like a copy of this also.

Debbie Cooper and Anne Sheppard have spend many hours compiling descendant charts with the help of Eric Jowett, Robert Jones and Nancy Toby and these charts were on display for all to view, correct and make additions. There is now a wonderful resource in these descendant charts and they will also be available for ordering. As you will gather on reading this letter that if you were not able to attend there is a great amount of information available and, I would feel, a great more to be collected. So please when you have time to spare or the interest to do so document as much as you can of your family’s details and particular interests and foibles. We do not want to lose this knowledge as we research more of our ancestors. It will be fascinating when we have as much information as possible about all the descendants of Thomas Rose not just Thomas!

The second day of the Reunion consisted of a visit to the cemetery at St Peter’s Campbelltown where the headstones and graves of various ancestors are to be found. Afterwards we went to the property, Mt Gilead, and viewed the old stone mill, the lake and the buildings. I feel that the Mill holds a special significance to many of the Rose club as in many families there is a painting or a photo of it and somehow it represents our belonging to this country. Various members of the family told me that they never thought that they would visit Mt Gilead and it was something they had always wished to do. We are indebted to Lady Macarthur Onslow for fulfilling these dreams and allowing us to visit her property. Lady Macarthur Onslow spoke to many of the family on the day and was able to share many of the stories that she had heard of Thomas Rose. Somehow 201 years ago didn’t seem so long ago after this weekend.

As I finish this update letter I thank you all for your enthusiasm and friendship. May you continue to keep contact with many of the family you met in May 1999. Keep collecting information and when the next reunion occurs maybe we can discuss some of the more recent descendants of Thomas Rose. From the little I know of them there is many a tale to tell yet.

The order form is on the enclosed page. Please send your money with your order to me at the above address. I shall repeat the address on the order form. Yours sincerely, Wendy Rose