Hi All
Back in July 2006 there were hundreds of threads. Some of these were very
relevant about Thomas Chant and I feel we should set the record as straight
as possible. I would like as much of everyone?s versions as possible but
please understand that the son of Tom and Lucy Chant being Henry Chant did
not become a boat builder but was actually a locomotive engineer.
I wish to get as much accuracy as possible as Thomas has been hard to trace
and this is the best story available.
Facts so far:
Thomas Chant born 15th September 1833 to William and Elizabeth (nee Male)
Brother Jabez Chant.
Married Lucy Russ 14th January 1855 Stoke Sub Hamdon
In April 1855 Elizabeth, Mary 17, Anna 15, Thomas 20 and Alexander 9, Lucy
included, boarded Octavia to come to South Australia. They are sponsored
by Jabez who arrives onboard the ship China in 1852 with his wife Maria.
http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/china1852.htm
Records of births for their children include Salisbury and Auburn. Auburn
being close to Burra or then known Kooringa. This is possibly how Henry Chant
meets Mary Jane Addicoat and the marriage takes place in Mary Jane?s parents
house. Mary Jane?s father dies in 1888 after a mining accident in Broken
Hill in 1886.
Life certainly does not appear easy and the next record is of Thomas.
Thomas deserts Lucy and this is listed in the SA Gazette 1861:
CHANT Lucy, of Kooringa. Arrived on 'Octavia'. Husband absent 8 months. 2
children. Source: GG 14-2-1861, p 137
Where does he go? What does he do? Why did he leave?
There is no record of him being found, death, no action by a coroner for
a recorded death without a body and no asylum records. Could he have taken
off back to England?
Poor Lucy is left back at Burra to fend for herself. She lives a lonely life
and eventually dies in Burra with the following Obituary:
Obituary. Lucy Chant, aged 88, on 30 May, at Redruth.
She was born at Stokes, Somerset shire, England on 13 March 1836 and came
to Australia in April 1955 [sic] [presume 1855?]. On her marriage to Thomas
Chant they lived in Salisbury and then Auburn, before moving to Redruth.
A member of Redruth Methodist Church for 63 years and one of the first Sunday-school
teachers, she attended the recent stone laying for the new Sunday-school.
She has of late lived with Mrs S.J. Tralaggan and was ill only a few days.
(Source ? The Burra Record ? Summaries of the Burra Record by Eric Fuss,
February 2007.)
Lucy is buried in a pauper?s grave.
(Please double check your DOB for Lucy Russ as this is the date recorded.)
Linked facts I now have include Thomas remarried in Victoria. I have cited
the marriage certificate. Was this because he had not had his previous marriage
annulled or dissolved, though his first marriage was in England and he was
reported as a missing person in South Australia.
His age on the second marriage is 3 years difference to his possible actual
age but this consistency continues to his death. His signature on the certificate
shows that he was close to illiterate barely being readable.
I have a recorded address for a Thomas Chant in NSW being 54 Walker St, Redfurn,
but I cannot remember which year I copied it from the Post Office listings.
Was this after the death of Ann?
Thomas seems to settle in Temora, NSW and as a side bit of information Henry?s
sister in law Annie Rose Davey (nee Addicoat) lives 400km to the east in
Milton, NSW.
The search in NSW BMD shows Temora but no record of Father or Mother.
I have copied the 2 links from which much information spurred me into looking
and linking these events. I firmly believe that it is the same person and
the 2nd marriage certificate is the key to this, with the information about
deserting Lucy Russ showing that he wasn?t a man of honour.
I hope this can put Thomas to rest in peace and that we can sort out the
correct Henry Chants.
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/CHANT/2006-07/1152956549
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/CHANT/2006-07/1153006419
Grant Martin
GG Grandson to Thomas Chant