Sarah "Harriet" Georgiana Wiseman was born on March 3rd 1854, at Melville Street, Hobart, the illegitimate daughter of 16-year-old servant Elizabeth "Eliza" Jane Wiseman. Harriet's paternity is not clear, although it is likely she was the daughter of Henry Siddons, an ex-convict who Eliza married six months after Harriet's birth. Eliza was born in Hardingham, Norfolk, England, and had come with her unmarried convict mother, Harriet Wiseman, and younger brother, Miles, when Eliza was eleven. Harriet died two months after Harriet Georgiana's birth, the wife of ex-convict William Spinks. In September that year, 17-year-old Eliza married 31-year-old Henry Siddons. They had one son in 1856 Joseph. Henry was abusive towards Eliza. He set her dress on fire whilst she was wearing it, and threatened to "blow her brains out" with a pistol. In the early 1860s, Eliza fled Tasmania with her two young children, and changed her name from Elizabeth Siddons to Eliza Jane Covadale Wiseman. She married an Englishman named Henry Smith, and she and Joseph took his last name, while Harriet remained a Wiseman. The family lived in South Melbourne, where Joseph died of Tuberculosis in 1863.
In October 1868, 14-year-old Harriet became pregnant by 35-year-old widower, Richard Abel Paul . She gave birth on July 12th the next year, at the Lying-in Hospital in Carlton, to a daughter named Eliza Mary Ann, after five hours of labour. On Eliza Mary Ann's birth certificate, it states that Harriet is aged 20 and was born in Launceston, when infant she was only 15 and was born in Hobart. Eliza Mary Ann, who was always known as Mary Ann or Martha, was partially raised by Eliza and Henry Smith, despite the fact that Harriet married Richard on January 12th, 1870, at St Mary's Anglican Church in North Melbourne. The marriage certificate stated that Harriet and Richard were aged 22 and 27 respectively, although they were actually 15 and 36. They couple moved to Moorabin and then to Bentleigh East (then Brighton), where Richard worked as a Market Gardener. They had six more children together:
Eliza (1871-1954)
Joseph Richard (1874-1955)
Jessie (1877-1971)
Maud Matilda (1879-1908)
Henry (1881-1881)
John William (1882-1960)
On all the children's birth certificates, Harriet and Richard's ages and birthplaces are recorded incorrectly and inconsistently. This was most likely because they wanted to cover up the fact that Harriet was still a teenager and Richard was old enough to be her father.
On December 16th 1883, Richard began suffering from Cholera. He passed away at his home, 17 East Boundary Road, Bentleigh, four days later, leaving Harriet a widowed 29-year-old mother of five (or six, depending if Martha was living with her parents at that time). Richard was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave in Brighton General Cemetery, nearby to his infant son, Henry.
Harriet would have struggled immensely in the time after Richard's death. A year and one day after his passing, Harriet gave birth to a final daughter, Florence (1884-1965). Despite what Florence's birth certificate claims, it is impossible that she was Richard's child due to the time between his death and her birth.
Harriet became a grocer in the suburb of Richmond to support her family. In about 1890 she went to live as a housekeeper to her mother and stepfather at "Kent Villa", 56 Rose (now Roseberry) Street, Ascot Vale, alongside her eldest daughter, Martha, who was married to Thomas Alfred Carter, and a mother of two. On October 9th, 1891, Harriet's mother Eliza choked to death as a result of an inflamed voice box, aged 54, and was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. Four months later, Eliza's widowed husband Henry committed suicide by drinking poison, and Harriet was the one who found him dying. Henry was buried with his wife.
After these deaths, Harriet and her younger children moved to 1 Normanby Street, Hughesdale (then Oakleigh). Harriet developed a cerebral haemorrhage on December 3rd 1917, and was cared for by her daughter Jessie. Harriet died at her home on December 12th. She was buried at Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery two days later. Harriet had outlived two of her children - Henry, who died as an infant, and Maud, who died of Pneumonia in 1908, leaving a young family.
In October 1868, 14-year-old Harriet became pregnant by 35-year-old widower, Richard Abel Paul . She gave birth on July 12th the next year, at the Lying-in Hospital in Carlton, to a daughter named Eliza Mary Ann, after five hours of labour. On Eliza Mary Ann's birth certificate, it states that Harriet is aged 20 and was born in Launceston, when infant she was only 15 and was born in Hobart. Eliza Mary Ann, who was always known as Mary Ann or Martha, was partially raised by Eliza and Henry Smith, despite the fact that Harriet married Richard on January 12th, 1870, at St Mary's Anglican Church in North Melbourne. The marriage certificate stated that Harriet and Richard were aged 22 and 27 respectively, although they were actually 15 and 36. They couple moved to Moorabin and then to Bentleigh East (then Brighton), where Richard worked as a Market Gardener. They had six more children together:
Eliza (1871-1954)
Joseph Richard (1874-1955)
Jessie (1877-1971)
Maud Matilda (1879-1908)
Henry (1881-1881)
John William (1882-1960)
On all the children's birth certificates, Harriet and Richard's ages and birthplaces are recorded incorrectly and inconsistently. This was most likely because they wanted to cover up the fact that Harriet was still a teenager and Richard was old enough to be her father.
On December 16th 1883, Richard began suffering from Cholera. He passed away at his home, 17 East Boundary Road, Bentleigh, four days later, leaving Harriet a widowed 29-year-old mother of five (or six, depending if Martha was living with her parents at that time). Richard was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave in Brighton General Cemetery, nearby to his infant son, Henry.
Harriet would have struggled immensely in the time after Richard's death. A year and one day after his passing, Harriet gave birth to a final daughter, Florence (1884-1965). Despite what Florence's birth certificate claims, it is impossible that she was Richard's child due to the time between his death and her birth.
Harriet became a grocer in the suburb of Richmond to support her family. In about 1890 she went to live as a housekeeper to her mother and stepfather at "Kent Villa", 56 Rose (now Roseberry) Street, Ascot Vale, alongside her eldest daughter, Martha, who was married to Thomas Alfred Carter, and a mother of two. On October 9th, 1891, Harriet's mother Eliza choked to death as a result of an inflamed voice box, aged 54, and was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. Four months later, Eliza's widowed husband Henry committed suicide by drinking poison, and Harriet was the one who found him dying. Henry was buried with his wife.
After these deaths, Harriet and her younger children moved to 1 Normanby Street, Hughesdale (then Oakleigh). Harriet developed a cerebral haemorrhage on December 3rd 1917, and was cared for by her daughter Jessie. Harriet died at her home on December 12th. She was buried at Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery two days later. Harriet had outlived two of her children - Henry, who died as an infant, and Maud, who died of Pneumonia in 1908, leaving a young family.
Sarah "Harriet" Georgiana Wiseman was born on March 3rd 1854, at Melville Street, Hobart, the illegitimate daughter of 16-year-old servant Elizabeth "Eliza" Jane Wiseman. Harriet's paternity is not clear, although it is likely she was the daughter of Henry Siddons, an ex-convict who Eliza married six months after Harriet's birth. Eliza was born in Hardingham, Norfolk, England, and had come with her unmarried convict mother, Harriet Wiseman, and younger brother, Miles, when Eliza was eleven. Harriet died two months after Harriet Georgiana's birth, the wife of ex-convict William Spinks. In September that year, 17-year-old Eliza married 31-year-old Henry Siddons. They had one son in 1856 Joseph. Henry was abusive towards Eliza. He set her dress on fire whilst she was wearing it, and threatened to "blow her brains out" with a pistol. In the early 1860s, Eliza fled Tasmania with her two young children, and changed her name from Elizabeth Siddons to Eliza Jane Covadale Wiseman. She married an Englishman named Henry Smith, and she and Joseph took his last name, while Harriet remained a Wiseman. The family lived in South Melbourne, where Joseph died of Tuberculosis in 1863.
In October 1868, 14-year-old Harriet became pregnant by 35-year-old widower, Richard Abel Paul . She gave birth on July 12th the next year, at the Lying-in Hospital in Carlton, to a daughter named Eliza Mary Ann, after five hours of labour. On Eliza Mary Ann's birth certificate, it states that Harriet is aged 20 and was born in Launceston, when infant she was only 15 and was born in Hobart. Eliza Mary Ann, who was always known as Mary Ann or Martha, was partially raised by Eliza and Henry Smith, despite the fact that Harriet married Richard on January 12th, 1870, at St Mary's Anglican Church in North Melbourne. The marriage certificate stated that Harriet and Richard were aged 22 and 27 respectively, although they were actually 15 and 36. They couple moved to Moorabin and then to Bentleigh East (then Brighton), where Richard worked as a Market Gardener. They had six more children together:
Eliza (1871-1954)
Joseph Richard (1874-1955)
Jessie (1877-1971)
Maud Matilda (1879-1908)
Henry (1881-1881)
John William (1882-1960)
On all the children's birth certificates, Harriet and Richard's ages and birthplaces are recorded incorrectly and inconsistently. This was most likely because they wanted to cover up the fact that Harriet was still a teenager and Richard was old enough to be her father.
On December 16th 1883, Richard began suffering from Cholera. He passed away at his home, 17 East Boundary Road, Bentleigh, four days later, leaving Harriet a widowed 29-year-old mother of five (or six, depending if Martha was living with her parents at that time). Richard was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave in Brighton General Cemetery, nearby to his infant son, Henry.
Harriet would have struggled immensely in the time after Richard's death. A year and one day after his passing, Harriet gave birth to a final daughter, Florence (1884-1965). Despite what Florence's birth certificate claims, it is impossible that she was Richard's child due to the time between his death and her birth.
Harriet became a grocer in the suburb of Richmond to support her family. In about 1890 she went to live as a housekeeper to her mother and stepfather at "Kent Villa", 56 Rose (now Roseberry) Street, Ascot Vale, alongside her eldest daughter, Martha, who was married to Thomas Alfred Carter, and a mother of two. On October 9th, 1891, Harriet's mother Eliza choked to death as a result of an inflamed voice box, aged 54, and was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. Four months later, Eliza's widowed husband Henry committed suicide by drinking poison, and Harriet was the one who found him dying. Henry was buried with his wife.
After these deaths, Harriet and her younger children moved to 1 Normanby Street, Hughesdale (then Oakleigh). Harriet developed a cerebral haemorrhage on December 3rd 1917, and was cared for by her daughter Jessie. Harriet died at her home on December 12th. She was buried at Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery two days later. Harriet had outlived two of her children - Henry, who died as an infant, and Maud, who died of Pneumonia in 1908, leaving a young family.
In October 1868, 14-year-old Harriet became pregnant by 35-year-old widower, Richard Abel Paul . She gave birth on July 12th the next year, at the Lying-in Hospital in Carlton, to a daughter named Eliza Mary Ann, after five hours of labour. On Eliza Mary Ann's birth certificate, it states that Harriet is aged 20 and was born in Launceston, when infant she was only 15 and was born in Hobart. Eliza Mary Ann, who was always known as Mary Ann or Martha, was partially raised by Eliza and Henry Smith, despite the fact that Harriet married Richard on January 12th, 1870, at St Mary's Anglican Church in North Melbourne. The marriage certificate stated that Harriet and Richard were aged 22 and 27 respectively, although they were actually 15 and 36. They couple moved to Moorabin and then to Bentleigh East (then Brighton), where Richard worked as a Market Gardener. They had six more children together:
Eliza (1871-1954)
Joseph Richard (1874-1955)
Jessie (1877-1971)
Maud Matilda (1879-1908)
Henry (1881-1881)
John William (1882-1960)
On all the children's birth certificates, Harriet and Richard's ages and birthplaces are recorded incorrectly and inconsistently. This was most likely because they wanted to cover up the fact that Harriet was still a teenager and Richard was old enough to be her father.
On December 16th 1883, Richard began suffering from Cholera. He passed away at his home, 17 East Boundary Road, Bentleigh, four days later, leaving Harriet a widowed 29-year-old mother of five (or six, depending if Martha was living with her parents at that time). Richard was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave in Brighton General Cemetery, nearby to his infant son, Henry.
Harriet would have struggled immensely in the time after Richard's death. A year and one day after his passing, Harriet gave birth to a final daughter, Florence (1884-1965). Despite what Florence's birth certificate claims, it is impossible that she was Richard's child due to the time between his death and her birth.
Harriet became a grocer in the suburb of Richmond to support her family. In about 1890 she went to live as a housekeeper to her mother and stepfather at "Kent Villa", 56 Rose (now Roseberry) Street, Ascot Vale, alongside her eldest daughter, Martha, who was married to Thomas Alfred Carter, and a mother of two. On October 9th, 1891, Harriet's mother Eliza choked to death as a result of an inflamed voice box, aged 54, and was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. Four months later, Eliza's widowed husband Henry committed suicide by drinking poison, and Harriet was the one who found him dying. Henry was buried with his wife.
After these deaths, Harriet and her younger children moved to 1 Normanby Street, Hughesdale (then Oakleigh). Harriet developed a cerebral haemorrhage on December 3rd 1917, and was cared for by her daughter Jessie. Harriet died at her home on December 12th. She was buried at Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery two days later. Harriet had outlived two of her children - Henry, who died as an infant, and Maud, who died of Pneumonia in 1908, leaving a young family.
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IN LOVING MEMORY
✦
OF OUR DEAR MOTHER
HARRIETT GEORGINA
PAUL
DIED 12TH DECEMBER 1917
AGED 68 YEARS
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