Page 12. The wedding of William Graham and Sarah Stuteley was held on 23 August 1849 in the Parish church of Boston (where William had married Susannah eight years earlier). Their witnesses were Edward Birkett and Hannah Wilson. The vicar was John Ogle MA. William is shown on the Parish records as a Widower; Sarah as a Spinster.

William’s profession is Currier and his father is shown as Matthias Graham, labourer. Sarah’s father is shown as Robert Stuteley, shoemaker. They lived at Pen Street, Boston (AA975776).

Sometime in 1850 or 1851 a child was born to them, Elizabeth Anne. Perhaps she was named after aunt Elizabeth, Matthias’ sister who may have lived near William’s mother Anne in the High Street, or after his sister Elizabeth. And “Anne”, no doubt after his mother (the "e" was added or dropped readily in those days).

The child mortality rate in Boston in 1851 was 153 babies in 1,000 (In 2001, it was 3 per 1,000). Little “Betsy”, as she was known, was one of the 153 and no longer living by 31 March 1851, the date of the Census. I have been unable to find any details of her birth or death, but she is shown as a child of William and Sarah on each of their death certificates. The 1851 Census shows William, aged 33, Currier born in Lincs., Thorpe and his wife Sarah, also aged 33, born in Swineshead, living at 94 Pen Street Boston with their unmarried female house servant, Annette Scholey, aged 15. But no Betsy.

There are many old houses and shops still existing in Pen Street Boston but unfortunately where number 94 once stood is now a freeway.

Interior of St Botolph’s church, Boston

Pen Street, Boston

A year later on 9 March 1852 another child was born to them, a little boy, William Henry, after his father. Around this time William and Sarah made a brave decision — to travel to Australia to start a new life. Perhaps Matthias, his sentence now complete, suggested they come. Perhaps they just wanted to make a better life for themselves. For whatever reason, in 1853 they took the long and arduous boat journey to the other side of the world, arriving shortly before May 1853.

According to Emma Graham:

• "The sailors in those days had no standing as they do today, and were looked on as lackeys. Their food was thrown on to the deck and they scrambled for it like dogs. Mrs Graham was sorry for them and stuck up for them, and so out of spite, some of the passengers took her dear little boy and tarred and feathered him." (Letter from Emma Graham, dated 22 February 1983.)

Until I am able to do further research, the most likely boat on which Sarah and William would have traveled to Australia is the "James L Bogert". It left England on 15 January 1853, via Table Bay, Capetown South Africa, with George William Howe as the Captain. The Passenger Index shows a Sarah Graham, aged 36 and several other "Grahams" but no "William". However there is an "adult" Graham (no other details) and three "child" Grahams, one of which could have been baby William. I have searched the Index carefully and this would be the most likely grouping. Sadly, one of the reasons this ship is the likely one is that it arrived on 27 April 1853 and little William died in "Canvas Town", a tent village for new arrivals, on 2 May 1853 of colonial fever (typhus).