My search for documents and information on my local history study of Billinghay, a search on eBay, led me to this postcard. It was sent from Margate, Kent, to Miss Bee living at Walcott Fen, Billinghay, Lincolnshire. The card no longer has the stamp, so the only clue of the year it was posted was someone had written 1906, where the stamp was originally set.
However, unbeknown to me a surprise was waiting for me!
The postcard picture is of the Surfboat memorial in Margate. A search confirmed that the Surf boatman, looking out to sea, commemorates Margate’s worst boat disaster: the tragic capsizing of the Friend to All Nations surf boat on 2 December 1897, of which only four of the thirteen crew made it to shore, including the medic Charles Troughton, who died after reaching the shore. The remaining nine were all beaten to a pulp on the rocks, except for Joseph Epps who was found, barely alive, underneath the capsized boat.
Thousands lined the streets for the funeral procession of the nine drowned. The bronze statue erected in the crew’s memorial was unveiled on 4th October 1899. However, it was moved from its original position in the 1920s.
My search commenced for Miss E Bee of Walcott Fen, Billinghay, Lincolnshire.
Fortunately the sender had named her recipient to be Edith, this made it slightly easier to narrow down the search.
Although rather strange message with some missing words, but the gist of the message can be found: the sender it appears had missed the now named Edith’s birthday!
“Edith – Just a line to tell you I enjoyed very much I am sorry I did not your birthday until today. But I hope you had a fine time of it by Thursday it was your birthday did you get on the feast all right sorry to leave in the thickest of it I had a puncture as soon as I got on the London Transport & I had 9 miles to go“
My search immediately turned to the census returns, I struck lucky, in the 1911 census I found the Bee family living at Walcott Fen, Billinghay, the exact same address.
In the household was 20 year old Edith Bee, born in the Sept quarter of 1891, in Billinghay, Edith was a dressmaker with her own account. She was living with her widowed father William Edward Bee a farmer, and two siblings John Edward and Kate Bee.
The trail took me back to 1901 and this is where the story really unfolds and reveals some surprises!
The 1901 census records Edith Bee aged 10 years, living with her parents and two siblings, but it is her mother who alerts my interest.
Sarah Bee was born in 1865 in Australia. The immediate question is how a lady from Australia ends up in a rural village in Lincolnshire. I knew the answer to this conundrum. To confirm my thinking, I searched the General Records Office (GRO) for Edith Bees’ birth dateand mother’s maiden name. The record confirmed my thoughts.
| BEE, EDITH | ROWITT |
| GRO Reference: 1890 S Quarter in SLEAFORD Volume 07A Page 432 | |
Edith’s mother was Sarah Rowitt! The fifth child and daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Betsy Thompson. Sarah was born in Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.
This is where the story unfolds.
Sarah Rowitt and I are very distantly related, she is the granddaughter of Edward Rowitt who in 1833 was sentenced to seven years and transported to Van Diemans land (Tasmania). His crime – in 1832 he stole 7 geese and a Hemp Sack from Thomas Camm from Billinghay.
On the 18th of October 1832 at Kesteven Quarter Sessions, Lincolnshire, he was sentenced to 7 – Years of Transportation, the very next day – the 19th of October he was taken to Lincoln Castle. His criminal records state he was not a man of good character, and was described as being part of a neighbouring gang of bankers (navvy digging ditches) and being a person of desperate habits and character. But what the reports failed to mention Edward Rowitt was a married man with 4 children, one of whom was 6-month-old Edward Rowitt (Sarah Bee’s father). Leaving his wife and children had a devastating impact on the Rowitt family, leaving them destitute and reliant on the workhouse and parish relief.
PETITION FOR CLEMENCY
The villagers of Billinghay were aware of the Edwards family’s desperate plight, and in an attempt to prevent his transportation the village locals had organised a Petition of Clemency which was sent to King William IV, it was signed by 31 persons, including the local minister and more importantly the victim of Edwards heinous crime – Thomas Camm. It read as follows:
To the Kings most Excellent Majesty
The humble petition of Edward Rowett
Most respectfully servants
That your majestyās most unhappy petitioner was convicted at the last Sleaford sessions for having committed a felony and was sentenced to seven years transportation yet he hopes from the known humanity of your majestyās disposition, as there are several circumstances in his ?? to partake of that royal clemency which has so often been extended to dry the tears of distress.
He is truly sensible of the enormity of his crime, a sincere penitent, and hopes through your majestyās humane consideration, he may be allowed to stay on board the Justitia Hulk at Woolwich where he now is, or in any of your majestyās docks yards for the term of his sentence that at the end of that time he may have the opportunity of returning home to his family, and making amends for his past conduct, by being a grateful subject and useful member of society, to a comfort for his family and a credit to himself.
Your majestyās petitioner hath a wife and four children. He therefore humbly implores your majestyās compassion to be extended to a miserable husband and unhappy father, and a penitent sinner.
And your majestyās humble petitioner ever duty bound and will ever pray.
Signed by the parishioners, the victim and Minister of Billinghay.
Unfortunately, the petition failed.
Edward was sent to Van Diemans land and never returned to England.
Edward Rowitt, was one of 200 convicts transported on the HM-hired convict ship Atlas, leaving 27 April 1833 and arriving at Van Diemens land on 25th Aug 1833 the journey took 120 days (British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database) There were no deaths recorded on the voyage by John Love, the surgeon on board.
Edward Rowitt Junior grew up living in abject poverty and not knowing his father, but he managed to work and make a future for himself, he married Elizabeth Betsy Thompson in 1855. More importantly, he managed to save enough money to take his wife and journey to Australia.
When aged 28 years Edward and Betsy with their 2 children George and Thomas left Plymouth UK on the Atalanta, on the 30 May 1860 they arrived in Melbourne, Australia, how he located his father whom he had no memory we donāt know, and we can only imagine the conversations between them both. Father and son had 10 – years together before they were separated by Edward Rowitts senior death.
Whilst in Australia, Edward junior sought to make his fortune working in the gold mines. Edwards and Betsey’s life in Australia can be tracked by the birth of their further seven children, including Sarah Bee nee Rowitt.They were all born in different towns of Australia. By 1880 Edward who had by now made a small fortune returned with his family to Lincolnshire. Edward and Betsy were in Australia for at least 20 years.
The Rowitt family sailed home on the JADE. During this time their daughter was born, she was apparently named JADE after the vessel. With his money Edward brought a farm and a threshing machine, however, the farm failed and the land was sold. Life for all the Rowett family was a continuous struggle of hardship, and proves without doubt that the sentence of transportation did not just affect the prisoner, but had devastating consequences for families, and the irony was to save money when in fact parishes were left picking up the bill for the families left.
Edward in 1923 was living on West Street, Billinghay, he died in Scampton Hospital. Administration of his estate went to his son William, a farmer. Edwards Estate was Ā£144 4s 10d.
His daughter Sarah went on to marry the farmer William Edward Bee, and had three children one of whom is Edith the recipient of the postcard, and a very distant ancestor of mine.
Who would have thought a random find of a postcard would have such a backstory?
Contact me at jackocats2@gmail.com
JackoCats 