Mary Ann Rundle (1836-1916)

Mary Ann Rundle was born on the 3rd June 1836 in Altarnun, Cornwall, the third child and daughter of Thomas and Mary Rundle (nee Mutton). Her siblings were Jane, Elizabeth, John (died young) and Richard.

1841 census
Mary Ann is located with her family in the 1841 census for Cornwall. They are recorded at Lescarnick Red Hill, Altarnun, where her father was employed as a tinner.

Journey to South Australia
In 1847, Mary Ann's father decided to move the family to South Australia. They travelled on the ship "Theresa" which left London via Plymouth on 19/1/1847 with Captain Thomas Bacon.

The ship made the whole passage to Adelaide in 104 days. Three small children died during the voyage, and four births took place. The emigrants were from Buckinghamshire, Devon, Cornwall and Ireland. The males included 32 miners, 33 agricultural labourers and farm servants, 5 carpenters, 1 blacksmith, 1 shoemaker and 3 masons or bricklayers. The females included 30 domestic servants and 4 dressmakers.

The newly-arrived expressed their entire satisfaction with the quality and quantity of the provisions, and the water (which was filtered before being taken on board) was good all the way. On arrival and after the muster had taken place, the emigrants gave three cheers for Doctor Gordon. The proposer of the cheer designated Dr Gordon "the conservator of health and the lover of peace". Three cheers followed for the ship.

Mary Ann was 10 years old when she undertook the journey. The ship arrived in Port Adelaide on 3/5/1847.

South Australia and Marriage
Where the family settled when they arrived in South Australia is unknown at this stage. It is possible that it was the Walkerville area, as Mary Ann was married at St Andrew's Church there on 27/3/1853. She was only 15 years old and 4 months pregnant at the time. Her new husband was Richard Morris, a shoemaker from the Hindmarsh district who had emigrated to South Australia from Chatham, Kent.

Even though all their children were born in the city of Adelaide, the couple settled in West Adelaide, near Southwark in the Hindmarsh district, where Richard was employed as a shoemaker. Mary Ann and Richard would have 8 children altogether, between the years of 1853 and 1876. Their eldest daughter Eliza was married 4 years before their last child was born.

Their are two gaps between the ages of the children - one between 1856 - 1861 and another between 1864 - 1876.

The reason for the first gap is uncertain, but it appears that Richard travelled to Melbourne for some time. The South Australian Advertiser reported on 29/3/1860 that a Richard Morris boarded the steamer 'Omeo' for Melbourne the previous day with a James and Mary O'Brien and two of their children. The O'Brien family lived near the Morris family in the Hindmarsh district and would eventually marry into the family (through eldest daughter Eliza).

Richard was back in Adelaide later that year as his daughter Harriet was born in March 1861. The South Australian Advertiser all reported on 02/05/1862 that Richard, who had been a private in the Volunteer Force with the West Adelaide Rifles, was to be promoted to Corporal.

Desertion
In June on 1864, Mary Ann gave birth to twin boys. By October of the same year, Richard had deserted her and the family.

The South Australian Advertiser reported the incident on 2/11/1864. Mary Ann reported at the Police Courts that her husband could earn 2 pounds and 5 shillings a week at his trade (shoemaker), but he had given her only 10 shillings during the last 5 weeks. She had received some rations from the Government, but she had sought most of her support from her mother and father.

Richard in turn charged Mary Ann with infidelity, but that he had offered her 1 pound per week out of his earnings if she would leave her parents (it appears Mary Ann may have moved into their house with her children when Richard deserted her). Several witness gave evidence that Richard had taken lodgings for a single woman whom he introduced under false pretences. When it was discovered that Richard was a married man with a family, this lead to the expulsion of both lodgers.

An order was made for the payment of 1 pound weekly, and for costs amounting to 3 pounds, 5 shillings. It also appears that Richard was expelled from the Volunteer Rifle Band, of which he was a part, as the Secretary of the association reported this in the newspaper on the same day.

When and if Richard and Mary Ann divorced has not been determined at this stage. The couple appeared to have reunited briefly 14 years later in 1876, when their last child Albert Edward was born, but would separately permanently soon after.

Second Marriage
Mary Ann married for a second time on the 16th September 1880 at Adelaide, to James Wishart. Little is known of their life together at this stage, but they continued to live in the West Adelaide area, and Mary Ann bore no more children.

Death
Mary Ann died on 26/6/1916 at Southwark after sufferening bronchitis for 14 days. She is buried in an unmarked grave in the West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide.

Children

 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of Richard and Mary Ann Morris
 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of Richard and Mary Ann Morris