Mary Ann Hayes (1836-1912)

Mary Ann Hayes came out to South Australia as an orphan as a result of the Irish Potato Famine. The ‘ELGIN’ was an orphan transport ship, and other orphans listed in the manifest with the last name ‘Hayes’ were an Eliza Hayes (aged 18) and a Johanna Hayes (aged 15). It is possible that they are sisters to Mary Ann, who was 14 at the time of her arrival in SA. All the orphans had come from the poor houses of Ireland.

The Elgin
The Elgin was a three-masted barque built of wood with a displacement of 548 tuns under the new measurement (Old measurement of ships based on the number of tuns or winecasks it can carry). It was built in 1847 in Maitland, Nova Scotia (Canada) and was 124 feet by 27.1 feet by 20.7 feet. At the time it made the voyage to Australia it was owned by C Walton and registered to the Port of London.

The ELGIN departed from Liverpool on May 17 1849 with Captain John Mann, to make its way around the coast to Portsmouth from which it finally departed on May 31 1849 and arrived at the McLaren Wharf, at Port Adelaide on September 10th, 1849.

The McLaren Wharf had only been completed a few weeks before their arrival but port conditions were still very basic. Many ships still anchored in the Port River and transferred their passengers and cargo in rowboats. The road to Adelaide was worse than a track and it often took families 12 hours to travel the few miles into the city. A spring cart would make the journey for 20 shillings a head, a bullock dray was an alternative at 5 shillings a head but the dray was only marginally better than walking.

The Elgin also carried 195 Female orphans from the poor-houses of Ireland. On this trip almost half of them had their period for the first time. 85 from Skibbereen, 35 from Killarney,  30 from Fermoy,  25 from Lismore,   15 from Clonmel,  Total 190 (H.L.,1849,1083)

The SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER reports: September 12,1849 "The female orphans on board the ELGIN expressed themselves highly satisfied with their treatment, and the Captain says he has not a fault to find with the young women." September 15th Saturday: the Office of the Children Apprenticeship Board advertised that "The Elgin, with female orphans, arrived. Applicant desirous of availing themselves of their Services, are requested to attend, in person or by proxy, at the Office of the Secretary, Native School, on and after Friday next, the 14th instant. It is recommended that the orphans be removed immediately after the arrangements have been made. Signed M. MOORHOUSE, Secretary to the Board. October 13th,1849: the Shipping Intelligence column of the REGISTER reported that the Elgin was "lying in the stream". The October 13th Report of the Board mentioned that "... The orphans per the Elgin arrived on the 10th September last, but are meeting with situations at a slow rate. The vessel has been nearly one month in Port, and there are at this date, 109 unhired. ..." November 14th, 1849: the ELGIN was "loading for London". December 29th, 1849: the ELGIN was still in Port Adelaide awaiting loading. Most of this delay was attributable to the delay in finding places for the orphans.

Kapunda
When Henry and Mary Ann married, he was a miner by profession and could not write. A witness to the wedding was “William Floyd’ (possibly related to Mary Pollard, nee Floyd). The marriage was conducted by Rev. William Oldham, Mine Manger and Congregational Minister, at his residence.

When Henry died, Mary became reliant on relief from the Destitute Board, as here sister-in-law Caroline was. She first applied for assistance Thursday July 26th 1860, only one week after Henry’s death. The South Australian Advertiser reports that “The Board thought some further particulars as to the circumstances of her husband at the period of the decease necessary before the application should be entertained.” She must have been granted them soon after, as on November 15th, she is granted renewal of rations for three weeks along with Caroline. Her rations were renewed again for 1 month on February 7th 1861, three months on June 27th, and the same again on October 3rd. By 26th November, she was remarried and the relief stopped.

John Wright’s father was a William Wright. He and Mary married at St John’s Church near Kapunda. He was 22 (status not given) and she was recorded as a 24 year old widow. Mary had two more children with her new husband, William Wright, born on 14.9.1862 and Ellen Wright, born on 22.5.1865. Both children were born at Kapunda. William married Adelaide Grebert at St Rose Church, Kapunda on 19.4.1884 and had 4 children – Arnold (1892), Harry (1864), Stella (1900) and Allan Alfred (1902). The Biographical Index of South Australians lists Ellen as marrying someone by the last name of Faye, but I have not found a record of this in South Australia or Victoria. It is beleived that Mary departed South Australia for Victoria after 1886.

Children

 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of Henry & Mary Pollard and John & Mary Wright
 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of Henry & Mary Pollard and John & Mary Wright