Bristow - Penneshaw Cemetery, KI

Information provided by Chris Ward

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ROBERT BRISTOW and FAMILY. Born in 1806 or 1807 in Lincoln, Lincs. the son of George Bristow.
There is a reference to him as a bricklayer and either living or working at 9 Park Lane, Baker Street, Marylebone, London.
In 1822 or 1823 he married Janet the daughter of William Marshall
In 1836 Robert Bristow made application for a free passage to S.A. from England which was granted for himself age 30 his wife age 29 and their two children aged 11 and 9 years.
On 11th September, 1836 Robert arrived at Nepean Bay, Kangaroo Island on the barque "Cygnet" with wife Janet and children Eliza Margaret Hutton Bristow and George William Bristow.
Robert obtained three Town Acres one each in South Terrace (675 cost £6.10.0), Wright Street (south side 474 cost £8.10.0) and Childers Street (south side 929 cost £3.10.0)
11th December, 1837 to 8th September 1839 Robert was the licensee of the "Great Bell of Lincoln" hotel in Wright Street, Adelaide. The licence was transferred on . .
9th September, 1839 to 17th June 1840 Robert was licensee of the "Great Tom of Lincoln" hotel in Thebarton. Later licensees included, Abraham Adams and Roberts’s son-in-law James Lewis. Robert was again licensee for a short period in 1846. The name comes from the massive bell which hangs in the tower of Lincoln Cathedral in England. It was originally cast in 1610 and weighs 5 ton 8 cwt (5,487 kgs). It was here in October, 1839 that the first recorded cricket match in South Australia was held.
1st October, 1840 to October, 1843 he was Licensee of the "Marino Inn". Now known as Kingston House and located at 7 Cameron Ave., Kingston Park. (National Trust classified list item no. 782)
In 1844 he became a farmer and builder in Brighton and had 10 acres under wheat and one acre under barley on Allotment 20 in Section 239 where he lived in a white wooden cottage near the beach.
Robert returned to Kangaroo Island in 1855 and farmed 230 acres. His crops included English and Scotch barley.
Robert died of phthisis (pulmonary consumption) on 26th April, 1863 on Kangaroo Island and is buried in a ‘Lonely Grave’ grave at Hog Bay. His occupations included labourer, bricklayer, hotelier, farmer, and builder.
After Robert’s death, his wife Janet remained on Kangaroo Island and continued as the Post Mistress at Hog Bay a position she had held at least from 1860. The Post office was on Willoughby Road behind the Penneshaw School and in the 1990s was owned by Dr. Donald Dowie. On 17th May, 1869 Janet married a farmer, William Adams, at the Hog Bay Post Office. The witnesses were her son George William Bristow and Margaret Johnston. There were Adams family members that also arrived on the Cygnet so they may have known each other for many years. In June 1872 when a friend Sarah Davidson died leaving at least 3 young children Janet brought them up until she herself died on 20th October, 1876 of "Supposed Old Age" and is buried in the Hog Bay Cemetery. She was 73 years of age. At the time of her death she left 2 children, 22 grandchildren and 12 great grand children
Eliza Margaret Hutton Bristow was married to James Lewis on 15th May, 1841 by Rev. Chas. B. Howard the Colonial Chaplain. James was a member of the survey team under Colonel Light and a companion of Charles Sturt in his exploration of Central Australia from 1844 to 1846. While he was away with Sturt, Eliza successfully sought aid and support from the Chief Secretary. They had 4 children born in South Australia between 1842 and 1849. Their eldest son John born at Brighton on 12th February, 1844 became an explorer, pastoralist, and legislator. He was a Member of the Legislative Council for 25 years. John’s home Benacre still stands at Lewis Ave., Glen Osmond. One of John’s children was Essington born in 1881 who became chief general manager of BHP and director-general of Munitions and Aircraft Production during World War 2.
James died at Balaklava on 14th April, 1891. He was 79 years of age. His obituary is in the Register of 16th April.
Eliza died at Balaklava on 5th July, 1906 in her 82nd year.
George William Bristow married Susan Ann Sims at St. Jude’s Church Brighton on 11th July 1855. George and Susan had 11 children all born on Kangaroo Island between 1856 and 1876
Susan died in 1909 in the Northam District of Western Australia.
George died in 1906 in the Katanning District of Western Australia.
A daughter, Sarah Eliza Bristow born on 25th September, 1858, married Thomas Johnston on 6th May, 1879 at a private residence in Exmouth Road on Le Fevre’s Peninsula. Thomas was the son of Thomas and Eliza nee Jennings of Hog Bay.
Present island resident, Helen Read is Thomas and Sarah’s great great granddaughter.
Obviously there is more information still to be recorded concerning land held by both families as well as both families’ involvement (with others) in obtaining the Land Grant for the first school at Hog Bay. Clearly there are a great many other ancestors to be researched and recorded.
N. B. Hog Bay became known as Penneshaw from January, 1882 when the new name was gazetted.