Gordon Family History

Francis Rowe Mannell was born on the 20th May 1828 in Mylor, Cornwall. He was baptised in Mylor on the 27th July 1828. He arrived in Australia on the ship "Tartar" which reached Sydney on the 26th July 1857. The "Tartar" left London on 26 April 1857, and appears to have made regular voyages between England and Australia. Relatives living in Australia at the time are given as Uncles Robert and Rickard (sic) Nicholls at Royal Hotel Stores George Street Sydney. Francis was 28 years of age at the time of his arrival. In his shipping papers, he is described as a farm labourer, but this may have been the occupation given to assist him to immigrate. He certainly worked as a miller in both Cornwall and New South Wales. He worked for a short time at the Laggan flour mill. He was well educated. He only ever seemed to have contact with a brother Kade Mannell who died in 1918, and a niece who married Peter Williams of Mullion. Both uncle and niece died childless. (The niece may have been either Euredice or Gertrude Mannell, daughters of John Jervis Mannell and Emma Dale. Their first daughter, Frances, married Stephen Rule, and had family).

Francis Mannell married Anne Worthington in Goulburn on 1st September 1860, according to the rites of the Catholic Church, the officiating priest was Father David D'Arcy. Francis Mannell's address was given as Gundagai and he was described as a miller. Anne Worthington's address was given as Collector, and she was described as a farmer's daughter. Anne was the daughter of James and Mary (nee Byrne) Worthington (Warrington). The children of this marriage were:

• Eveline Mary Mannell (1861 - 1862) n.m
• Francis Worthington Mannell (1863 - 1942) married Constance Page
• Emily Ann Eliza Mannell (1870 - 1950) married Edward Cunningham. She was baptised Emily Ada Mannell, and was always known as Ada.

Francis and Anne first lived at Wagga Wagga. Their daughter, Eveline, was born and died in there. By 1863, when their son Francis was born, they were living in the Currawang/Lake George area. Their daughter Emmily Ann was born in Mundy Street Goulburn in 1870. The family may have been living there, as the 1872 Greville's Postal Directory lists a Robert Mannell listed living in Mundy Street. I have not found a listing for Francis Mannell in the Postal Directory for Goulburn, Collector or Currawang. It may be that somehow his name was incorrectly recorded as Robert, as I have not been able to find any record of Robert Mannell living in Goulburn other than this listing. Francis and his family at some point returned to Currawang. Francis junior and Ada attended the Currawang Public School. Francis was also a pupil teacher at the school and through bursaries entered the university and eventually attained his Master of Arts degree. He was appointed Inspector of Schools when relatively young and was in charge of the Goulburn Inspectorate for some years about the time of World War I. When the Currawang Copper Mines closed, the Mannells came to Goulburn to live, in the 1891 Census, Francis and Anne are recorded as living in Auburn Street, in the 1901 Census they were living in Bourke Street. They lived in a house (long since demolished) opposite Saint Peter and Paul's Cathedral. Ada also attended South Goulburn Public School when Major Lumsden was the headmaster. As Ada had a good education, she sought a position as governess and her first appointment was at Hunters Hill with a family named Lenehan. She later accepted a position to teach John Cunningham's children at "Laurel Cottage" (later "Laureleigh") at Tarlo. It was there that she met and later married Edward Cunningham.

Francis Rowe Mannell died on the 19th May 1905 and was buried in the Church of England portion of the General Cemetery Goulburn. Anne Mannell died on the 19th October 1905, and was buried in the Cunningham plot of the Catholic Cemetery at Tarlo.