BUNNEY

Thomas’ parents were William & Mary Bunney. William Bunney married Mary Davy on 3rd April 1819 at St Ewe. William was a miner born c1794. He died in 1849 in Polgooth and was buried at St. Ewe on 28th January. Thomas’ mother, Mary Davey, was born in 1800 and christened on 25th May at St. Ewe, Cornwall. Mary’s parents were William & Elizabeth Davey (nee Tremellin). They were married on 30-3-1795 at St. Ewe.

Mary Bunney died in the 2nd Qtr of 1871, aged 73.

Thomas was the eldest of eight children.  Following him was John (b.c1826, Tin Miner. Died 16-10-1849, Levalsa Downs, aged 24), Caleb (b.c1829, Tin Miner), David (b.c1835), Jane (b.c1837), Mary Ann (b.c1840), Elizabeth (b.c1842), & Rebecca (b.c1845).

The family appear in the 1841 census living in Polgooth, St. Ewe Ecclesiastical Parish. Living with them is Elizabeth Davis (aged 90) and Jane Davis (aged 40), and Ann Bunney (aged 10).

At the age of 15 Thomas was converted to Christianity and began meeting with the Bible Christians at Paramore but do to the travelling distance he decided to worship instead with the Wesleyan Methodists in Polgooth.  He worked in Polgooth as a miner but after about 4 years the mining interests began to decline and he moved to Camborne. He spent about 9 years in Camborne before immigrating to South Australia.

Thomas Bunney married Caroline Spargo on 12-2-1846 at the Parish Church in the Parish of Camborne in Redruth, Cornwall. Thomas’ residence was listed as “Town, Park Bracket”. Caroline’s residence was listed as ‘St. Maradoc’s Villa’’. St Maradoc’s Villa was a large home on Tehidy Road, Camborne. A local businessman or mine captain probably owned it. Caroline probably worked there as a servant. At various times in her life Caroline was known by the name Catharine.

By the time they were married, Caroline had already had a daughter.

Caroline Spargo was born in 1842 and baptised on the 5th June. At the time of the baptism, Caroline was living at the Union Workhouse in Redruth.

Caroline became Thomas’ step-daughter, but lived at Thomas’ daughter her whole life. Although she does not appear in the passenger list, there is no doubt she moved to South Australia with Thomas & Caroline.

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Caroline was born in 1816 and christened Catharine Spargo on 6-7-1816 in Stithians, Cornwall. Her father was Samuel Spargo who was a Cornish miner, though he was deceased by the time Caroline was married. Her mother was Catharine Collins. They were married on 12-8-1805 in Stithians, Cornwall. This Samuel Spargo was christened on the 8-11-1783 in Cornwall.

In 1841 Caroline is living in Church Street, Genn's Point in Falmouth. She is working as a servant with Elizabeth Rowe (aged 75) and Christiana Rowe (aged 40, dressmaker). Her mother is living at Lansownich in Stithians with the rest of her siblings: Catherine (aged 55), Samuel (aged 30, copper Miner), Mary (aged 25), Fanny (aged 20), Elizabeth (aged 15), Susan (aged 12) & Nicholas, son of above Samuel (aged 6).

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Thomas & Caroline Bunney had a daughter, Louisa, before immigrating to South Australia.

The Bunney’s came to South Australia on the ‘Sibella’. The ‘Sibella’ sailed from London via Plymouth on the 6-4-1948. Caroline (senior) would have been heavily pregnant when she boarded the ship. They arrived in Adelaide on 16-7-1848. Thomas was about 28 years old at the time.

En route to Australia Louisa died of measles on the 19-5-1948. Caroline gave birth to another daughter on the 1-6-1848 aboard the ‘Sibella’. She was named Louisa Sabella (sic), after her late sister and also the ship on which she was born.

The ‘Register’ of the 19-7-1848 recorded their arrival: “Thomas Bunney and wife (their infant daughter Louisa died at sea, and another daughter was born to them on 1st June.)”

The first child born was Caroline:

1)Caroline SPARGO.    *Born c1843 in Penzance, Cornwall.

                                      *Died 1912 in Broken Hill (as Caroline Moyle).

                                      *Married 1st  on 25-1-1866 to James Gribbin at Allen’s Creek.

          Issue:

          a)Louisa Sybella GRIBBIN. b.11-11-1866-Kapunda.

                                                      d.22-1-1939-Broken Hill.

                                                      m.23-9-1882 to John Hobbs in Adelaide with issue (see Gribbin).

          b)Cordelia (Delia) Caroline Oates GRIBBIN. b.8-9-1868-Kapunda.

                                                                                 m.18-11-1886 to Frederick James Fairweather in

                                                                                                          Parkside with issue (see ‘Gribbin’).                                                           

          c)Augusta Mary GRIBBIN. b.1-10-1870-Wallaroo.

          d)Beatrice Bunney GRIBBIN. b.6-1-1873-Wallaroo.

                                                         d.6-2-1899-Adelaide.

                                                         m.1891 to Thomas Henry TONKIN in Broken Hill with issue.

          e)Edward James GRIBBIN. b.6-6-1875-Kadina.

          f)Thomas Oliver GRIBBIN. b.27-10-1876-Kadina.

                                                      d.23-8-1877-Kadina.

                                      *Married 2nd on 4-1-1896 to Stephen Moyle in Adelaide. No issue found.

Thomas & Caroline Bunney had seven children:

1)Louisa BUNNEY.    *Born 3rd Qtr of 1846 in Redruth, Cornwall.

                                 *Died 19-5-1848 aboard ‘Sibella’ en route to Adelaide.

2)Louisa Sabella BUNNEY.    *Born 1-6-1848 aboard ‘Sibella’ en route to Adelaide.

                                              *Married on 18-2-1873 to Owen William Walpole in Allen’s Creek.

3)Thomas BUNNEY.    *Born 21-10-1851 in Adelaide.

                                    *Died 2-12-1895 in Adelaide. He is buried in Kadina. He was a farm labourer.

                                    *Married 1st  on 16-2-1873 to Elizabeth Jane Dalwood in Kapunda.

          Issue:

          a)Dora May Dalwood BUNNEY. b.20-8-1876. d.15-12-1893-Appila Yarrowie.

          b)Thomas John BUNNEY. b.21-9-1874.

                                                   d.22-12-1875-Allen’s Creek.

          c)Beatrice Caroline BUNNEY. b.21-5-1879.

                                                         m.8-8-1906-Alexander David Bruce-Kadina.

                                     *Married 2nd on 27-2-1881 to Mary Susannah Whitford in Kadina.

          Issue:

          a)Annie Eva BUNNEY. b.11-11-1882-Kadina.

          b)Ernest Edmund BUNNEY. b.29-11-1884-Appila Yarcowie.

          c)Olive Isabel Gertrude BUNNEY. b.17-7-1887- Appila Yarcowie.

                                                                m.28-4-1910-Richard Henry Trezise-Kadina.

          d)Roy Roswald BUNNEY. b.9-10-1894- Appila Yarcowie.

4)Caleb John BUNNEY.    *Born 2-7-1854 in Adelaide.

                                         *Married on 7-3-1884 to Mary Cathcart Miller at Gordon.

          Issue:

          a)Elizabeth Annabel BUNNEY. b.4-7-1885.

          b)Elsie May BUNNEY. b.29-8-1886. d.6-4-1905-Cunningham.

          c)Edward Albert. b.5-2-1888.

          d)Harry Thomas BUNNEY. b.4-4-1889.

          e)Harriet Maud BUNNEY. b.11-10-1890. d.18-4-1910-Ardossan.

          f)Bertha Florence BUNNEY. b.20-4-1893.

5)Martha Anne BUNNEY.    *Born 31-10-1855 in Adelaide.

6)Joseph Henry Spargo BUNNEY.    *Born 1-5-1858 in Allen’s Creek.

                                                         *Died 8-5-1932 in Broken Hill.

                                                         *Married on 15-9-1886 to Sarah Jane Hobbs in Adelaide.

         Issue:

         a)Arthur Francis BUNNEY. b.1892-St.Arnaud, Victoria.

                                                   d.12-12-1973-Broken Hill.

                                                   m.11-11-1911-Pearl Ritter-Broken Hill.

                                                   Issue:

                                                   i)William Arthur BUNNEY.b.1912-Broken Hill.

                                                                                           m.1941-Dorothy May Horton-Broken Hill.

                                                   ii)Mavis Pearl BUNNEY.b.1918-Broken Hill.

                                                                                        m.1939-Stanley James Rowe-Broken Hill.

                                                   iii)Elizabeth BUNNEY.

                                                   iv)Mary BUNNEY.

7)James Charles BUNNEY.    *Born 7-8-1860 in Allen’s Creek.

                                              *Died 16-4-1861 in Allen’s Creek.

The Bunney’s lived first of all in Adelaide but by 1858 they had bought farming land at Allen’s Creek near Kapunda where Thomas worked as a farmer, probably growing grain. It is known that Thomas spent some time on the Victorian Goldfields, but didn’t have great success.

Thomas worshiped with the Bible Christians at Allen’s Creek. He was a Sunday school teacher and a chapel steward.

Thomas (senior) died on the 19-7-1867 when his horses were startled and jumped into the air knocking the dray on to Thomas’ chest and killing him instantly. He is buried in the Church graveyard of the Bible Christian Church at Allendale North near his home. His white marble headstone says ‘In memory of Thomas Bunney who departed this life July 19, 1867. Aged 45 years. “In the midst of life we are in death. May we follow him as he followed Christ.” J.T.Tyley-Kapunda’.

His widow Caroline remarried at age 50. She married Joseph Chapell at the residence of Mr. Gribbin, Kadina on 22-4-1875.

Caroline died on the 14-8-1895 at Parkside at the age of 79. Her death was recorded under the name Catherine Sparks Bunney. The record lists her husband (deceased) as Thomas Bunney. She is buried in West Terrace cemetery, Adelaide in an unmarked grave. Incidentally also in the same grave is Beatrice Bunney Tonkin who was her granddaughter.

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Caroline Bunney was born Caroline Spargo in 1842 in Redruth, Cornwall. She was born out of wedlock to Catherine Spargo. When her mother married Thomas Bunney in 1846, she became Thomas’ step daughter. Caroline lived as the daughter of Thomas & Caroline Bunney, moving with them to South Australia in 1848.

By the age of 15 she was living in Allen’s Creek near Kapunda where her father owned farming land.

It appears that Caroline had an illegitimate child at the age of about 20.

Fanny Catherine Bonney/Axford was born to a Caroline Bonney & James Axford on the 31-5-1864 in Allen’s Creek. There are other Bonney families living in the colony at the time but nowhere near the Kapunda area. Fanny died of “teething” on the 20-4-1865, aged 10 ½ months. The informant of the child’s death was Louisa Sibella Bonney. There is no record of any marriage between Caroline Bonney & James Axford. In fact James Axford was married a few years later to someone else.

Caroline Bunney married at age 22 on the 25-1-1866 to James Gribbin Esq. James was 21at the time, and was a miner residing in Kapunda. They  were married at the home of her father, Thomas Bunney. Her sister, Louisa Sibella was a witness on her marriage certificate. She was married under the surname “Bonney”.

The ‘Register’ reported on the 29-1-1866: ‘GRIBBIN-BONNEY—On the 25th January, at the residence of the bride’s father, Allen’s Creek, by the Rev. Mr Roberts, Bible Christian minister, James Gribbin, Esq., of Greenock, to Caroline, eldest daughter of Thomas Bonney, Esq.’ 

( note: there was an amendment on 2-2-1866 ).

James & Caroline Gribbin had six children.