This line of Couch can be traced back to the mid-1700’s in Linkinhorne, Cornwall.
George Blake Couch was born c1731.
He married Mary Hoar on 8-2-1766 in Callington, Cornwall.
Mary Hoar was from Stoke-Climsland. She was born in 1733 and died in 1806.
They had twins, James and John born in 1766 in Callington.
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James Couch was born in 1766 in Callington, Cornwall.
He was one of a twin born to George Blake & Mary Couch (nee Hoar).
James Couch married Mary Kerswell on 26-5-1793 in Tavistock, Devon.
They had 3 children; Fanny (1794), George (1796) & Jenny (1798). All born in Linkinhorne, Cornwall.
Sarah Couch died in 1801 in Linkinhorne. James died later in 1822.
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George Couch was born in 1796 and baptised on 25-9-1796 at Linkinhorne, Cornwall.
He was one of 3 children born to James & Sarah Couch (nee Kerswell).
George Couch married Mary Holaway on 22-1-1824 at Stoke-Climsland, Cornwall. All their children were born there. Mary Holloway was born on 7-2-1803 in Stoke Climsland, the illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth Holloway.
The family appear in the 1841 census of Cornwall living in Bienleigh, Stoke Climsland, Cornwall.
George Couch, age 45, miner. His wife Mary, age 36 lives with him along with the five children. George, age 17, Jane, age 15, William, age 4, James, age 2 and Thomas, age 6 months.
By 1851 the family are living at Bramleigh, Stoke-Climsland. This census reveals that all were born in Stoke Climsland. Mary, now 47, a widow. George (24), William (11), James (9), Thomas (8), Henry (4). Also in the house was a lodger named Elizabeth Ball, aged 70 from Virginstow in Devon. This is Mary’s mother.
George & Mary had eight children, all born in Stoke-Climsland:
1)Richard Couch. *Born 1824. Christened 9-5-1824.
2)George COUCH. *Born c1824.
*Died 1869. Buried 28-11-1869 in Stoke Climsland, aged 45. Lived at Luckett.
3)Jane COUCH. *Born c1826.
*Died 12-8-1898 in Stoke-Climsland, Cornwall.
*Married 13-6-1850 to Nathaniel Lobb in Stoke-Climsland, Cornwall.
Issue:
a)Mary Jane Lobb. Born 1859.
Died 1931.
4)Sarah Mary Kerswell Couch. *Born 1833. Christened 22-5-1833.
*Died 10-3-1835, age 2.
5)William COUCH. *Born c1837. Christened 25-1-1837.
*Died 15-9-1880 in Moonta.
*Married 11-1-1862 to Amy Hocking in Kooringa.
Issue:
a)Mary Couch. b.6-11-1863-Kooringa.
d.1886-South Melbourne.
b)Elizabeth Couch. b.17-1-1866-Kooringa.
d.7-3-1867-Kooringa.
c)Richard Couch. b.25-3-1873-Moonta Mines.
d.1939-South Melbourne.
m.1912- Margaret Helen Watt in Victoria. Margaret died 1967 in Hawthorn.
Issue:
i)Alexander Howard Couch. b.1912-South Melbourne.
d.1972-Hawthorn, Victoria.
d)William Couch. b.26-4-1875-Moonta Mines.
d.1942-Richmond, Victoria.
m.1903-Ellen Norah Lavery-Victoria. Ellen died 1917.
Issue:
i)William Couch. b.1904-South Melbourne.
d.1958-Mitc.
ii)Alma Amy Barrett. b.1907-South Melbourne.
d.1932-Victoria.
iii)Amy Ellen Couch. b.1908-South Melbourne.
d.1984-Victoria.
m. Mr. Fargher.
iv)Isabella Venie Couch. b.1914-South Melbourne.
e)Thomas Henry Couch. b.23-4-1877-Moonta Mines.
d.1889-South Melbourne.
6)James COUCH. *Born late 1838 or early 1839. Christened 13-1-1839.
7)Thomas COUCH. *Born 2nd Qtr of 1841. Christened 16-5-1841.
8)Henry COUCH. *Born 3rd Qtr 1846. Christened 26-7-1846.
*Died 1899 in Llandwrog, Caernarvonshire, Wales.
*Married 16-6-1874 to Catherine Williams in Llandwrog, Caernarvonshire, Wales.
Issue:
a)George Henry Couch. b.1875-Llandwrog, Caernarvonshire, Wales.
d.1929- Llandwrog, Caernarvonshire, Wales.
m.1927-Kate Thomas- Llandwrog, Caernarvonshire, Wales.
b)Robert Davies Couch. b.1879- Llandwrog, Caernarvonshire, Wales.
d.1922- Llandwrog, Caernarvonshire, Wales.
George Couch died in 1848 in Stoke Climsland. He was buried on the 4th January, aged 52.
Mary Couch died in 1862 in Stoke Climsland. She was buried on the 5th September, aged 58. She lived at ‘Luckett’.
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James Couch was born either late 1838 or early 1839 in Stoke-Climsland, Cornwall, England. He was christened there on the 4th January.
As an adult he moves to South Australia with his brother, Thomas, presumably to work in the copper mines in Moonta. They travelled to Melbourne first aboard the ‘Wellesley’ arriving in June 1863. James was 24 and Thomas 22. They were both miners. It appears they immediately travelled to Adelaide aboard the ‘Coorong’ leaving the same month, and moving then on to Moonta.
James COUCH married Jane Pearce on the 27-10-1864 at James’ residence in Moonta. He was 25 years of age and she was 22.
James & Jane had seven children:
1)George COUCH. *Born 25-9-1865 in Moonta.
2)Elizabeth Martin COUCH. *Born 10-10-1867 in Moonta.
*Died 6-12-1899 in Broken Hill.
*Married 1st 24-8-1886 to Frederick Riter at Moonta Mines.
*Married 2nd 1890 to Edward (Ted) Ryan in Broken Hill.
Issue:
a)Edward James Ryan. b.29-7-1891-Moonta.
b)Thomas Pearce Couch Ryan. b.1893-Broken Hill.
c)Henry M. Ryan. b.1896-Broken Hill.
3)Margaret Nicholas COUCH. *Born 10-12-1869 in Moonta.
*Died 31-3-1929 in Adelaide.
Issue:
a)Owen COUCH. b.1891-Broken Hill. Born out of wedlock possibly to James MUDIE.
d.1891-Broken Hill.
*Married on 9-2-1892 to James Ramsay MUDIE in Broken Hill.
Issue:
a)Beatrice Mary MUDIE. b.17-9-1892-Broken Hill.
d. 7-6-1967-Broken Hill.
m. 14-5-1913 to Charles Nils NILSEN in Broken Hill with issue.
b)Ruby Pearl MUDIE. b.March 1894-Moonta.
d. 1969.
m. 1916 to Tom Curyer in Broken Hill with issue.
c)Alma Couch MUDIE. b.1896.
d. 1924. Buried 2-9-1924, aged 28.
d)Charlie Adamson MUDIE. b.Oct. 1899.
d. 1974.
m. 1941 to Mavis Noye in Ryde. No issue.
e)Elizabeth (Bet) Martin MUDIE. b.1901.
d. 1943.
m. 1930 to John (Jack) P. Considine in Broken Hill with issue.
f)James Ramsay MUDIE. b.1904.
d. 20-11-1976. Aged 72.
m. 1934 to Violet F. Roberts in Broken Hill with issue.
g)Agnes Margaret Jane MUDIE. b.21-3-1906.
d. 1988.
m. 1939 to Mervyn James Jones in Broken Hill with issue.
h)Thomas (Tom) Henry MUDIE. b.17-4-1908.
d. 11-7-2001.
Never married.
i)Edward (Ted) Glover MUDIE. b.1-3-1911.
d.18-12-2001-Adelaide.
m. 1936 to Lorna Clare Hill in Broken Hill with issue.
4)Henry Pearce COUCH. *Born 21-12-1871 in Moonta.
*Died 18-2-1940 in Broken Hill. Aged 68.
*Married 1899 to Mary Elizabeth Bennetta in Broken Hill.
Issue:
a)William James COUCH. b.1900-Broken Hill South.
d.1942-Broken Hill.
m.possibly 1918-Broken Hill.
b)Hazel B.M. COUCH. b.1904-Broken Hill South.
d.1906-Broken Hill.
c)Henry COUCH. b.1907-Broken Hill.
d)Doris Elizabeth COUCH. b.1910-Broken Hill.
m.1940-Leonard George Chiswell-Broken Hill.
e)Jean COUCH. b.1914-Broken Hill.
m.1938-William Cecil Stokes-Broken Hill.
f)Olive COUCH. b.1914-Broken Hill.
d.1914-Broken Hill.
g)Muriel COUCH. b.1914-Broken Hill.
d.1914-Broken Hill. Buried 9-4-1914.
h)Edward Victor COUCH. b.1918-Broken Hill.
m.1941-Yvonne Magor-Gosford.
5)James COUCH. *Born 17-7-1874 at Moonta Mines.
*Married on 26-11-1907 to Florence Elizabeth Teague in Kilkenny, Adelaide.
6)George COUCH. *Born 28-6-1877 at Moonta Mines.
7)Thomas Pearce COUCH. *Born 3-7-1880 in Moonta.
*Died 28-11-1939 in Moonta.
*Married on 15-4-1908 to Annie Maude Pyatt at Moonta Mines.
It appears James COUCH (senior) spent the rest of his life in Moonta, living at Moonta Mines. He was a miner. He died in Moonta on 28-9-1902 and buried on the 29th in Kadina cemetery, aged 63.
Jane COUCH moved to Broken Hill a few years after James’ death, around 1910. She only survived another year. In Broken Hill, she lived in Hebbard Street, Broken Hill South. She died on 3-9-1911 at age 68, and was buried the next day in the BH cemetery.
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Margaret Nicholas COUCH was born on 10-12-1869 in Moonta and grew up there.
As an adult she was working as a cook with the ‘Black Mountain Mine’ at ‘Gnalta’ station near White Cliffs. This is where she met James Ramsay MUDIE, who was also working there. She may have also worked as a governess at the Gnalta station.
It appears that Margaret had a child before she married. Owen Couch, born and died in 1891 in Broken Hill, has his mother listed as ‘Margaret N’. It has been suggested that Margaret fell pregnant whilst working at the mine. This child, Owen, is possibly the result. There is no record of who the father is but we know she had met James Mudie by this time.
Margaret Nicholas COUCH married James Ramsay MUDIE on 9-2-1892, possibly there at the mine, but more likely in Broken Hill. Margaret may have been pregnant with Beatrice at the time. The marriage was registered in Broken Hill.