William Austin
- Born: 28 Jul 1839, Swan Bank Yorkshire
- Marriage: Elizabeth Blackmore on 13 Mar 1869 in Christchurch N.Z.
- Died: 14 Apr 1916, Brunswick
- Buried: Coburg Cof E Grave 744
General Notes:
William left England on the "Brother's Pride" on 25th July 1863, and arrived in Lyttleton N.Z. on 10th Dec. He was an assisted immigrant, the Cantebury Provinsial Gov paying 4 pounds, 16 shillings of the 13 pound, 6 shilling fare. An epidemic of scarlet fever, typhus and typhoid feverbroke out on the ship, killing 46 passengers. Survivors were quarantined at Camp Bay for 28 days. Williams occupation was listed as farm labourer, although this could have been given as a means of obtaining assisted passage.
In Christchurch William went into partnership with his brother John and fellow passenger Henry Kirk in a brickworks.
Willaim married Elizabeth Blackmore in 1869, and they proceeded to have 8 children, 2 of whom died in1879, 10 day old Sarah and later 21 month old Geoffrey. These deaths affected Elizabeth badly and her health deteriorated until she was admitted to Sunnyside hospital in 1887 with dementia and died in 1891 aged 50.
In 1892 or3 at age 53, William decided to settle in Melbourne with his six children. He worked at Hoffman potteries when he first arrived, then in 1904/5 he set up Austin and Sons Pottery in Brunswick. Sons Albert, Arthur and William joined the partnership making salt-glazed stoneware sewerage and drainpipes.
In 1896, William married Agnes Cunningham, a 50 year-old widow.
William married Elizabeth Blackmore, daughter of Thomas Blackmore and Eliza Smith, on 13 Mar 1869 in Christchurch N.Z. (Elizabeth Blackmore was born on 15 Sep 1841 in Fields Farm, Clayhidon, Devonshire, died on 18 Apr 1891 in Christchurch N.Z. and was buried in Addington.)
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