William Forward
M, #1286, b. 1806, d. 28 May 1893
 William & Caroline Forward |
| Father* | Richard Forward b. c 1779 |
| Mother* | Elizabeth Catt |
| Last Edited | 10 Mar 2023 |
| Birth* | William Forward was born in 1806 at Brightling, East Sussex, England; Bic Dic has him born in 1804 which doesn't match the age on his headstone.1 |
| He was the son of Richard Forward and Elizabeth Catt. | |
| Marriage* | William Forward married Caroline Elizabeth Friend, daughter of William Friend, on 4 April 1838 at Guildford, Western Australia. |
| Death* | William Forward died on 28 May 1893 at Northam, Western AustraliaG; reg: 498. |
| Burial* | He was buried at Northam, Western AustraliaG; CE. |
Family | Caroline Elizabeth Friend b. 1820, d. 11 Sep 1899 |
| Child |
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| Occupation* | William Forward was a Blacksmith, Farmer, Hotelier, Dir. of Northam Flour Mill Co. |
| Immigration* | He immigrated on 15 December 1829 to Fremantle, Western AustraliaG, on the ship Gilmore - with his brother, Henry. Another brother, James came out on the Rockingham 14/5/1830. James left WA on the Eliza in April 1831, bound for Tasmania.. |
| Census* | He appeared on the census of 1 July 1832 at Guildford, Western Australia; #142, 24, Single, Sussex, England, Gilmore, Dunnage.2 |
| Census_1836* | He appeared on the 1836 WA census of 1 January 1836 at Swan, Western Australia. Farmer.3 |
| Census_1837* | He appeared on the 1837 WA census of 30 December 1837 at York, Western AustraliaG,Single, Innkeeper, born England.4 |
| Event-Misc* | He was Master of Thomas Newman indentured farm servant ex Parkhurst Lad on 15 February 1849 at Northam, Western AustraliaG.5 |
| Residence* | He lived in 1858 at Salt River Farm, Northam, Western AustraliaG. |
| Census_1859York* | He and Caroline Elizabeth Friend appeared on the 1859 York WA census of 31 December 1859 at York, Western AustraliaG.6 |
| Note* | THE PIONEER FORWARD FAMILY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA By T.A Harrop Among the early settlers to the Swan River Settlement, Western Australia, were three members of the Forward family. William and Henry Forward arrived in Western Australia on the vessel Gilmore on 15 December 1829, while James Forward arrived on the vessel Rockingham on 14 May 1830. James Forward left the colony on the vessel Eliza in April 1831, bound for Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). It is not clear what happened to Henry Forward. In the information from the Census conducted in Western Australia at the end of December 1837, there appeared the following :- (i) FORWARD, William - male, aged above 12 years; single; calling - innkeeper; place of birth - England. (ii) FORWARD, Thomas - male, aged above 12 years; single; occupation - labourer. It is not known who the above-mentioned Thomas Forward was, because there does not appear to be any reference to the arrival of a person of that name in the Colony by December it could well be that he was one and the same person as the above-mentioned Henry Forward who arrived on the vessel Gilmore on 15 December 1829. There is no actual evidence available as to what the relationship was between William, Henry and James Forward. It is quite likely that they were brothers, but one must be wary about making such assumptions. It may be noted, however, that the three sons of William Forward were named James, William and Henry! William Forward married Caroline Elizabeth Friend on 4 April 1838, at Guildford, Western Australia, by banns. the witnesses being Charles A Devenish and Mary Bransby Smith. Caroline was the daughter of Friend. William and Caroline Forward evidently moved to the York district fairly soon after that. According to the York Anglican Register of Baptisms, their first son was born on 13 June 1840. At that time William Forward was shown as being a sawyer. The information from the York Census of 1859 relating to William Forward and his family was as follows :- FORWARD, William - 55 years; Church of England; farmer; illiterate. Arrived in W.A. on vessel Gilmore 1829. Born in Sussex. Married in W.A., Caroline, 40 years; Church of England; literate; she arrived in W.A. on vessel Shepherd in 1837; born in Buckinghamshire. Children :- (1) Cecilia W. , 15 years. (2) William, 14 years, farmer. (3) Henry. 11 years. (4) Elizabeth, 6 years. (5) Mary Ann, 2 years. FORWARD, James - 19 years; unmarried; Protestant; servant; illiterate; free; born in W.A. The above-mentioned James Forward was the eldest son of William and Caroline Forward. Also, at the time of the 1859 York Census, Emma Forward, second child and eldest daughter of William and Caroline Forward, was already married. In Cyclopaedia of Western Australia (J.S. Battye, 1913), the following appeared about William Forward :- "... William Forward, who came from Kent, England, in 1830 and settled down to grazing and farming pursuits in the York districts, coming to Northam during the early days of its settlement and opening the first hotel in the neighbourhood in the early (eighteen-) sixties. After conducting this business for some years the late Mr. Forward resumed farming occupations in the Seabrook district, where he died at the ripe age of ninety-two ..." As may be noted, the above shows that William Forward came from Kent, whilst the 1859 York census material indicates that he was born in Sussex. It seems likely that he moved from Sussex to Kent , and it was from there that he came to Western Australia. (It may be noted that there was a William Forward living in the Salehurst-Robertsbridge area, East Sussex - just three or four miles from the border with Kent - in the 1740s and 1750s, because he had three children, Elizabeth, Henry and William Forward, baptised in 1746, 1751 and 1753 respectively, at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Salehurst. It is quite conceivable that the above-mentioned William Forward, father of Elizabeth, Henry and William, was a direct forbear of William Forward of the Swan River Settlement, Western Australia). Of course, William Forward arrived in Western Australia on 15 December 1829, and not in 1830, as shown in Cyclopaedia of Western Australia. Another item where there is a discrepancy is in respect of the age of William Forward at his death. According to the headstone in the Anglican portion of the Northam Cemetery, William Forward died on 28 May 1893, aged 92 years. If this were correct, he would have been born between 29 May 1800 and 28 May 1801 inclusive. According to the York Census, conducted, it is understood, on 31 December 1859, William Forward was shown as being aged 55 years. This would have meant he was born between 1 January 1804 and 31 December 1804 inclusive. Again, there is the following information from the C.S.O. Records, Volume 4, page 8, being the passenger list for the vessel Gilmore, which, as indicated earlier, arrived in Western Australia on 15 December 1829 William Forward, aged 25 years. Henry Forward, aged 23 years. It is not certain when, that is, to which date, the ages relate, but it is suggested that they would refer to the time when prospective passengers were applying for, or being recruited for, the trip to Swan River Settlement - probably early 1829. . That is, William Forward; would, on this basis, have been born in 1803 or 1804. On the basis of the foregoing, it would seem that the age shown for William Forward's death on 28 May 1893, namely, 92 years, was probably wrong, and that he was more likely 89 or perhaps 90 years of age at death. The death certificate for Caroline Forward, wife of William Forward, provides the following information : (i) Caroline Forward died 11 September 1899, aged 79 years, at Fitzgerald Terrace, Northam, and was buried on 12 September 1899 in the Church of England Cemetery, Northam. She was the wife of William Forward. (ii) Caroline Forward was the daughter of William Friend, and she was born in Oxbridge, London. She was in Western Australia for 63 years, and she was married at Guildford, at the age of 18 years, to William Forward. (iii) At the time of death of Caroline Forward, there were the following of her children living :- James, 59; -Emma, 57; Cecilia, 55; Williarn, 53; Henry,50; Elizabeth,45; Mary,42; Fanny,39. Issue deceased : one female. It is indicated in (ii) above that Caroline was born in Oxbridge London and this seems to conflict with the information shown in the York Census of 1859, namely, that she was born in Buckinghamshire. In fact this could be reconciled because the Oxbridge, London, referred to in the death certificate could have really been Uxbridge, which is in Outer London, and actually is located in the County of Buckinghamshire. With regard to the daughter who was already deceased by the time Caroline Forward died in 1899 there does not seem to be any other reference than what appeared in Caroline's death certificate. It seems likely that this daughter died at or shortly after birth and that there was no registration. Possibly this daughter came between Henry Forward (who was born 23 June 1849) and Elizabeth Forward (who was born in about 1853 or 1854). Putting together the family of William and Caroline Forward, we have the following, down to their grandchildren : WILLIAM FORWARD, born ca 1803, m. 4 April 1838, at Guildford, W.A., Caroline Elizabeth Friend, dau of William Friend and he d 28 May 1893 (buried in the Northam Cemetery, Anglican portion), having by her, who 11 Sept 1899. aged 79 years (buried in the. Northam Cemetery, Anglican portion), had issue, 1. James FORWARD, born 13 June 1840, m 1st, 15 May 1862, at Northam, Mary Ann Martin who was b 5 Jan 1840, dau of William Martin and Lucy Martin, nee Cook; and by her, who d 5 Feb 1866, he had issue, (1) Charles FORWARD, b 12 March 1863, m 27 April 1892, Mary Ann Maddock, dau of Henry Maddock; and he d 8 Feb 1943; she d 30 Jan 1967, aged 98 years. (2) Samuel FORWARD, b 23 March 1864, m 23 Sept 1891, at Northam, Ellen Coles, who was b 21 Dec 1861, dau of James Coles and Charlotte Coles, nee Webb; and he d 11 April 1916; she d 26 May 1957. (3) Mary Ann FORWARD, b 23 Jan 1866, d 29 April 1866. James Forward m 2nd, 5 June 1867, at York, Louisa Hayden, dau of James Hayden; and he d 12 Jan 1921, having by her, who d 7 June 1942, aged 94 years, at Goomalling, had further issue, (4) Mary Ann FORWARD, b 24 April 1868, m 16 Feb 1887, John Duckham. (5) Annie FORWARD, b 10 June 1870, m 18 Dec 1890, Andrew John Hoddy. (6) Caroline FORWARD, b 26 Aug 1872, d May 1874. (7) William FORWARD, b 12 July 1874, d 4 Sept 1875. (8) Louisa FORWARD, b 26 July 1877, m 26 Oct 1897. Edward Matthew Bufton. (9) Charlotte FORWARD, b ca 1880, m 4 Sept 1906, Thomas Bywaters, son of John Bywaters and Betsy Bywaters, nee Moysey. (10) James Henry FORWARD, b 4 April 1882, m lst, Florence Elizabeth ... ?; he m 2nd, 31 Dec 1924, Sarah Elizabeth Monger, who was b 21 Feb 1894, dau of James William Monger and Fanny Monger. nee Forward. (11) Eliza FORWARD, b 14 Aug 1884, m 10 May 1906, George Hugh Bennett, son of Hugh Bennett and Agnes Drysdale Bennett, nee McArthur. (12) Elizabeth FORWARD, b 3 Nov 1886, m 29 April 1907, John Cottrell, son of Frederick William Cottrelf and Annie Cottrell, nee Harper. (13) May FORWARD, b 27 May 1890. 2. Emma FORWARD, b 17 Sept 1842, m 25 Aug 1858, at Northam, John Martin, who was b 4 Jan 1836, son of William Martin and Lucy Martin, nee Cook, and she d 13 Jan 1929 having by him, who d 28 June 1911, had issue, (1) Andrew MARTIN, 1 July 1858, m 22 Jan 1880, Sarah Coles, who was b 6 Nov 1858 dau of James Coles and Charlotte Coles, nee Webb, and he d 1 Jan 1943; she d 6 Sept 1935. (2) George MARTIN, b 16 May 1860, m 15 Feb 1888, Annie Sophia Harding, dau of Frederick Harding, and he d 1 b-ec 1949; she predeceased him. (3) John MARTIN, b 21 Oct 1862, m 17 Aug 1890, Margaret Mary Sermon, who was b 3 March 1866, dau of William Sermon and Mary Sermon, nee Ryan, and he d 31 Dec1933; she d 28 April 1955. (4) Emma MARTIN, b 12 May 1865, m 9 Feb 1888, William Biddle, who was b 9 July 1865 son of James Biddle and Mary Biddle, nee Hehir; and she d 23 Feb 1892; he d 4 Oct 1901. (5) Emily MARTIN. b 27 Oct (or 12 Nov ?) 1867, m 25 April 1892, at Northam, Michael Sermon, who was b 14 Dec 1868 (or 4 Jan 1869 ?) , son of William Sermon and Mary Sermon, nee Ryan; and she d 20 Feb 1944; he d 5 March 1964. (6) Newland MARTIN, b 28 May 1873, m 15 Sept 1914, Stella May King, who was b 28 April 1889, dau of Thomas Oglesby King and Charlotte King, nee Chamberlain; and he d 21 Sept 1964. (7) Harry MARTIN, b 4 Aug 1877. m 28 April 1904, Mary Ann Elizabeth Forward, who was b 24 Dec 1875, dau of Henry Forward and Ellen Forward, nee Martin; and he d 15 Oct 1922; she d 5 July 1945. 3. Cecilia FORWARD, b 26 Oct 1844, m 7 June 1860, at the Northam Church Edward Wilding, son of John Wilding, and they had issue, (1) Sarah Caroline WILDING, b 18 May 1867. 4. William FORWARD, b 25 Jan 1847, m 3 July 1873, Emily Morrell, dau of Richard Morrell and he d 13 Nov 1928, having by her, who d 2 Dec 1928, had issue, (1) Aubrey William FORWARD, b 6 April 1874. (2) Edith Mary FORWARD, b 23 Oct 1875, m 9 Jan 1901, Frederick William Roe, who was b 6 Aug 1874, son of Frederick Mackie Roe and Sarah Roe, nee Clarkson. (3) Louis Lionel FORWARD, b 30 Dec 1877, m 21 April 1909, Evelyn Ada Nicholson, dau of George Gervase and Margaret Nicholson. (4) Herbert Roy FORWARD, b 25 March 1880, m in 1905, Hannah Burke, dau of Richard Burke. (5) Clarice Emily FORWARD, b 14 Oct 1882, m 17 Sept 1902, Alban Clarence Morrell, son of David Thomas Morrell and Julia Morrell, nee Chidlow. (6) Harold Douglas FORWARD, b 17 Dec 1886, m Vera Alma Matson, and he d 26 Aug 1951. (7) Maud Millicent FORWARD, b 13 Nov 1888, m 29 April 1914, Charles Anthony Herbert Mills, son of William Minson Mills and Mahala Mills, nee Kent. 5. Henry FORWARD, b 23 June 1849, m 1st, 16 March 1870, Ellen Martin, who was b 21 April 1850, dau of William Martin and Lucy Martin, nee Cook, and by her, who d 18 May 1903 (buried in the Northam Cemetery), he had issue, (1) George Edward FORWARD, b 13 Sept 1870, m 23 June 1897, Ada Harriet Christmass, who was b 4 Aug 1877, dau of Charles Christmass and Hannah Christmass, nee Martin; and he d in 1928; she d 20 Oct 1972. (2) Sarah Caroline FORWARD, b 21 June 1872, m 1st, 22 Jan 1895, Thomas Frank Hartree, son of George Robert Hartree; and he d 17 Feb 1898, aged 25 years. She m 2nd, David Kingston. (3) Matilda FORWARD, b 21 May 1873, d 26 May 1873, at Grass Valley. (4) Frederick FORWARD, b 14 June 1874, m 1st, 15 Jan 1896, Emily Christmass, who was b 10 Jan 1865, dau if Charles Christmass and Hannah Christmass, nee Martin; and she d 4 Sept 1903 (buried in the Northam Cemetery). He m 2nd, Flora Ralph, nee Christmass, dau of Charles Christmass and Hannah Christmass, nee Martin; and he d 19 Sept 1954; she d 19 Dec, 1954. (5) Mary Ann Elizabeth FORWARD, b 24 Dec. 1875, m 28 April 1904, Harry Martin, who was b 4 Aug 1877, son of John Martin and Emma Martin, nee Forward; and she d 5 July 1945; he d 15 Oct 1922. (6) Ellen FORWARD, b 22 July 1877, m 11 Jan 1897, Stanley Frederick Andrew Parker, son of Frederick Parker and Charlotte Parker, nee Mitchell. (7) Florence Edith FORWARD, b 4 June 1879, m 11 April 1900, John St Eloy D'Alton, who was b in 1867, son of John D'Alton and Jane D'Alton, nee Galbraith; and she d 18 Jan 1953; he d 15 Aug 1936. (8) Francis Henry FORWARD, b 10 Oct 1880, m 9 Sept 1903, Mary Anne Luste, dau of Robert Luste and Maria Luste, nee Bennett. (4) Matilda Mabel MONGER, b 23 Jan 1885, d 26 Dec 1894, at York. (5) Edward James MONGER, 122 Aug 1887. m 23 Sept 1914, Annie Bowron, dau of David Bowron and Alice Maria Bowron, nee Burrows. (6) Herbert William MONGER, b 22 July 1890, m 31 Aug 1921, Rhoda Clara Phyllis Broadway, dau of Thomas Broadway and Florence Broadway. nee Wyze. (7) MONGER, dau, stillborn 8 March 1893, at York. (8) Sarah Elizabeth MONGER, b 21 Feb 1894, m 31 Dec 1924, James Henry Forward, who was b 4 April 1882, son if James Forward and Louisa Forward, nee Hayden. (9) Charles Vernon MONGER, b 22 Nov 1896. 9. FORWARD, dau, probably died at or shortly after birth; it is not known in which order she came in the family. It would be of interest to know if either Henry Forward (who arrived in Western Australia in December 1829) or James Forward (who arrived in May 1830) established families and have descendants. There is every likelihood that one or other of them did. A family of Forwards was located at Watervale in South Australia by the end of 1872. There was a George Forward born there at that time, and he subsequently came to Western Australia, as did his brother Alfred Ernest Forward, who was at Northam, W.A. by mid-1916. On 10 July 1916, at the age of 43 years 7 months, the said George Forward enlisted in the army in W.A. and was allotted to the 5Ist Battalion, A.I.F. He embarked from Fremantle on 9 November 1916, disembarked at Devonport, England, on 10 January 1917, and was killed in action in France on 10 June 1917. The question remains as to whether the above-mentioned George Forward and Alfred Ernest Forward were descendants of either Henry Forward (December 1829) or James Forward (May 1830). Still on the subject of South Australian members of the Forward family, it is interesting to recall that one of the passengers on the ill-fated Australian National Airlines aircraft, the Amana, which crashed east of York in Western Australia in mid- 1949, was a Mr. Forward, from South Australia. He was in fact, the only survivor of the crash, but he too succumbed after nine days. From memory, his first name was James. As a major compiler of the FORWARD family history in Western Australia, the author of this article would welcome any additional information which would help fill the gaps in the Forward family, in particular with regard to branches of the family outside Western Australia and to lines ' descended from Henry Forward (Swan River, December 1829) and James Forward (Swan River, May 1830). Please write to T.A. Harrop, 33 Ripple Way, Bateman, Western Australia, 6153. (The Genealogist, March 1979; pages 252-257.) |
Citations
Caroline Elizabeth Friend
F, #1287, b. 1820, d. 11 September 1899
Caroline Friend |
| Father* | William Friend |
| Last Edited | 18 Mar 2025 |
| Birth* | Caroline Elizabeth Friend was born in 1820 at Iver, Buckinghamshire, England.1 |
| She was the daughter of William Friend. | |
| Marriage* | Caroline Elizabeth Friend married William Forward, son of Richard Forward and Elizabeth Catt, on 4 April 1838 at Guildford, Western Australia. |
| Death* | Caroline Elizabeth Friend died on 11 September 1899 at Northam, Western AustraliaG; reg: 1437.2 |
| Burial* | She was buried at Northam, Western AustraliaG; CE. |
Family | William Forward b. 1806, d. 28 May 1893 |
| Child |
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| Occupation* | Caroline Elizabeth Friend was a Domestic Servant. |
| Immigration* | She immigrated on 2 March 1837 on the ship Shepherd.. |
| Census_1837* | She appeared on the 1837 WA census of 30 December 1837 at York, Western AustraliaG,Over 12, single, Domestic Servant, Edward Hammersley's Farm, born England.3 |
| Census_1859York* | She and William Forward appeared on the 1859 York WA census of 31 December 1859 at York, Western AustraliaG.1 |
Citations
- [S345] Bradly family Tree in WA, online www.bradlyfamilytree.org, York Census.
- [S142] Family Search, online www.familysearch.org, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSN3-7KHF
- [S128] CSO - WA Census 1837.