Frances Spurway (Pratt) - Frances Johnson and William Hendry

Started by Garth McDonald on Tuesday, August 9, 2016
8/9/2016 at 7:49 PM

Frances arrived in Parramatta NSW in 1929 from England for a 14 year sentence.
She met William Hendry, and they had a child named Henry Johnson.( possibly William middle name)
By law, back in the 19th century, if a couple were not married, a child could not take on the fathers' surname.
Frances( Fanny) Johnson was still married, albeit estranged from her first husband David Johnson, and daughter to him Julia Johnson back in England, when Henry W Johnson was born.
When Henry was baptised at St Johns church Parramatta on the 10th Sept 1831, Samuel Marsden officiated the baptism, but entered Frances' name on the register as Johnston. Henry had to take on the surname for the rest of his life as JOHNSTON.

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