Michael Brazil

94

Dennis Nightingale on 5th April 2015

Born: Manchester, Lancashire, England. Died: Coolongolook, New South Wales, Australia. He was a petty criminal who had already served a short stint in prison before he was sentenced at Lancaster to seven years for housebreaking and transported to Australia. As a convict he was assigned to a Mr Henry Baldwin at Windsor, north-west of Sydney. He received his ticket of leave in 1839, and his full freedom in 1841, at which time he took a lease on some land at Brookfield, in the Upper Hunter Valley north of Newcastle. Michael, now in his late twenties, married seventeen year old Rebecca Hampton, one of three daughters from a local farming family. She bore him three children before she died on Christmas Day, 1848. A coroner’s inquest was held as it appears the circumstances of the death were suspicious. The coroner eventually ruled that her death was from natural causes, Rebecca having been struck by lightning while ironing!- residing at "Brazil's Hill" Brookfield. With three small children, the eldest having been crippled in an accident, it was necessary for Michael to re-marry. The obvious choice was the late Rebecca’s sister, Diana. They were married in April 1849, when Diana was just fifteen years of age. Diana bore two more children to Michael, a daughter and a son. Diana died tragically in childbirth, along with her baby Dinah, in 1855. She was twenty-one. By this time Michael was around forty years old and had five children aged from two to fourteen. There is evidence that Michael did marry again, this time to Mary Ann Hampton, sister of Rebecca and Diana and the sole surviving daughter in the family. Michael and Mary – now in her late twenties – had no more children together, although there is a record of Mary giving birth to a child way back in 1845, with Michael listed as father. Michael died in 1885 and is buried in Coolongolook cemetery. Mary lived to see in the new century, passing away in 1900 in the town of Dungog. Michael Brazil purchased land at "Mill Creek" Gloucester in 1856.

Michael Brazel Born Manchester England 1814,arrived on Aurora age 19yrs,married Rebecca Hampton 1841. Also married her sister's Diana and Mary Ann. Combined total 9 children. First wife died struck by lighting, 2nd wife died in childbirth and last of old age natural causes.