John H Shoobridge 1836 - 1908

John Shoobridge (1836 - 1908)

John H Shoobridge was born was born in 1836 in Rolvenden, Kent. He was the second child and eldest son of John Shoobridge and Elizabeth Brown. There has been no record of christening found for John, so it is highly likely the family was non-conformist.

Until he was 19 John lived with his parents in Rolvenden Kent, most likely at Rollinson Farm. Whilst he was in Kent, he met and became engaged to Sophia Muriel Hinds. Sophia Muriel was the daughter of John Hinds and Sophia Battam. John and Sophia were both locals of Rolvenden, living at The Layne in Rolvenden at the time of the 1841 census.

In October 1855 John (19), along with his parents and 5 siblings emigrated to Australia. They departed from Southampton on 9 October 1855 and arrived in Sydney on 19 January 1856. Upon their arrival they moved to the Burragorang Valley near Camden.

One year after John\'s arrival - on 22 January 1857 - Sophia Muriel arrived in Sydney aboard the "Maotoka". She travelled to Camden where she married John 11 days later on 2 February 1857 at the Church of England Chapel at The Oaks. The marriage was officiated by the Minister Edward Rogers and witness by Henry and John Dunn.

John and Sophia had a large family of 11 children (5 sons and 6 daughters) between 1858 and 1887:

• Mary Ann Shoobridge Born 18 Mar 1858. Married Michael Blattman on 14 Jan 1887. Died 19 Jul 1931
• Hannah Shoobridge 1859 - 1928 Born 1859. Married John Crofton Jessop in 1882. Died 29 Jan 1928
• Harriet Shoobridge Born 19 Aug 1861. Married Oliver Hall Jessop on 19 Aug 1882. Died 20 Apr 1942
• Ellen Shoobridge Born 1863. Died 12 Sep 1927
• Elizabeth Ann Shoobridge Born 1 Oct 1865. Married John Smith in 1896. Died 2 Nov 1941
• Alfred Shoobridge Born 1868. Died 15 Apr 1945
• John Shoobridge Born 27 Jun 1870. Married Rose May Vidler in 1906. Died 15 Sep 1942
• Sophia Shoobridge Born 9 Apr 1872. Married Joseph Cranfield on 1 Jan 1903. Died 6 Feb 1963
• William George Shoobridge Born Dec 1874. Married Ethel M Boxell in 1901. Died 28 Nov 1948
• Charles Edward Shoobridge Born 1877. Died 7 Jun 1941

In the late 1860s, John Snr moved to Green Wattle Creek and John and Sophia took over the working of the property at Warragamba. The Shoobridge farm was the lowest on the Warragamba - with no farms below it. After the farm, there was an 18 mile gorge.

Sophia went into labour on 18 May 1880, and experienced difficulties, however there was not doctor available and she died in childbirth on 19 May 1880 - she was 42 at the time. She was buried in the church yard at Lagoon Flats.

John continued to live and work on the farm at Warragamba. It must have been very difficult for him, with his children ranging from 22 to 3 at the time of Sophia's death, but despite what was then the norm, John did not remarry.

When John got too old to work the farm at Warragamba, it was taken over by his daughter Sophia and her husband Joseph Cranfield. By early 1908 John had moved into Oakdale - most likely for medical treatment - where he lived with his sister Mary and her husband James. Then, on 11 November 1908 - at the age of 72 - he passed away at Oakdale. His body was transported back to Cox's River where he was buried next to his wife.

The Shoobridge farm was the first to be bought by the Water Board when they decided to build Warragamba Dam. They paid £700 for it. Apparently it took a fair while - over six years - to work out who the money had to go to, but in the end, it was distributed between John's descendants.

Of their Sophia and John\'s children

• William George and Alfred owned a produce store on Woodville Road in Granville, before both moving north.
• John - known as Jack - Shoobridge, had selected land in 1902 in Numinbah - the area from Chillingham to the top end of North Arm - pay £1 per acre
• Alf selected at Zara - near Chillingham in mid 1904 - they both paid £1 per acre
• William George moved to Wardell on the Richmond in 1902 with his new wife, before moving to the Tweed where on 14 November 1904 he selected Lot 7 at Chillingham - a 221 acre property - he had to pay £2 per acre.

Both Sophia and John were later reinterred at St Matthew Church of England Cemetary at the Oaks.

Associated Documents