Parker, Rhoda
| Birth Name | Parker, Rhoda |
| Gender | female |
| Relationship | first cousin four times removed |
| Common Ancestor | Cam, Thomas |
Events
| Birth | Rhoda Parker, about July 1829 at Coaley, Gloucestershire, England |
| Baptism | Rhoda Parker, 22 July 1829 at Coaley, Gloucestershire, England |
| Marriage | John and Rhoda Walker, 3 July 1853 at St Mary the Virgin, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England |
| Cause Of Death | Burned to death making jam, 5 November 1867 |
| Death | Rhoda Parker, 5 November 1867 at Broughton Creek (Berry), New South Wales, Australia |
| Burial | Rhoda Parker, 1867 at Gerringong Cemetery |
Map
Parents
| Father | Parker, John | |
| Mother | Cam, Sarah | |
Families
| Married | Husband | Walker, John |
| Marriage | John and Rhoda Walker, 3 July 1853 at St Mary the Virgin, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England | |
| Children | Walker, Emily | |
| Walker, Thomas | ||
| Walker, Sarah | ||
| Walker, John F | ||
| Walker, Anne Maria |
Narrative
Arrived in Australia in May 1855 at Sydney on the Himilaya with her husband (John Walker) and young daughter Emily.
From the Walker Family Newsletter February 1996...............
My Grandfather, Arthur Lee told me his Grandmother Rhoda had died of burns whilst making jam. He was told this by his mother, Annie Maria Walker who was only a baby herself at 22 months when her mother died. The death certificate states Rhoda died of "injuries from her clothes catching fire". I could find no coroner's inquest for the event but thank goodness for the press.
In the "Shoalhaven News" of Oct 30 1867 is the following report....... On Saturday last, Mrs Walker of Broughton Creek sustained serious injuries by burning. It appears that she struck a match to light her pipe and after doing so threw the match behind her, which immediately ignited her dress....."
Rhoda died aged 37 on the 5th November. Not a pleasant way to depart.
From the Walker Newsletter #6, April 1999.
Just when I thought I had exhausted all sources in Australia for a record of our John Walker, I found reference to him in the Kiama Bench Books where he and Rhoda had to appear before Magistrates as witnesses to Catherine Stokes indecent language. They must have reported her!! Following is the transcript of their evidence.
Walker v. Stokes - Indecent Language.
John Walker sworn says: On Sunday week last in the evening I was passing with my wife along the Public Road at Jerringong that comes from Mr mitchells towards Kiama. When near the Stokes house Mrs Stokes came out and after speaking to me about maintaining her children, turned round and spoke to my wife saying she had a bone to pluck tieh. I told my wife to come on and not to get into a row as it was Sunday when Mrs Stokes began to abuse her called her a rotten arsed Bitch and other expressions of the kind as long as were were in hearing. [Assumedly John said the following to Catherine Stokes] I never called your sons wretches or said that I kept them when they had nothing to eat.
Rhoda Walker sworn says: On last Sunday week I was walking with my husband about six of in the evening on the Road passed Stokes'. When Mrs Stokes came out as we passed by and began to speak to my husband about giving her children something to eat. They were talking and I went on a few yards but on hearing Mrs Stokes call my husband a liar I turned round to hear what they said. Mrs Stokes then spoke to me said she and a bone to pluck with me and called me a bitch. I said I was not like her drinking and exposing myself. She said she knew what I was - I was a bloody rotten arsed bitch, she kept on abusing us as long as we could hear her.
Mrs Stokes says in defence that she was not on the Road. [Pretty good defence!!!]
Fined £2 or in default 14 days in the lockup.
[Source: Kiama Bench Books, 14th January 1858, before Dr Menzies and Mr Robb.
This record, while and interesting social comment of life of the 1850's, is also the first evidence of John and Rhoda actually being in the area of Gerringing / Kangaroo Valley since their arrival in Sydney in May 1855. their only child at this stage wasdaughter Emily aged about 4 years. I wonder where she was and where John and Rhoda had been to be walking at 6 o'clock at night. Maybe at Church? Or the pub? The document also tells us that Rhoda could sign her own name, whereas John was only able to make 'his mark' in the form af a X.
A little background on Catherine Stokes..... She was born in1820 in Ireland. her father had been transported and Catherine arrived with her mother and sisters in 1836. She married an American crewman of a whaling ship, had a son then went to New Zealand.She returned to Sydney with a new husband, Henry Stokes and 3 more children in 1843. Catherine and Henry had 8 more children between 1847 and 1860 in the Gerringing / Kiama district. Little wonder then that a large concern for her was how to maintain her children. Apparently Hendy Stokes brought before the Magistrates more than once for being drunk and Catherine herself appeared on the same charge in 1860. She died in 1902 'a well respected citizen of the area'.