[Index]
John CRAMP (1809 - 1873)
coal merchant, telegraphic linesman
Children Self + Spouses Parents Grandparents Greatgrandparents
Marianne Mary Ann CRAMP (1834 - 1923)
Frances Harriet CRAMP (1835 - 1929)
John James CRAMP (1837 - 1905)
Sophia Matilda Emily CRAMP (1840 - 1901)
Caroline CRAMP (1840 - 1920)
Harriette CRAMP (1842 - 1911)
John CRAMP (1809 - 1873)

+

Sophia Matilda BALLS (1813 - 1866)
John CRAMP











Jane OLIPHANT












John CRAMP
b. 14 Nov 1809 at Thanet, Buckinghamshire, England
m. 22 Sep 1833 Sophia Matilda BALLS (1813 - 1866) at St Marylebone, Middlesex, England
d. 12 Apr 1873 at Banana, Queensland, Australia aged 63
Near Relatives of John CRAMP (1809 - 1873)
Relationship Person Born Birth Place Died Death Place Age
Father in Law James BALLS
Mother in Law Elizabeth (BALLS)

Father John CRAMP
Mother Jane OLIPHANT

Self John CRAMP 14 Nov 1809 Thanet, Buckinghamshire, England 12 Apr 1873 Banana, Queensland, Australia 63

Wife Sophia Matilda BALLS abt 1813 Boston, Lincolnshire, England 12 Jul 1866 At sea 53

Daughter Marianne Mary Ann CRAMP 1834 St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England 12 Jul 1923 Bannana, Queensland, Australia 89
Daughter Frances Harriet CRAMP abt 1835 St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England 29 Jul 1929 Turramurra, New South Wales, Australia 94
Son John James CRAMP abt Dec 1837 St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England 1905 Waverley, New South Wales, Australia 68
Daughter Sophia Matilda Emily CRAMP 07 May 1840 St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England 11 Feb 1901 Queensland, Australia 60
Daughter Caroline CRAMP abt Dec 1840 St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England 1920 Waverley, New South Wales, Australia 80
Daughter Harriette CRAMP abt Sep 1842 St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England 1911 Glebe, New South Wales, Australia 69

Son in Law Walter BENNETT abt 1836 London, Middlesex, England abt 1873 37
Son in Law Samuel Harborne BELCHER 1834 Yorkshire, England 21 Aug 1920 Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia 86
Daughter in Law Penelope Esther Anne TRIVETT 09 Oct 1857 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 01 Dec 1931 Waverley, New South Wales, Australia 74
Son in Law John William DEAR 21 Nov 1836 02 Sep 1920 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 83
Son in Law Henry John TILLIDGE
Son in Law Charles ARTLETT

Grandson Walter John F BENNETT CRAMP abt Feb 1861 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 12 Jul 1866 At sea 5
Grandson Frederick BENNETT Drayton, Queensland, Australia 1960 Queensland, Australia
Grandson Charles Sydney BENNETT 1865 Drayton, Queensland, Australia 1946 Queensland, Australia 81
Grandson John Cramp BENNETT 1870 Banana, Queensland, Australia 30 May 1939 Queensland, Australia 69
Grandson Walter CRAMP 1874 Banana, Queensland, Australia 1889 Queensland, Australia 15
Grandson Stuart Harborne BELCHER 1864 Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia 1950 Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia 86
Grandson Herbert I BELCHER 1866 Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia 1934 Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia 68
Grandson Francis R BELCHER 1867 Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia 1867 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 0
Granddaughter Maud Frances BELCHER 13 Dec 1868 Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia 17 Apr 1966 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 97
Grandson Stanley Russell H BELCHER 1870 Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia 1871 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1
Granddaughter Beatrice Caroline H (Bunny) BELCHER 1871 Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia 03 Nov 1965 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 94
Grandson John Francis CRAMP 1887 Paddington, New South Wales, Australia 13 Mar 1933 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 46
Granddaughter Sophia CRAMP 1888 Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia 16 Jun 1967 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 79
Granddaughter Eva CRAMP 1890 Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia 1979 New South Wales, Australia 89
Grandson Harold CRAMP 1892 Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia 1892 Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia 0
Grandson Cedric CRAMP 1897 Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia 12 Oct 1917 Ypres, Belgium 20
Grandson Edwin CRAMP 1899 Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia 20 Apr 1918 France 19
Grandson Charles John DEAR 21 Mar 1867 Nebo, Queensland, Australia 20 Apr 1935 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 68
Granddaughter Caroline (Carrie) Sophia DEAR 01 Jun 1868 Redfern, New South Wales, Australia 1946 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 78
Granddaughter Bessie DEAR 11 Mar 1871 Queensland, Australia 1871 Queensland, Australia 0
Granddaughter May Constance (Daisy) DEAR 07 Aug 1872 Queensland, Australia 1953 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 81
Granddaughter Alice Jane DEAR 06 Jun 1874 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter Jessie Walter DEAR 11 Feb 1881 Queensland, Australia South Africa

Events in John CRAMP (1809 - 1873)'s life
Date Age Event Place Notes Src
14 Nov 1809 John CRAMP was born Thanet, Buckinghamshire, England
22 Sep 1833 23 Married Sophia Matilda BALLS (aged 20) St Marylebone, Middlesex, England
1834 25 Birth of daughter Marianne Mary Ann CRAMP St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England
abt 1835 26 Birth of daughter Frances Harriet CRAMP St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England
abt Dec 1837 28 Birth of son John James CRAMP St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England Note 1
07 May 1840 30 Birth of daughter Sophia Matilda Emily CRAMP St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England Note 2
abt Dec 1840 31 Birth of daughter Caroline CRAMP St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England Note 3
1841 32 Census St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England
abt Sep 1842 32 Birth of daughter Harriette CRAMP St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England Note 4
1851 42 Census St George the Martyr, Middlesex, England
1857 48 Immigration Sydney, New South Wales, Australia per 'Glen Isla' 18
12 Jul 1866 56 Death of wife Sophia Matilda BALLS (aged 53) At sea Note 5 18
12 Apr 1873 63 John CRAMP died Banana, Queensland, Australia 1873/C2 18
Note 1: Free BMD Dec 1837 Holburn 2 120
Note 2: Free BMD Jun 1839 Holburn 2 114
Note 3: Free BMD Dec 1840 Holburn 2 132
Note 4: Free BMD Sep 1842 Holburn 2 130
Note 5: 501435/1866 shipwreck of Cawarra
Personal Notes:
John Cramp became a Telegraphic Linesman at Ipswich, Qld and was appointed by William John Cracknell as Telegraph Station Master in 1862.

. JOHN CRAMP was born 14 Nov 1809 in Birchington, Kent, and died 12 Apr 1873 in Banana, QLD. He married SOPHIA MATILDA BALLS 22 Sep 1833 in All Souls, Marleybone, Middlesex or Regent St. London, daughter of JAMES BALLS and ELIZABETH WARD. She was born 02 Jul 1813 in Boston, Linconshire, England, and died 12 Jul 1866 in Drowned on the sinking of the steamer "Cawarra" at Newcastle.

Notes for JOHN CRAMP:
* Bapt 14 Jan 1810 Birchington, Kent

* From 1851 Census Return:
HO107/1513/201 69 Theobalds Road, Holborn
John Cramp - Hd - M - 41 yrs - Coal Merchant - Thanet - Buckingham
(Note: There is no place in Kent by this name and it would appear likely that the enumerator
in London misheard, and it may have been Birchington which is where his parents married?)
Sophia Matilda Cramp - Wf - M - 37 yrs - Lincs - Boston
Mary Ann Cramp - D - 16 yrs - St George the Martyr
Frances Harriet Cramp - D - 15 Yrs - "
John James Cramp - S - 13 yrs - "
Sophia Matilda Cramp - D - 11 yrs - "
Caroline Cramp - D - 10 yrs - "
Harriet Cramp - D - 8 yrs - "
George Edward Thompson - half brother 24 yrs - Surrey - Croydon.

* Before coming to Australia John CRAMP was a pianoforte maker with the well known 19th century firm of John Broadwood & Sons. In the firm's history, "Broadwood by appointment" there is a brief mention of "Cramp" under the date 1850. It is therefore a bit of a puzzle that John was described as a coal merchant in the 1851 census?

* John CRAMP and family immigrated on board ship "GLEN ISLA" in 1857. The ship left Liverpool on 25 March 1857 and arrived at Port Jackson, Sydney on 2 July 1857.
* Family included:
John aged 47 yrs - born abt 1810
Sophia aged 43 yrs - born abt 1814
Mary Ann aged 22 yrs - born abt 1835
Frances H. aged 21 yrs - born abt 1836
Sophia M. aged 17 yrs - born abt 1840
Caroline aged 16 yrs - born abt 1841
Harriet aged 14 yrs - born abt 1843.

* The only son, John James, preceded the family and travelled on the "Hindostan" which departed Southampton on 26 October 1856 and arrived at Port Jackson on 12 February 1857. Also on board this ship were his future brothers in law, Walter Bennett and Henry John Tillidge.

* John snr was employed in the QLD Public Service as an Electric Telegraph Master and retired in 1869 to become a storekeeper in Banana. He lived in Banana with his eldest daughter Mrs Marianne Bennett, the mother of Walter John (age 5 yrs) who perished with his Grandmother Sophia (John's wife) on the ship Cawarra which sank outside Newcastle Harbour on 11 July 1866.

* At the time of his death in 1873 he was aged 63 years and was a storekeeper at Banana.
* He had been resident in QLD for 14 years.

More About JOHN CRAMP:
Burial: 13 Apr 1873, Cemetery, Banana, QLD

Notes for SOPHIA MATILDA BALLS:
* NSW Death Registration No. 501435/1866.
* She was aged 53 years at the time of her death.
* Sophia drowned when the Steamer "Cawarra" sank at the entrance to Newcastle Harbour on 12 July 1866. The ship had sailed from Sydney on 11 July 1866. I have a copy of a newspaper article on the tragedy. She was travelling with her grandson Walter John BENNETT as passengers to Rockhampton. They were possibly travelling to Banana to join John CRAMP Snr who was the local Electric Telegraph Master.
* At the time of her death in 1866 all of her children were still alive.

More About SOPHIA MATILDA BALLS:
Burial: 18 Jul 1866, Camperdown Cemetery, Sydney

Marriage Notes for JOHN CRAMP and SOPHIA BALLS:
* They were actually married twice, the second marriage ceremony was on 27 October 1833 at St. Pancras, Old Church, St. Pancras, Middlesex.
* Both marriages are recorded on the IGI and both have been checked in the original Parish Registers and are correct.
* He was aged 25 years at the time of their marriage.

Children of JOHN CRAMP and SOPHIA BALLS are:
3. i. MARY ANN (MARIANNE) CRAMP, b. 20 Jun 1834, London; d. 12 Jul 1923, Banana, QLD.
ii. FRANCES HARRIET CRAMP, b. 21 Jul 1835, London; d. 29 Jul 1929, Goulburn, NSW; m. SAMUEL HARBO(R)NE BELCHER, 29 Oct 1863, Sydney.

Notes for SAMUEL HARBO(R)NE BELCHER:
* He was a graduate from Trinity College, Dublin, and came to Australia in 1861. He was a school teacher and established a boarding school for boys in Goulburn, NSW from 1868 to 1883.
* He died in Goulburn in 1920.

Marriage Notes for FRANCES CRAMP and SAMUEL BELCHER:
* NSW Marriage Registration No.: 895/1863

4. iii. JOHN JAMES CRAMP, b. 20 Oct 1836, St. George the Martyr, London; d. 21 Aug 1905, Waverley, Sydney.
iv. SOPHIA MATILDA CRAMP, b. 07 May 1838, London, England; d. 11 Feb 1901, Brisbane; m. JOHN WILLIAM DEAR, 30 Dec 1862, Palmer St, Woolloomooloo, Sydney; b. 21 Nov 1836, England; d. 1920, Brisbane.

Notes for JOHN WILLIAM DEAR:
* He was a French Polisher.
* He was then employed in the Electric Telegraph (in a job similar to his Father-in-law John CRAMP) and server as station master in several Queensland towns.
* He may be the John W. DEARS who arrived as an assisted immigrant at Port Jackson on the ship "Parsee" on 9 February 1857?

Marriage Notes for SOPHIA CRAMP and JOHN DEAR:
* NSW Marriage Registration No. 980/1862.

v. CAROLINE CRAMP, b. 03 Dec 1840, London; d. 27 Nov 1920, Sydney; m. HENRY JOHN TILLIDGE, 12 Oct 1861, Sydney; d. 1898, Sydney.

Notes for HENRY JOHN TILLIDGE:
* He was an accountant in a merchant firm in Sydney.

Marriage Notes for CAROLINE CRAMP and HENRY TILLIDGE:
* NSW Marriage Registration No.: 692/1861.
* They were living at Victoria St. Sydney at the time of Caroline's mothers death in 1866.

vi. HARRIET CRAMP, b. Abt. 1842, London; d. 03 Jun 1911, Sydney; m. CHARLES AR(T)LETT, 1867, Sydney; d. 1906, Sydney.

Notes for CHARLES AR(T)LETT:
* He was a member of the Municipal Council of Paddington in Sydney.

Marriage Notes for HARRIET CRAMP and CHARLES AR(T)LETT:
* NSW Marriage Registration No.: 766/1867.
Source References:
18. Type: E-mail Message, Abbr: e-mails general pool, Title: e-mails general pool
- Reference = Pip Bucknell 23 Jun 2015 (Name, Notes)
- Notes: An additional observation on the death certificate :-

John Cramp was indeed Frances Harriet Belcher's father. It is also true that in UK he was a piano polisher & capable of assembly & tuning. However, before he left UK he was he was a coal merchant & I believe that caused his ill health & hence the move to Australia.

They were in Sydney 1857, & I have a long letter published in UK, detailing the appalling conditions in Sydney. Frances Harriet was sent to Ipswich in 1857 (late) to gain work at 80.00 pounds a year & send it back to Sydney for the others to live. John Cramp went to Ipswich and became a school teacher at Ipswich Grammar. Unfortunately that closed prior to the present Ipswich Grammar opened & John cramp became the first public servant appointed outside Brisbane – as a telegraph linesman. He became telegraph station master & went with the Telegraph line as the rail line was extended to Toowoomba & Drayton. From there he went to Banana in Qld. He wife was killed in a ship wreck off Newcastle in 1866 and she & a 5 year old grandson are both buried at Camden. John Cramp is buried at Banana as you know. His daughter, Marianne Bennett lived with John Cramp a and Marianne’s various children until he died in 1873.
- Reference = Pip Bucknell 27 Oct 2010 (Death)

Created on a Mac™ using iFamily for Mac™ on 2 May 2025