John Berjew

#629, (1815-19 March 1894)
FatherCharles Berjew (18 Apr 1768-1854)
MotherSusan Hooke (1790-29 Mar 1871)
Last Edited15 Oct 2022
WikiTree ID:https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Berjew-7.
John Berjew's signature from his wedding certificate
     NOTE: The information on this page is my research to date and is subject to change as I become better informed. I very much welcome any corrections or additional info you might have - my email address is at the bottom of this page. Whilst historical facts are not copyright, my writing about these facts are. If you wish to use any text from this site on Ancestry or on any other website, please ask me first - Tim Hill.
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John Berjew may have been born in 1815 at Hermitage, Dorset.1 He was the son of Charles Berjew and Susan Hooke. John Berjew may have been baptised on Sunday, 22 October 1815 at Castletown, Dorset.1 He may have been born on 18 October 1821 at Hermitage, Dorset.2

John Berjew was perhaps a witness at the wedding of Maurice Edwards and his sister Susan Berjew at St. Mary's on Monday, 4 July 1836 at the village of Bradford Abbas near the town of Sherbourne, Dorset.3 John Berjew was a schoolmaster in 1839 at Milborne Point, Somerset.4,5

He married Catherine Jane Iles Fooks, daughter of James MacKenzie Fooks and Jane Berjew, in a Church of England ceremony at St. Mary's on Wednesday, 11 September 1839 at Melcombe Regis, Weymouth, Dorset. Her husband was also nephew of her mother..4,6,7,8

John emigrated from London on 5 July 1840 on the 'Waterloo' with his wife, his brother-in-law and his mother-in-law.9,10,11 After a voyage of about 5 months John arrived at Port Adelaide, South Australia, on 9 November 1840 with his family.10,12,11


On 7 July 1846 he wrote a letter to the Colonial Secretary regarding a vacancy in the Postmaster General's Department. It included a letter by six signatories attesting to his qualification due to "long residence and knowledge of the town."13

In late 1846 he established North Adelaide Academy Kermode Street, in North Adelaide.14

On 5 September 1846 they published an advertisment in the Adelaide papers:
North Adelaide Academy, Kermode-Street
Mr J. Berjew (late conductor of Milborne Port Academy, Somersetshire, England) respectfully informs the inhabitants of North and South Adelaide, that, on Monday the 28th instant, he purposes opening a School for the education of young gentlemen, and trusts, from his experience in scholastic duties, as well as his thorough knowledge of R.F. Hearle's universally approved system of teaching, that those pupils entrusted to his charge will make such progress as will ensure him the liberal support he will make it his study to merit.
The course of instruction includes Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Grammar, Geography, History, &c., &c., on the following terms: -
Per Quarter £ s. d.
Young gentlemen above eight years of age .. 1 1 0
Young gentlemen under eight years of age .. 0 15 0
Ladies' Seminary
[Alteration of Terms]
Mrs J. Berjew begs to inform her friends that after the 29th instant her terms for educating young ladies above ten years of age, will be 15s per quarter, and under ten years, 10s per quarter.15,16

John (and presumably his spouse Catherine) lived in 1848 at Kermode Street, in North Adelaide.17

In July 1849 due to a lawsuit, the family had to sell their furniture and effects by auction.14 John Berjew (and presumably his spouse Catherine) moved to Melbourne in 1851.18 John Berjew was a journalist for seven years with 'The Argus' circa 1850 at Melbourne.19 He (and presumably his spouse Catherine) moved to Circular Head, Tasmania, in April 1856.18

It seems that John Berjew, a little older than 50, had an affair with his wife's 20 year old niece, Matilda Louisa Fooks, resulting in the birth of Charles Albert Thompson Fooks. This may explain why John's occupation went from schoolmaster to cab driver and his family moved to Stanley on Tasmania's North West Coast.1 John Berjew was a 'carman or cab driver' in October 1857.5 He was a schoolmaster circa 1860 at Stanley, Tasmania.20,19 He "arrived at Stanley from Melbourne and established a high class school there, which he successfully conducted for 28 years ... he was a strict disciplinarian, and an able instructor, and a great many of his scholars are now holding high positions in the various colonies."19 On 18 August 1871 they placed an advestisment in the paper in Stanley, Tasmania.
The Stanley Meteor 18 Aug 1871
Photograph by Tim
John and Catherine lived in April 1875 at Stanley, Tasmania.21

John, as the father of the bride, along with Catherine may have attended the wedding of Eleanor and Sydney Harnett Wragg, a farmer, in a Church of England ceremony at St. Paul's on Monday, 14 April 1879 at Stanley, Tasmania.. Others who may have attended include . Sydney and Eleanor went on to have five children together.20,22 John (and presumably his spouse Catherine) lived in 1884 at Burnie, Tasmania.18,19

John Berjew in circa 1890 he suffered a "stroke of paralysls, and with the exception of short intervals was paralysed and quite helpless and unconscious until his death" circa 1890.19

John died at 10:30 a.m. on 19 March 1894 at Tasmania. His body was interred at Wivenhoe General Cemetery at Burnie, Tasmania.5

An obituary was published after his death.23

Timeline

DateEventPlace
Family
1815Birth-CandidateHermitage, Dorset1
1815Baptism-CandidateCastletown, Dorset1
1821Birth-CandidateHermitage, Dorset2
1839OccupationMilborne Point, Somerset4,5
1839MarriageSt. Mary's, Melcombe Regis, Weymouth, Dorset4,6,7,8
1846Note memo only CR CR13
1846Note memo only CR CRNorth Adelaide Academy Kermode Street, in North Adelaide14
1846Quotation type 315,16
1848ResidenceKermode Street, in North Adelaide17
1849Note memo only CR CR14
1851Move-newMelbourne18
1850OccupationMelbourne19
1856Move-newCircular Head, Tasmania18
Note memo only CR CR1
1857Occupation5
1860OccupationStanley, Tasmania20,19
Note memo only19
1875ResidenceStanley, Tasmania21
1879Occupation-hide20
1884ResidenceBurnie, Tasmania18,19
1890Note CR CR19
1894DeathTasmania
BurialWivenhoe General Cemetery, in Burnie, Tasmania5
1894Note memo only CR CR23

Family 1

Catherine Jane Iles Fooks (23 Jun 1819-14 May 1904)
Children

Family 2

Matilda Louisa Fooks (23 Nov 1832-29 Dec 1911)
Child

Citations

  1. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.3).
  2. [S911] WikiTree (http://www.wikitree.com/) https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Berjew-7
  3. [S561] Dorset Online Parish Clerks (http://www.opcdorset.org/) Bradford Abbas including Clifton Maybank (https://www.opcdorset.org/BradfordAbbas/BradfordAbbas.htm).
  4. [S1109] England, Dorset, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1921 Ancestry.com, (www.ancestry.com) Name: James M Fooks; Gender: Male; Child: Catharine Jane Isla Fooks.
  5. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.12).
  6. [S1402] The Sherborne Mercury, Sherborne, Dorset, England, 16th Sep 1839 p.3.
  7. [S255] The Berjew Family,.
  8. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.3) (for exact place).
  9. [S1217] Oz Ships - Australian shipping 1788-1968 (http://www.ozships.net/) 'Waterloo' - 5/7/1840 to 9/11/1840 http://www.ozships.net/ozships/events/2/171.htm#10449 (The family's name is transcribed as 'Tooks').
  10. [S386] South Australian Migrant Shipping (1836-1860) (http://www.perthdps.com/shipping/mig-sa1.htm#sa1) Waterloo 9th Nov 1840 (This citation is for the date and details of the ship; the presence of the Fooks family on it has not been verified.).
  11. [S256] Grahame R. Fooks, The Fooks Family, 1780-1980 p.4.
  12. [S1216] The South Australian Record and Australasian and South African Chronicle, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1840 'SHIPWRECK.—LOSS OF THE BARQUE LANCIER.', South Australian Record and Australasian and South African Chronicle (SA : 1840 - 1841), 18 July, p. 7. , viewed 22 Nov 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245932986
  13. [S770] Letter from John Berjew to The Colonial Secretary, dated 7/7/1846.
  14. [S415] Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org) John Berjew https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Berjew
  15. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, "Advertising," South Australian Register, Saturday 5 Sep 1846, p. 1 (as reported by Penny Mercer).
  16. [S1017] E-mails from Penny Mercer to Tim Hill, 2018- 'John Berjew' - 29 January 2018 at 19:02.
  17. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1848 'Family Notices.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 3 June, p. 2, viewed 27 May, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48727078
  18. [S768] The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times, Tasmania, Australia, 1904 'Sudden Death at Burnie.', The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times (Tas. : 1899 - 1919), 16 May, p. 3, viewed 26 May, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65132305
  19. [S767] The Wellington Times and Agricultural and Mining Gazette, Tasmania, Australia, 1894 'No title.', Wellington Times and Agricultural and Mining Gazette (Tas. : 1890 - 1897), 22 March, p. 3, viewed 26 May, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64960131
  20. [S273] Tasmania, Marriage Certificate, 1879 #318/186.
  21. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.2).
  22. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.6).
  23. [S767] The Wellington Times and Agricultural and Mining Gazette, Tasmania, Australia, 1894 'No title.', Wellington Times and Agricultural and Mining Gazette (Tas. : 1890 - 1897), 22 March, p. 3, viewed 26 May, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64960131 ("OBITUARY,— An old and greatly respected resident of the Nortlh West Coast passed away to his last long rest on Monday, at 10:30 a.m, In the person of Mr, Berjew, of South Burnie, Nearly 35 years ago the deceased gentleman arrived at Stanley from Melboure and established a high class school there, which he successfully conducted for 28 years ; removing from Stanley to Burnie. About four years ago he had a stroke of paralysls, and with the exception of short intervals was paralysed and quite helpless and unconscious until his death, which may be regard as a happy release from great suffering. The deceased gentleman who was 78 years of ago, possessed high intellectual attainment and was descended from a distinguished family, Prior to his arrival, at Stanley Mr. Berjew was engaged in jouranlistic work in Melbourne and filled a high position on the literary staff of the Argus' for seven years. As a school master, he was a strict dlsciplinarian, and an able instructor, and a great many of his scholars are now holding high positions in the various colonies. Mr. and Mrs. Berjew (the latter surviving her husband) had a large family, who are grown up and married to, or connected by marriage 'with, many of the leading residents of the North West Coast. The funeral took place yesterday, afternoon, there being a large following of mourners despite the heavy rain, A short service was held at the Church of England by the Rev. G. F. M. Fielding, who also conducted the ceremony at the grave. The Rev. H. T. Tranmar, principal of the Burnie High School, who was acquainted with some of the deceased gentleman's distinguished relations was also amongst the mourners.").
  24. [S356] GEDCOM file created by Lynda Creely, 21 March 2011.