Mortimer, Richard

Fast Facts

Type of person	Individual
Date of birth	c. 1800
Place of birth	Londonderry, Ireland
Date of arrival	1849
Principal occupation	Quarrymen and builder.
Date of death	1883
Place of decease	Willunga

Richard Mortimer was born in about 1800 in Londonderry, Ireland and he was an Anglican. He lived in Willunga for more than 30 years (1851-1883).

Richard Mortimer married Rebecca Wilson (1815-1855) in about 1834 and they had 6 children (3 boys and 3 girls):

Rebecca Beverley (1835-1913) b. in Ireland. m. (1st) Thomas Hardy Lipson in 1853? and (2nd) William Meverley on 7 July 1883.

Richard (1838-1892) b. in Ireland. m. Honora Redden (or Redan) in 1861 at Willunga.

Mary (1841- ) b. in Ireland. m. (1st) James Fyfe in 1863 and (2nd) James Croker Ferguson at Willunga in 1877.

William (1848-1920) b. in Ireland. m. Mary Ann Wichellam in July 1875.

Margaret (1851-1934) b. in Willunga.

Samuel (1853-1924) b. in Willunga. m. Mary Elizabeth Henley in 1878

Richard Mortimer, aged 49 years (but claiming to be 39 years), arrived with his wife Rebecca, aged 34 years, and four children (Rebecca 14, Richard 11, Mary 8 and William 1) on 20 June 1849 on board the Florentia (453 tons) from London and Plymouth, England.

The Mortimer family had settled in Willunga by 1851 and Richard was a quarrymen and builder. He paid rates on land (and a house?) on Lot 3 (19 St. James Street) from 1855. Richard purchased Willunga township Lot 87 (on the High Street opposite the Bush Inn) in 1858. He also paid rates on Lots 4 and 5, parts of Section 257, on St. Andrew’s Terrace. Under the Real Property Act in Oct 1863, Richard Mortimer became the owner of Lot 3 (19 St James Street) and Lots 4 and 5 (in St Andrew’s Terrace) in section 257. In July 1878 he transferred a portion of Lot 5 in St. Andrew’s Terrace to his son–in-law James Croker Ferguson and another, smaller part of Lot 5 to his daughter Rebecca Lipson (nee Mortimer) in 1880.

Rebecca Mortimer (nee Wilson) died, aged 40 years, on 16 June 1855 and she is buried in St. Stephen's Anglican cemetery. Richard Mortimer, aged 83 years, died on 23 May 1883 and he is buried in St. Stephen's Anglican cemetery.

Sources

• South Australian Advertiser 25 Aug 1863:3
• The Express and Telegraph 30 May 1883:2
• South Australian Register 13 Sept 1883:7
• Passengers in History database. South Australian Maritime Museum
• SAILIS Certificates of Title (CT) 44/169 284/159 & 284/160
• Statton Jill (Ed). 1986. Biographical Index of South Australians 1836-1885 Vol 3. South Australian Geneaology and Heraldry Society Inc. Adelaide
• Willunga Branch of the National Trust Blue Folder Family Histories M
• Willunga Rates book

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