Harriet Sivyer (Coram)

Harriet Sivyer (Coram) Born 3rd December 1852 in Devonport, Devon, England to Thomas and Harriet Coram. Thomas was a blacksmith as recorded in the census of 1861. In the 1861 census Harriet was living with her siblings Henry (b1846) and Mary (b1855). In the 1871 census she is a recorded as 18 years of age and a servant to the head of house at 14 Paradise Flat, Stoke Demeral, Devon. Harriet's grandfather George Coram was a Victualler (father of Thomas Coram).  He was possibly the landlord of the King & Queen at 24 Cornwall Street. William Crossman the father of Harriet Crossman was a Cordwainer.
Birth details for Harriet's parents:
Thomas Coram, born about 1825, Devonport, Devon
Harriet Crossman, born about 1825, Devonport, Devon
Thomas & Harriett married on 6 February 1846, Parish Church of East Stonehouse
At the time of their marriage, both Thomas and Harriett were of full age.  Thomas lived in Union Lane, East Stonehouse and Harriett in Buckingham Place. When first married they lived in Union Lane, East Stonehouse. Thomas & Harriett had three children Henry, Harriett and Mary.  Henry was born about 1847, Devonport, Devon. As stated previously Harriett was born 3rd December 1852, at 53 Monument Street, Devonport, Devon. Mary her younger sister was born 25 April 1855, 53 Monument Street, Devonport, Devon and died 27 March 1929, 15 Morice Street, Devonport from Apoplexy and Chronic Nephritis.  Her burial took place on 30 March 1929 at Weston Mill Cemetery.  
Thomas Coram (Harriet's father) is recorded in an online document of Devon Blacksmiths compiled by Ann Spiro. The information recorded is as follows. Thomas Coram, blacksmith. Born about 1825 in Devonport, Devon, England. Thoams and Harriet Crossman, married 06 February 1846 at Parish Church of East Stonehouse, Devon.

Thomas and Harriet Coram 1903

On the 15th March 1879 at 26 years of age Harriet left London on board the ship "Earl Derby" bound for Brisbane, Queensland. She is listed as one of the 220 free (still government assisted) passengers on the shippping list of the "Earl Derby". This means she was sponsored by the Queensland Government to come out and work in the new colony of Queensland. Free passages were granted by the government to particular categories of immigrants, and their families, which were from time to time required in Queensland. These categories altered over the years as conditions in Queensland changed but included at various times domestic servants. Applicants were required to pay the sum of one pound each. To be eligible they had to be unable to pay their own passage. 

For those readers who are related to Harriet you can read the captain's shipping report of the journey from London to Brisbane below. Reported in the Brisbane Courier, Saturday June 28, 1879.
"Captain Colquhoun reports that the Earl Derby left Gravesend March 15 , with light winds and hazy weather; landed pilot at Bill of Portland, on 18th, when the wind sprang up in north-east and had a fine run to the Equator, which was crossed on April 5 in 27" W. longitude. The south-east trades were very poor and were Iost in 22° S. in 32° W. longitude, and from thence to Tristan d'Acunba, which was passed on 25th, had baffling and un-settled winds and weather, and calms thence on to the Cape, which was passed in 42° S. on May 8, had very dirty easterly and variable winds; crossed the meridian of St. Paul's on 23rd, in 42°S., and that of Cape Leeuwin on June 1; sighted the south-west cape of Tasmania on 9th, with moderate north-west winds, which continued all the way up the east coast ; made Cape Moreton on 16th, bearing South, twenty miles off; on 17th, at 6,30 a.m., pilot Botcher came on board and took charge ; on 20th Dr. Challinor cleared the ship, and were the same night towed up to Brisbane, anchoring in the stream, all well."

Immigration Depot William Street Brisbane 

A report from the Brisbane Courier of June 18, 1879 states; “The barque Earl Derby, from London, with immigrants, arrived in Moreton Bay yesterday. She has made a good passage of ninety-four days, and brings 337 souls, equal to 800 statute adults. The nationalities are as follow:- 231English,  88 Irish,  7 Scotch, and 7 other countries. There are forty-eight free and remittance passengers, 220 free, 38 remittance, and 31 full payers. The married men number 35, women 46, and the single men number 106, while the single females number 88. There are 26 male and 26 female children under 12 years of age, and 3 male and 2 female infants. The occupations of the various immigrants are as follow : 87 female servants, 125 farm laborers, 5 laborers,1 gardener, 2 tailors, 3 painters, 2 carters, and 1 cloth maker.”

 One would assume that Harriet was one of the 87 female servants and she came looking for work as a domestic servant. The colony of Queensland was at this time in the early years of growth and domestic servants were in demand. There are no other passengers of the same surname listed as it appears she left England like many woman of the late 19th century looking for a new life in the colonies.  The assisted migration scheme helped the new government of Queensland plan the workforce as well as increase the population growth. ​

When and how Harriet Coram moved to Bundaberg is unknown but by the year 1879 Bundaberg is an established town. Spencer Sivyer was in Bundaberg in 1881 as he was working on the Bundaberg to Mt. Perry railway. When Spencer met Harriet in Bundaberg is not known at this time but she was 28 years of age when she married Spencer.

One must not understate the role of Harriet as a wife and mother. Harriet had come from England in 1879 where she worked in middle class or wealthy homes. She was now in the hard tough bush life of rural Queensland. Her role would have been to provide the structure of home life for Spencer's Queensland children as they were born in railway sidings or railway accomodation throughout South East Queensland. Spencer would have lived in camp at many of the railway construction sites when the children were young. Spencer recognised her role and position in the Queensland Sivyer family by naming the Sivyer property at Tinbeerwah in 1891 "Devon Park" as a tribute to Harriet and her Devon heritage. Harriet died in Cooroy, Queensland on August 23, 1934 at the age of 81. Harriet was one of those Queensland pioneer women who helped establish the new colony and saw the transition of Queensland into statehood with the passing of federation in 1901.