Richard Stevens
Richard "Uncle Dickie" Stevens
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Born , Eastbourne, England, 1802
Story by Richard's great, great, great, great granddaughter Richard "Uncle Dickie" Stevens was born in Eastbourne Sussex in 1802. His father was George Stevens and his mother Charlotte Sargeant, and Richard was baptised in St Mary's Parish church on 07 February 1802. |
St Mary's Eastbourne, Sussex, where Richard Stevens and his wife Sarah Rason were both baptised in early 1802
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Richard's wife to be, Sarah Rason, was born just before Richard and baptised at St Mary's on 12 January 1802.
Sarah's parents were Edward Rason, a carpenter who was born in 1773, and Sarah Newington. Sarah was the fourth of seven children; William, Elizabeth (b.1799), Maria (b.1801), Sarah, Jane (b,1805), and Lucy and Edward (b.1811). Sarah's older sister Maria married William Wicking in 1824 in London and emigrated to Australia with him. Her younger brother Edward married Ann Newington (perhaps a cousin?) in 1844 at St Georges in Hanover Square, London. Lucy ended her life in Brighton Workhouse. |
Inside St Pancras Old Church
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Richard Stevens and Sarah Rason were married at what is believed to be the oldest place of Christian worship in England, St Pancras Old Church, London. The site is said to have been in use as a place of worship since c314. They were married on 25 May 1828.
Richard and Sarah had five children. Their eldest Richard was baptised on 19 November 1829 in Shoreditch, London. Their next born was Edward Thomas, baptised at St Mathew's in Bethnal Green London on 07 August, 1831. The two boys were followed by Mary, Sarah Jane (b.1837), and Emma (b.1843). Richard went with the British Army to serve in India, and the rest of the children accompanied their parents to New Zealand to seek a better life on distant shores |
St Pancras' Old Church, London, where Richard Stevens and Sarah Rason were married in 1828
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Immigration on Royal Albert
By 1852, Richard and Sarah had decided to make a new life for themselves in New Zealand. They arranged for passage on board Royal Albert, their small party included in the 120 passengers destined for the far side of the world. Under the direction of Captain Norris, Royal Albert sailed from London on 05 November 1853. Also on board were the Ayson family. Royal Albert was 662 tons, and of unusual construction, as her passengers would discover on reaching New Zealand. From London,Royal Albert sailed to the Downs and then set out on her journey to New Zealand, a voyage that took four months, arriving off the Otago Heads on the east coast of the South Island on 06 March 1853. Due to her build Royal Albert was unable to sail further up the harbour as she drew 18 foot, 4 inches of water and as a bar was beginning to form in the harbour which was estimated to be 18 foot 6 inches below the surface, it was considered unsafe to bring her in any further. For this reason, Royal Albert was anchored off the native settlement on Otago Heads and her cargo unloaded from there. This inconvenience to those unloading her could have only been more keenly felt by her passengers who after spending four months on her at sea, were now forced to remain on board until they could be transported into the harbour. About fifty of her passengers disembarked at Otago, the rest continuing the voyage to Wellington and Nelson. Royal Albert sailed from Otago on 24 March 1853. |
Richard Steven's chair, on display in Wallace Early Settler's Riverton Museum
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On to "Jacob's River" - Riverton, Southland
Richard Stevens and his family made their home in Riverton, Southland. Their son, Edward Thomas, who worked as a grazier and labourer married Ann "Nancy" Lidiard, the daughter of John Lidiard and Kearaki "Sarah" of Ngai Tahu iwi. Edward and Ann were married on 13 August 1854 on Ruapuke Island where German Lutheran Brother Johann Wholers had established a mission station. Edward's young bride was pregnant with their first child when he sadly lost his life at just 25 years old. His son Edward John Stevens was born in Jacob's River (Riverton) in 08 July 1857 (1). Sarah Jane Stevens married William George Smith, seven years her senior, at St Mary's church in Riverton on 30 May 1863. Emma married a surgeon, Richard Densham, on 06 July 1865, also in Riverton. |
Photographer unknown. Photograph of a brigantine at Riverton c1860. Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand, must be obtained before any re-use of this image
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Richard Stevens who came to be known as "Old Uncle Dicky" lived to the grand old age of 87, outliving his wife by twelve years. Sarah died on 19 August 1877, and she was buried in Riverton cemetery on 23 August. When Richard died on 8 July 1889, his life ended in Seacliff Mental Hospital.
Opened as Seacliff Lunatic Asylum in 1884, the hospital located 28 kilometres north of Dunedin on the coast of Otago. It was capable of housing 500 patients, with fifty staff, and at the time of its construction was the biggest public building in New Zealand. Richard Steven's body was taken back to Riverton where he was buried in the town's cemetery on 13 July 1889. Richard's occupation was listed as 'settler'. |
Grave Inscription
Sacred to the memory of Sara Stevens, who departed this life August 19 1877 aged 75. Also Richard Stevens who died July 8 1886 aged 86. Also their daughter Emma who died August 20th 1917 aged 74 |
Richard, Sarah and their daughter Emily's grave in Riverton Cemetery, New Zealand
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Fact or Fiction?
If you're a descendant of "Old Uncle Dick" Stevens, perhaps you can help with this mystery... a note among family history papers says Richard Stevens was a survivor of the Battle of Waterloo which took place on 15 June 1815, when he was just 13 years old. It also states that Richard served with the "Iron Duke" at other engagements. If during your research you've found anything to confirm or exclude this, let us know via the contact page.
Notes
(1) A reader, has kindly submitted some information regarding the birth and baptism of Edward Stevens, discovered while working with the Ruapuke Registers, Rakiura Museum. According to the registers, baptism #131 for Eward (sic) John Stevens records that he was baptised on 27 January 1858, and born on 8 July 1856. Rev. Wohlers baptised 4 children that day. However, other records show his year of birth as 1857, including Wallace Early Settlers’ Museum, the headstone on his family grave at Riverton, and Edward himself, in an entry in the Electoral Roll for Wallace County.
If you're a descendant of "Old Uncle Dick" Stevens, perhaps you can help with this mystery... a note among family history papers says Richard Stevens was a survivor of the Battle of Waterloo which took place on 15 June 1815, when he was just 13 years old. It also states that Richard served with the "Iron Duke" at other engagements. If during your research you've found anything to confirm or exclude this, let us know via the contact page.
Notes
(1) A reader, has kindly submitted some information regarding the birth and baptism of Edward Stevens, discovered while working with the Ruapuke Registers, Rakiura Museum. According to the registers, baptism #131 for Eward (sic) John Stevens records that he was baptised on 27 January 1858, and born on 8 July 1856. Rev. Wohlers baptised 4 children that day. However, other records show his year of birth as 1857, including Wallace Early Settlers’ Museum, the headstone on his family grave at Riverton, and Edward himself, in an entry in the Electoral Roll for Wallace County.