CHRISTIAN, Ann

Abt 1816 - 1873  (57 years)   Has 2 ancestors and more than 100 descendants in this family tree.

• Name	CHRISTIAN, Ann
  Birth	Abt 1816	Stepney, Middlesex, England
  	Ann(e)'s age on arrival in Van Dieman's Land in 1832 was given as 16 years
  Gender	Female
  Immigration	6 Sep 1832	Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land
  	the "Princess Royal"
  	• the ladies are selected:- In early 1832 the powers that be decided that because of the imbalance of the sexes in the colonies it would be a good idea to encourage young girls and women to emigrate. It was thought this would have a twofold effect, solve the problem of th e shortage of servants for the growing number of land owners and upper classes, and the lack of marriageable women for the abundant male population. At this time in Hobart Town women were outnumbered by men, three to one. It was in this ligh t that benevolent organisations were asked to nominate suitable girls and women, between the ages of fifteen and thirty, to emigrate to Van Diemen's Land. So it was that the National Guardian Institute, nominated Ann Christian, along with a num ber of other girls, as a candidates to emigrate. On nominating Anne the Guardian Institute had reported her as a hard working girl. • On arrival:- Ann, aboard the 402 ton barque, 'Princess Royal' with 199 other free female emigrants, on the 12 of April 1832, set sail from London bound for the colonies and Hobart Town. The voyage lasted 148 days, and had not been very pleasurable, betwee n the weather, cramped accommodation, Ann shared cabin 7, and crew men looking for what ever favours the women would give. Then the final insult, on arrival at Storm Bay on 24 th. August, the Captain mistook Frederick Henry Bay for the mouth of the Derwent. Realising his mistake he anchored, but as luck would have it, a storm blew up and the ship dragged her ancho rs, the cables parted, soon the Princess Royal was grounded at Tiger Head. The steamer "Surprise" was sent from Hobart Town, on the 24th of August, to pick up the passengers from the stricken ship, having done so, arrived back with the female immigrants on the 5th of September. • The Welcome:- The ladies of the Princess Royal were not seen by the locals as an asset but as a liability there was a shortage of all commodities in the colony and here were another two hundred people to feed clothe and house. The language and behavior of many of them appalled the straight-laced Governor Arthur, and most of them proved surly servants at best, prompting the abusive term 'a Princess Royal' for a bawdy harridan years after. On arrival the Master of the 'Princess Royal' reported that Ann was one of thirty trouble makers on the voyage. The Ladies Committee of Hobart Town whose job it was to welcome the passengers and arrange lodgings described her as "no good and had gone to live in a low public house", Ann was just sixteen.
  Reference Number	W0129
  _COLOR	11
  _UID	33E62BB2AF704BE1A8CBCB6AEED6C670E3C0
  Death	12 Dec 1873	Melbourne, Colony of Victoria   [1]
  	Cause: Strangulated Hernia
  	The last Doctor to see Anne was George Moore on 11 December 1873 Reg Number 10265/8059
  Burial	13 Dec 1873	Kew, Colony of Victoria
  	Address: Boroondara General Cemetery,
  	Plot:- Church of England/B/194
  Person ID	I819	My Genealogy
  Last Modified	24 Mar 2026

  
  

  Father	CHRISTIAN, John,   b. Abt 1790   d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	LEVITT, Anne,   b. Abt 1790   d. Abt 1820 (Age 30 years)
  Marriage	1810	Stepney, Middlesex, England
  Family ID	F265	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	WITTICK, 436 Walter,   b. Abt 1803, Walsall, Staffordshire, England d. 11 May 1870, Richmond, Colony of Victoria (Age 67 years)
  Marriage	10 Jun 1833	Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land   [2]
  	Address: St Davids Church
  Children	1. WITTICK, Fanny,   b. 11 Apr 1834, Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land d. 1882, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia (Age 47 years)   2. WITTICK, Isabella Maria,   b. 18 Jan 1837, Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land d. 29 Oct 1860, Hawthorn, Colony of Victoria (Age 23 years)   3. WITTICK, Charlotte,   b. 14 Apr 1840, Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land d. 1922 (Age 81 years)   4. WITTICK, Sarah Anne,   b. 17 Feb 1843, Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land d. 1907, Kew, Victoria, Australia (Age 63 years)   5. WITTICK, Rebecca Thirza,   b. 3 Aug 1845, Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land d. 15 Aug 1910, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia (Age 65 years)   6. WITTICK, Walter John,   b. 7 Mar 1848, Burnley, Colony of Victoria d. 20 Feb 1936, Richmond, Victoria, Australia (Age 87 years)   7. WITTICK, Elizabeth,   b. 1851, Richmond, Colony of Victoria d. 1914, Richmond, Victoria, Australia (Age 63 years)   8. WITTICK, Mary Catherine,   b. Abt 1853, Richmond, Colony of Victoria d. Yes, date unknown   9. WITTICK, William Thomas,   b. 6 Feb 1857, Richmond, Colony of Victoria d. 13 Nov 1939, Sunshine, Victoria, Australia (Age 82 years)
  Family ID	F127	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	26 Oct 2026

  
  

• Event Map		Death - Cause: Strangulated Hernia - 12 Dec 1873 - Melbourne, Colony of Victoria  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Notes

  Ann was iliterate NOTE: _PLAC London, Middlesex, England FACT Walter, Ann and four children arrived on the schooner "Rainbow". TYPE Travel DATE 15 OCT 1847 PLAC Melbourne, Colony of Victoria

  
  

• Sources

  [S5] B.D. & M. (Index) Vic, 10265/1873, Sau 0006. (Reliability: 2). [S75] Marriage Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land (St Davids Church) 10 Jun 1833 Walter WITTICK & Ann CHRISTIA (Reliability: 3).