Mary Ann Mays [m.1.1]

Mary Ann Mays was the first child of John May & Mary Marchant born c1830 at Croydon.

In 1851 Mary was a servant for Henry Cleaver, a surgeon, & family living at 40 North End, Croydon.

On December 12th, 1852, she married Henry William Grove (noted as William Henry on their marriage certificate) at All Saints, Croydon. Witnesses at the wedding were Robert Hubbard (who was to marry Mary’s sister Elizabeth Mays 2 years later) & Elizabeth Grove, Henry’s mother. Henry was the son of William Grove & Elizabeth Lloyd Christened January 14th, 1829 at Croydon. He was a builder.

In 1861 Henry & Mary were living at 9 North End, Croydon with their children, twins Harriett Annie & Henry Charles (7), Emma (5), William (3) & George (1).

By 1871 the family were living at Haddon New Road, Croydon where Henry was a brick layer. At home were children Emma, William, George, & new additions Louisa (10), Eliza (8) & Ellen (5).

Henry & Mary, along with children George, Louisa, Eliza & Ellen, all emigrated to Sydney, Australia on the ship ‘Samuel Plimsoll’ arriving in Sydney on December 16th, 1874. The ship’s manifest gave Henry’s occupation as a bricklayer & noted that they were going to join his brother, Charles [g.9], who had emigrated to Australia in 1857 & was living south of Sydney at Bowral, NSW.

Henry died on October 15th, 1882, aged 56 years, at Liverpool Asylum, Sydney. The cause of death was given as phthisis (a wasting disease usually associated with TB).

Following the death of Henry & Mary’s widowed daughter Harriett Annie Fry in Sussex, England in 1893, Harriett’s 2 youngest orphaned sons, Arthur William & Percy Grove Fry, were brought over to live with the Groves in Australia in 1894. Harriett’s sister, Louisa, made the long trip back to England & brought the little boys back with her.

Mary died, aged 80, on February 13th, 1911at 71 Redfern St, Redfern, Sydney the home of one of her daughters & was buried at Eastern Memorial Park Cemetery, Sydney alongside son Henry.

The children of Henry William Grove & Mary Ann Mays were:

g.6.1 Harriett Annie Grove christened November 6th, 1853 at St James, Croydon Common; died November 16th, 1893 at Hartfield
g.6.2 Henry Charles Grove christened November 6th, 1853 at St James, Croydon Common; died 1906 in Sydney, Australia
g.6.3 Emma Grove christened November 25th, 1855 at St John the Baptist Croydon
g.6.4 Frederick William Grove born Jan-March 1858 at Croydon; died October 17th, 1945 at Lewisham, NSW, Australia
g.6.5 George Thomas Grove born Jan-March 1860 at Croydon; died 1946 in Sydney, Australia
g.6.6 Louisa Mary Grove born December 18th, 1861 at Croydon, christened February 16th, 1862 at St John the Baptist, Croydon; died January 1944 at Sydney, Australia
g.6.7 Eliza Elizabeth Grove born January 28th, 1864 at Croydon, christened April 17th, 1864 at St John the Baptist, Croydon; died in 1922 in Sydney, Australia
g.6.8 Ellen Grove born Februay 9th, 1866 at Croydon, christened November 3rd, 1867 at St John the Baptist, Croydon; died March 1951 in Randwick, NSW