It’s a history that traverses the globe, and dates back to 1849 in the Hunter Valley. Now the Soper family, originally of Dorset, England and more recently the Hunter Valley, is holding a family reunion. REBECCA BERRY reports.
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Descendants of William and Mary Ann Soper who arrived in the Hunter Valley from Maiden Newton, Dorset England in 1849, will converge on Maitland Park this on Saturday, January 4.
Maitland descendants Ian, Paul and Judy Soper have been researching their family history at the same time as their English cousin Bob Soper, who has written a book about the family in the United Kingdom.
The Maitland link in the family chain started with the marriage of William Soper and Mary Ann Higgins in Frome Vauchurch, Dorset in 1834. They settled in Maiden Newton and nine children were born there – Samuel, John, George, Elizabeth, Emma, Walter, twins Mary and Jane, and Charles.
After spending some time in the Dorchester Workhouse, imminent eviction from their home and the prospect of more time in the workhouse, William decided to take up the offer of assisted immigration, along with many of his neighbours, to start a new life in Australia.
William and Mary left England aboard the Emigrant in early 1849 and arrived in the colony on June 8.
They brought eight of their children aged 13 years to under 12 months. Charles died in 1842.
They settled in the Lostock area where four more children were born –William, Susan, Eliza and Thomas.
Mary Ann was 46 years old when her last baby was born. Her eldest child Samuel was 22 years older than his youngest brother Thomas William and his oldest sons started working for Lostock land owner George Townshend, before working as tenant farmers in later years.
William died at Lostock in 1862 aged 52, leaving his wife with young children to rear. Mary Ann lived for another 20 years before dying on the roadside in extreme heat on her way home from visiting her daughter.
William and Mary Ann are buried at Lostock and left behind a legacy of strength and endurance for those who came after.
There is now a staggering number of descendants because most of William and Mary Ann’s children had big families and married into other families of the early settlers of the Paterson and Allyn River valleys.
They found their life partners in the families Lawrence, Melmouth, Humbles, Drinkwater, Huckstadt, Herbert, Eveleigh, Brooker, Horn, Presland, Wilson, O’Connor, Reinhard, Bush, Rose, Pascoe, Burley, Capararo, Clements, Gillies, Howe, Pilgrim, Mate, Sellens, Banister, Daniel, Copus, Woodhouse, Hicks, Richardson, Russell, Phillips, Robinson, Tucker, Kidd, Patfield and Kedwell.
Most of these families had escaped hard times in the United Kingdom, Ireland or Germany and sought a new life in the Hunter Valley.
There are many descendants living in the area where the pioneer family settled and William’s decision to emigrate was vindicated.
Hundreds in the UK, thousands in the Hunter
Bolwarra resident Judy Soper will meet her British cousin Bob Soper and his son Oscar at the Dorset Soper family reunion in Maitland on Saturday, January 4.
By coincidence, Bob had been researching for his book The Dorset Sopers at the same time the Maitland descendants - Ian, Paul and Judy– were looking into the Soper family history.
“Using the thorough research already done by Olga Marquet of Paterson as our foundation, we all contributed information and photos to the end product,” Mrs Soper said. “Bob’s book documents the family’s story from the 1660s in Toller Fratum, Dorset, England to the current generations in England and Australia.”
Bob decided to make the trip to Maitland to meet everyone and thank them for their input from the Australian end.
“His visit prompted us to turn a small rendezvous into a Soper family reunion so that Bob and his son Oscar can meet as many of their Aussie relatives as possible,” she said.
“The Sopers number hundreds in the UK compared to thousands here in the Hunter Valley and around Australia.”
A reunion is also an opportunity to update the family tree and make new contacts for the next book called The Dorset Sopers Down Under, Mrs Soper said.
A meet and greet with Bob Soper and a family reunion will be held at Maitland Park on Saturday, January 4 from 4pm.
Guests are asked to bring a picnic or barbecue food, chairs and family history information.
Bob Soper’s book is available online at www.lulu.com. Inquiries can be directed to Judy Soper on 4930 1525.
