Hi,
I am wanting any information at all on Peter Potter b. 1793, who arrived on the Somersetshire on August 24th 1839, Port Adelaide. He had about ten children with him. I descend from his son James who was married to Ellen Martin. Their son was Henry Potter who married Mary Dolby Emmett. They had William Frank Potter. She arrived with him (and was married). They settled in Lyndoch Valley, South Australia. Photos would be appreciated, I do not have a photo of any Potter past my grandfather.
The family was quite secretive, so almost no information was passed down. All my grandfather knew was the names of his parents.
My husband also descends from James Potter and Ellen Martin.... James married Ellen Martin 17/3/1839 at St Nicholas Church in Brighton - imagine the scene at the church, within 24 or so hours the family departed for London to commence their journey to South Australia....
Ellen Martin's parents were Richard Martin and Priscilla Langridge, she was baptised 15/6/1817 at Maresfield Sussex. Her father, Richard Martin, was born in 1789 in Maresfield Sussex and her mother, Priscilla, was baptised 5/9/1790 at Fletching. Richard and Priscilla married 25/12/1813 at Fletching.
Peter Potter's parents were John Potter and Anne Burtenshaw, who married 25/4/1791 at Upper Beeding in Sussex. I don't know the names of John's parents - there were at least two Potter families residing at Upper Beeding during the mid 1770's.
Anne Burtenshaw, the daughter of Thomas Burtenshaw and Sarah, was baptised 21/7/1771 at Newtimber, Poynings.
Peter Potter was very unhappy in Australia and wrote a distressing letter home [dated 14th March 1840] to his siblings advising them to not emigrate. '....this is a very different country and place from what is represented in England, I do assure you, and if all would write the truth, there would not be half so many come out... I think of making another move to New Zealand, or somewhere else, where it is colder, as it is so alarmingly hot here...... Although wages are high, provisions are very dear, and so is rent, for we now pay 12s. per week for a mud house, about fit for a pig-sty, but it is called a comfortable house.' Peter went on to mention 'London bugs and fleas - the ground quite swarms with them.....I do assure you instead of this being a land of butter and eggs, it is a land of sand and vermin; if we lie down to sleep in the day, the flies will blow your eyes, ears or nose, and there will be maggots in a few hours..... If you come out expect to live a ,ife like hogs...'
The letter ended with Peter mentioning 'people are leaving for the country very fast, for farming, as it is more healthy than the city. There is great mortality in it, and plenty of work for doctors.'
Peter did relocate to the country and purchased land in the Barossa Valley.
