Disembarked at Wellington 27 oct 1841
from JEGR
Louisa Marianne HAMILTON (1807-92) who came to NZ on the Oriental in 1841 with her husband Henry Samuel KNOWLES (1794-1865) and their five small sons, was my 2xgreatgrandmother. Her 1st cousin Emily COLES (1812-1857) and her family were victims of the Massacre at Cawnpore in June 1857.
Emily was the 2nd of the six daughters of Edward Coles [1768-1846], Attorney at Law, and his wife Louisa Hamilton [1786-1854], only daughter of Daniel Hamilton (1722-1810) and his 2nd wife Mary CAREW nee WEBBER (1744-1822). Emily was born on April 5, 1812 and baptized on April 28 1812 at Bishops Hull in Somerset.
There, on the 4th June 1833, she married Edward VIBART (1807-1857), son of James Meredith Vibart of Taunton (1753-1827) and his wife Juliana nee WILLIAMS (1769-1822).
Edward was born on 15 November 1807 at Amberd House, Pitminster and served with the 2nd Bengal Light Cavalry from 27 July 1824 until his death in June 1857. He and Emily had nine children between 1836 and 1856. For years, they led what was for the period a normal family life with plenty of Indian servants and the children as they grew, going back ?home? to England to live with relatives and be educated.
Then in June 1857, the smouldering dissatisfaction with the rule of the Honourable East India Company (H.E.I.C.) broke out into open rebellion ? the Indian Mutiny ? with the long term result that India came directly under British rule. Edward had reached the rank of major and was in command of the regiment at Cawnpore, West Bengal.
When the mutiny broke out, Major Vibart, his wife Emily, and their four youngest children were among the hundreds who took refuge in Wheeler?s entrenchment. Their eldest son ? Edward Daniel Hamilton Vibart (1837-1923) - was already in the H.E.I.C?s army and survived. Their three eldest daughters were being educated in England - Henrietta Louisa (1835-1926), Georgina Caroline (1840-1926) & Louisa Hamilton Vibart (1844-1932). Louise Marianne Hamilton had person sources.
4 She immigrated to ENG to NZ on the Oriental arriving NZ 22/10/1841 on 22 June 1841.
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