Vizes of Ireland in Australia

See also Vizes in Ireland for the history of these families.

Sarah Esther VIZE (c1798-1876)
Sarah Esther DAVIS married Dr William Maunsell VIZE in 1824. She came to Victoria with several of her children in 1862. It appears that Sarah may have already been widowed when she travelled to Australia in 1862 as there are no records for Dr William in Australia. She travelled on the "Grand Trianon" from Liverpool with her adult children Sarah (see below), Rachel, John and William Henry (see below). It appears that at least three of her four children, Rachel, John and William, were intellectually impaired, so it is unclear what would have led her to uproot the family and bring them to Australia.

After arriving initially in Sydney, the family relocated to Melbourne in about 1864. Her daughter Sarah had worked as a seamstress in Sydney, but no information has been found on their livelihood in Melbourne. They seem to have lived mostly around the Emerald Hill area. The family may have had independent means. In 1867 they are living at 20 Yarra Street, a brick house with four rooms and paying the highest rent in the street. Sarah is not listed as having any occupation.

William Henry VIZE (ca1837-1893)
Very few records have been found for this William. William was born in about 1837 in County Clare, Ireland. He arrived in Australia on the "Grand Trianon" with his family. The "Grand Trianon" transported free settlers and there were many passengers from Clare that arrived on this ship in 1858. On his admittance record in Darlinghurst Gaol he is described as a lunatic and very sickly. His height was not recorded but he was said to have fair hair and blue eyes, he could read and write, though had no trade or profession.

In July 1862 when he was admitted to Darlinghurst Gaol, by a Mr William DAY, he was described as "unfit to be at large" and to be held for 14 days. At the end of this period he was assigned to WPC at Tarban Creek, a reference to the Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum at Gladesville (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladesville_Mental_Hospital).

William's mother relocated to Melbourne with his brothers and sisters. It is not clear if he returned to live with his family or was transferred to a care facility in Victoria. He died in Clifton Hill in 1893, an inmate of the Yarra Bend Lunatic Asylum (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarra_Bend_Asylum).

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