William & Elizabeth (Naisbett) Davidson

http://davidsonfamilyarchives.blogspot.com.au

William & Elizabeth (Naisbett) Davidson

William Davidson 1804 - 1837  

Elizabeth Davidson nee Naisbett 1811 - 1871

William Davidson was born in 1804 in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland and died 9 July 1837 in Hobart, Australia at 33 years.  Prior to emigrating to Van Diemen's Land William was head gardener in the estate of Robert Walker at Benwell.  Now a suburb of Newcastle Upon Tyne, but at that time Benwell was a coal mining town of some 1200 inhabitants located on the site of a Roman fort on Hadrian's Wall.

William arrived in Hobart on board the "Albion" on 31 December 1827.  Although, on this occasion his stay was brief, he was able to arrange to meet with the Lieutenant Governor Arthur - no mean achievement for a gardener at a time when Arthur was often criticised for being remote from ordinary settlers.  At the end of January 1828 Davidson travelled to Sydney, but not liking the place, returned to Van Diemen's Land, this time to Port Dalrymple, arriving on 10 June 1828 by the ship "Industry".

Refer to other Posts in this Blog for more details on the colourful career William Davidson had as First Superintendent of the Hobart Botanical Gardens from 1828 - 1837.

William built the stone cottage that still stands at 3 Elboden Place, South Hobart in about 1833.

Elizabeth Naisbett/Nesbett/Aisbitt was born 2 May 1811 in Urpeth, Durham and died on 15 October 1871 at her home, 200 Upper Liverpool Street, Hobart at the age of 61 from Carcinomi Asthenia - debility from cancer.  Elizabeth was also known as Bessie.

Elizabeth Nesbett was listed as a cabin passenger on the "Triton" from Leith, Scotland which arrived in Hobart on 9 June 1829. She came in the care of friends Richard and Hannah Pybus for her marriage to William Davidson, the newly appointed Superintendant of the Hobart Botanical Gardens. Richard and Hannah Pybus were witnesses at the marriage of Elizabeth and William Davidson on 1 September 1829. 

Marriage Certificate of William Davidson and Elizabeth Aisbitt - 1 September 1829 (Note the spelling - Aisbitt).

St David's Cathedral, Hobart where William and Elizabeth Davidson were married on 1 September 1829.

Interior of St David's Cathedral, Hobart

There are many variations of spelling - Aisbitt, Aisbett, Nesbett, Naisbett which has made research very difficult as Newcastle is on the border of the two counties of Northumberland & Durham. With other supporting information I am confident the information in this Post is correct. Note the spelling on the marriage certificate for Elizabeth and William is Aisbitt. The "Triton" spells Elizabeth's name as Nesbett.

Together they had 4 children (+1?):

Elizabeth Rachel (Bessie) Davidson 2 August 1830 - 14 November 1899.  Elizabeth married Richard Propsting (1819 - 1899) on 23 January 1849 at 3 Elboden Place, South Hobart (her mother's home). They had 10 children. (Refer to another Post about this family).

William Edward Davidson born 10 October 1832. Named William after his father and Edward after his maternal grandfather. William was a School Teacher and died on 10 March 1852 at 19 years in Launceston.

Richard Davidson born 26 July 1834. Richard was a Storekeeper and died 14 months after his marriage to Janet McIntyre and 6 months after the birth of his son Archibald William Davidson. Richard died on 25 June 1859 at the age of 25 years.

Thomas Rowland Davidson 9 May 1836 - 29 March 1888. Thomas was only 14 months old when his father died.

A mystery child was born in 1840 named Charles Davidson.  William Davidson had died 3 years earlier in 1837.  Charles died from "water on the brain" on 5 August 1845, recorded as the "stepson of Mr. Edward Allason, Tailor".

William & Elizabeth Davidson's home at 3 Elboden Place, South Hobart. Cottage built 1834.  Photo taken 2005.

Formal Dining Room with original ceder joinery & window shutters - note William Davidson's ink sketch on the wall 175 years later. Photo taken in 2005.

Formal dining room in 2006.  Mantlepiece carved by convict stonemason Daniel Herbert who also carved gargoyles on Ross Bridge, Tasmania in 1836. 

Cottage built for William Davidson and family at Hobart Botanical Gardens in 1828. Today it is the Administration.

William Davidson February 18th 1833 is etched into a window in the cottage at the Botanical Gardens.

Sundial carved by convict stonemason Daniel Herbert as a gift for Elizabeth in 1833, depicting William, his wife and 2 children. The sundial was donated back to the Botanical Gardens in 1999. 

St David's Park, Hobart where William Davidson's plaque can be found.

Joy Olney visited William Davidson's plaque in 2005 - "In memory of William Davidson who departed this life July 9th 1837 aged 33 years".

Elizabeth's marriage to Edward Allason

After William Davidson died on 9 July 1837, Elizabeth married Edward Allason (18 May 1819 - 25 November 1888) on 16 January 1843 at her home "Vine Cottage", 3 Elboden Place, South Hobart. Elizabeth inherited the property after her husband's death.

Edward and Elizabeth Allason together had 6 children:

Edward John Allason born 5 November 1843 in Davey St,  Hobart Town and died of a Liver complaint on 22 April 1854 at 10 years in Hobart.

Susannah (Susie) Allason born 6 November 1845 in Davey St, Hobart and died 11 March 1927 in 38 Melville Street, Hobart. Susannah married Charles Duncan Haywood (18 September 1842 - 10 July 1920) on 8 October 1868 at Edward Allason's home in Liverpool Street, Hobart.
(Refer to http://allasonfamilyarchives.blogspot.com.au  for more about this family).

Robert Allason born 5 April 1848 in Davey Street, Hobart Town and died 6 November 1903 in 169 Upper Goulburn St, Hobart. Robert married Eliza Pheannah McLean on 4 May 1875 in "Paris House", DeWitt Street, Battery Point, Hobart, Tasmania. Robert suicided at home, 169 Upper Goulburn Street, Hobart, aged 55, on 6 November 1903 from the effects of a wound to the throat, self inflicted whilst labouring under a fit of temporary insanity.  He is buried in a private grave in the Church of England section of the Sandy Bay Cemetery.

Sarah Ann Allason born 17 August 1850 in "Elboden House", Davey Street, Hobart and died 21 August 1941 in 14 Swan Street, New Town, Hobart. Sarah married William Arthur Macdougall

(15 April 1849 - 2 July 1930) on 15 April 1876 in Chalmers Free Presbyterian Church, Hobart.

(Refer to http://allasonfamilyarchives.blogspot.com.au for more about this family).

Eliza Allason born 23 August 1852 in Davey Street, Hobart Town and died from Chronic Rheumatism at 14 years on 15 December 1866 when the family were living at 72 Warwick Street, Hobart.

Edwin Allason born 1 February 1855 in Davey Street, Hobart Town. Death date unknown.


For more information about Elizabeth & Edward Allason refer to my Blog at:
http://allasonfamilyarchives.blogspot.com.au

If you have any corrections or comments, please contact the author, Joy Olney by email:
joyolney@gmail.com