Two months ago my second great-granddaughter was born in Perth, W.A., and she was given the names of Charlotte Rose. Before her birth I was asked by her mother for a list of given names from our family tree; but I did not include names of siblings of my forebears. But the name Charlotte rang a bell when I first heard the new baby’s name.
Delving through my family history files, I found it : Charlotte – the name of the elder sister of Jesse Mewett, my great-grandfather. She was born in Willingdon, Sussex, in 1833, third child of Samuel Mewett and his wife Martha Balcombe and she sailed on the Platina with them arriving at Port Adelaide in February 1839.
At age 18 Charlotte was married to Thomas Barber at Gumeracha, S.A. She gave birth to eight sons and six daughters from 1852 through to 1879. Thomas and Charlotte Barber moved from the Kersbrook/Gumeracha district of South Australia in 1873 and settled on a farm at Wail, north of Horsham in Victoria. Two of their children were born there, Samuel in 1875 and David in 1879.
Martha aged 8, died of diphtheria at the Horsham hospital in February 1878; Selina aged 9, and Alice aged 5, died at Wail in March of that year, also of diphtheria. Names of the surviving children were Ann, John, William, Elizabeth, Robert, Richard, Susanna, Thomas, Samuel and David.
Charlotte died at Pomona, Victoria, aged 71, and was buried at the Horsham cemetery.
Wail has a Barber Road running east through farmland from the Wail-Polkemmet Road to the Western Highway between Horsham and Dimboola. There are still residents today at Wail by the name of Barber.
By today’s travel standards Wail would be on the same map as Noradjuha where the late Bob Mewett and his family lived; Murtoa where Ted Mewett married Emma Lloyd and where my father Percy was born; Horsham where Wm Lloyd my great-grandfather was buried, and an area where some of the Giddings migrated to in the 19th century.
Pomona is a town south-west of Stawell and north-west of Ararat and close by Lake Bellfield in the Grampians National Park. Pomona would be on the same map as Stawell where my grandmother Emma Lloyd was born; two of my Mewett aunts were born at Maroona, a railway town south of Ararat and Pomona. Quite some family history in this Wimmera district of western Victoria.
– almewett
Who Were They 
Thank you I love finding out more about my grandmother and her extended family. – keryn
Jessie Mewett son David also had a daughter named Charoltte born 24 Dec 1891 Williamstown died 20 sept 1892 Gawler Plains. South Australia.
Thank you, Sue, for letting us know about Charlotte Mewett 1891 – 1892, daughter of David William Mewett, my grandfather’s elder brother. I appreciate your contribution to this weblog. Regards from Alan Mewett
My name is Kirsty Mewett . I live in Willingdon Sussex and was born and raised here . I wonder if there is link!!
Hello Kirsty,
There must be a link. My great-great grandparents Samuel and Martha left Willingdon in 1838, arrived in South Australia February 1839. almewett.com is the link to my blog Who Were They which tells as much of our Australian Mewett history through my own ancestors, also my mother’s family history. Darryl Mewett is currently the Australian researcher with world-wide contacts. He also would be interested in your enquiry. He is on Facebook as I am too. May I suggest that you leave a comment on my blog and I will pass it on to Darryl. I’m very pleased to hear from you, especially as Willingdon was an important part of our history. Regards from Alan Mewett.