It’s unsettling when someone goes missing and leaves no trace behind. The absence of information about their fate can be disheartening, raising questions about whether anyone is searching or if they have tragically passed away, with no documentation to clarify their circumstances. Interestingly, many researchers mistakenly attribute her daughter-in-law’s death date to her, simply because they share the same name. In my research, I have crafted an essay that captures the emotional depth of this situation, bringing clarity and insight to an otherwise perplexing case.
Where did Sarah go?
The General Post Office clock announces the new year of 1881, the streets around the city celebrate with a merry cheer.
The Melbourne Hospital at 122 Little Collins Street is quiet as Nurse Rose begins her rounds checking on the new mothers in her wing.
Passing an open door and seeing the empty bed, memories flood back from twelve months ago when she sat on the chair chatting and listening to the sad story and hopes of Mrs Sarah Baron.
As if it had happened yesterday, Nurse Rose could picture the scene and wondered how Sarah was coping.
“Now, Now, Mrs Baron, it’s not all bad, come dry your eyes.” Nurse Rose whispered, “there is no sin in asking for help with taking care of your children; a young girl will be able to do housework for you until you are back on your feet again.”
Sarah smiled through her tears, “I know, it’s just ... it’s just Mumma didn’t have any help and she brought up ten of us. Sarah began to cry again.”
Nurse Rose sat on the edge of Sarah’s bed and patted her eyes, “there, there, why don’t you tell me what is really the problem. You know that having a baby can stir up your emotions.”
Sarah took a big breath and began. “I believe that just everything has got me down, my parents, my husband, travelling and now a new baby. I am very tired and I don’t know where I am going to end up.”
“Okay, so let’s start with your parents, why do they worry you?”
Fresh tears flowed down Sarah’s cheeks as she told Nurse Rose that her mother had died under suspicious circumstances only four months earlier. Her father, William Winnell was taken into custody but they could not find a motive for his wife being stabbed and then her crawling to the river where she died.
Like many people in the colony, they drank heavily so they may have argued but no one knows because William could not remember. The family believed that the police harassed William knowing he had come to Australia over fifty years ago as a convict, he had worked hard as a labourer to prove himself.
In a sad little voice, Sarah explained that she had not seen her parents for a while as they lived in Tallarook and did not travel to Melbourne. “What was Poppa going to do now?”
“You poor thing, that gives you more reason to have a helper with the little ones. Do you have any family that do live close to the city?”
Apart from her husband’s partner who was also his nephew, she had no one. Nurse Rose straightened the sheets then asked about Sarah’s husband.
Edmund was a lovely man who worked very hard, at the moment he was trying to keep his business afloat in Webb Street, Fitzroy, the Crown Brewery. He and his sister’s family, the Siddalls, had been building breweries around Victoria for many years. They began in Fryerstown near Castlemaine and then Seymour, that’s where Sarah had met him. The problem was paying the bills on time, they had registered for insolvency a few times and that is when they would move on.
Sagging shoulders, Sarah kept talking. Edmund wanted to settle down and work without all the pressure of running the business so he signed it over to his nephew, George, and was looking for a brewers’ position, elsewhere, he had said that Castlemaine Brewery were interested in having his expertise.
Nurse Rose patted Sarah’s hand and said that would be wonderful as it would be regular well paid position.
“I suppose so, then he could give us everything he had promised when we first married.”
“What did he promise?”
“That would be fantastic if he was able to provide that for the family, tell me about your little ones.”
“My eldest son, Abraham, he wants to be his dad’s partner; he follows him around the brewery, for an eight-year-old, he has learnt much already.
Mary Ellen, she is six, and loves playing mother with baby Edmund, who is two, oh!... he is not my baby any more, now I have Georgie.”
As if he recognised his name, George began to stir, Nurse Rose picked him up and past him to his mother to cuddle.
Nurse Rose felt the warmth and love as Sarah fed her son and cuddled him as if he was the most precious little thing in the world.
Closing the door on the empty room, Nurse Rose moved on wondering to herself. “Where is Sarah?”
Records Used:
Birth Certificate of George Henry Baron, born 27 December 1879, Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria, 3821/1880.
Will of Edmund Baron, died 5 April 1893, granted by the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria, VPRS 7561/P2, Unit 209.
From Own Correspondent, ‘Suspected Murder At Seymour’ The Argus, Friday, 8 August 1879 Page 7; Inquest Record of Sarah Winnell née Brewer, died August 1879, Series 00024 Unit 400 1879/280.
Residence of Edmund Baron, Melbourne Directory – Sands and McDougall 1878; Melbourne Directory – Sands and McDougall 1879.
Anon., ‘Overland Passengers To And From Sydney’ The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday 3 February, 1890
Death Certificate of Edmund Baron, died 5 April 1893, Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria, 5134/1893; Death Certificate of Abraham William Baron, died 3 October 1903, Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria, 14451/1893.
Location of the grave of Edmund Baron, died 5 April 1893, Melbourne General Cemetery, Parkville, Victoria, 03 93493014, Church of England Grave 219.
Advertisement: ‘Crown and Junction Brewery – Goulburn River’ Waranga Chronicle and Goulburn Advertiser, 18 Nov 1869; Keith M. Deutsher, The Breweries of Australia: A History, Australia, 1999, p. 154
*All names are correct except Nurse Rose is fictitious.
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