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Family research: Patterson - Ewen

Hello,

Thank you for a wonderful website.

I was surfing the net from Sydney Australia doing some family research on my ancestors from Bristol when I chanced upon a possible connection with the builder of the SS Great Britain.

From the Census database I was able to find a possible ancestor in William Patterson of the SSGB fame (born about 1795 - and a ship builder) who married Eliza.

Their daughter Frances Julia Patterson married at Westbury upon Trym in 1855 my great great grandfather Frederick Ewen a master mariner who apparantly went down with his ship some years later (I don't know where when or how). He was also a member of the Royal Naval Reserve (his entry in Lloyds shipping register of captains had a crown beside it.)

Among other children of William and Eliza Patterson was a son William J (born about 1827) who became a naval architect.

In the 1861 census all the above people lived together at 2 Lower Court Clifton where William Patterson was Head of the house.

The son of Frederick and Frances Ewen was Frederick Stanley Patterson Ewen born 1857 who emigrated to Australia sometime in the 1860s - aged about 11 - he probably travelled with his by now widowed mother. Frances was still listed in the 1901 census living with her sister Eliza Sutherland at 99 Sefton Park Road Bristol. Frances was listed in the 1881 and 1891 census as living at Wynn House, Elliston Road Bristol West living with various other relatives (Florence, Lucy, Arthur Kate Patterson Eliza Sutherland etc).

FSP Ewen joined the NSW Police in 1877 aged 20 and served in the bush. He married in 1879. A local newspaper entry in January 1901 notes that Sergeant Ewen was authorised to examine and report upon any horses that may be submitted to him as suitable for service in South Africa. He rose through the ranks and eventually retired in 1917 as a sub-inspector.

I haven't been able to find any details of Ewen arriving in Australia.

If anyone has info regarding these people, places etc I would be most grateful to hear from you.