[Back one generation]

Francis Scott was born in Stourbridge and baptised at Oldswinford, Worcestershire on 27 May 1827. He lived with his parents Francis and Mary Scott at Windmill Street (later renamed Church Street), close to the centre of Stourbridge. His father Francis SCOTT 'the elder', and his grandfather George SCOTT, were builders, and Francis followed suit as a bricklayer journeyman.

Emigrates to Australia and marries Elizabeth

Francis must have decided to leave the family home in Stourbridge. He arrived at Melbourne, Australia on 4 June 1853, as a cabin passenger aboard the ship Bothnia. The 463 ton wood ship Bothnia departed from New York (28 Jan 1853) then Liverpool (5 Mar 1853), collecting some passengers at Cape Town en route. I have yet to confirm details of this journey.
Francis married Elizabeth DOO on 26 Dec 1854 at Christ Church, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Elizabeth Doo had emigrated to Geelong from Cambridge, England with other members of her family in 1853 (see Holmes DOO and family).

Why did Francis emigrate to Australia in 1853, only to return by 1858?

A three month journey to the opposite side of the world was not a move to be undertaken lightly. Set against the historical background, these factors may have influenced his decisions:

• 1851-2. The failure of the Stourbridge bank Rufford & Wragge, in June 1851. In February 1852, there was an auction of assets at the Talbot Hotel, Stourbridge. Creditors of the failed bank received a dividend of 2s.7d in the pound. In other words they lost 87% of their money. Many Stourbridge businessmen and traders had entrusted their money to this local bank.
• 1853. Francis, a single and mobile 25 year old bricklayer, hears of the gold rush in Victoria. Newspapers were filled with tales of easy pickings and quick riches. Not just for the prospectors, but all the support workers too. Skill shortages meant big wage packets. Francis took his skills to the new country.
• 1856-7. Maturing, turning 30 years of age, with a young wife and "expectations" of an eventual inheritence back in England, possibly home-sick, a return to England now looked attractive.

Francis and Elizabeth returned to England, and their first known child Harriet was born on 19 Jan 1858, at Church Street in Stourbridge. By 1861, the family had moved a few yards along Church Street to number 32, where they remained.

In 1863 Francis inherited property, including the house he lived in, from his father Francis Scott's Will.

Children of Francis and Elizabeth Scott:

Harriet Mary SCOTT, born 19 Jan 1858, bapt 4 Apr 1858 at Old Swinford.
Anne SCOTT, bapt 16 May 1859 at Stourbridge St John. Probably died in infancy.
William SCOTT, bapt 4 Jan 1861 at Stourbridge St John.
Frank SCOTT, bapt 21 Dec 1862 at Old Swinford.
Elizabeth Bryant SCOTT, bapt 18 Feb 1865 at Stourbridge St John.
James SCOTT, born 22 Nov 1867, bapt 22 Dec 1867 at Stourbridge St John.
Philip SCOTT, born 16 Oct 1870, bapt 30 Nov 1870, m. Emma BURROWS (1895)
Mary Ann SCOTT, bapt 29 Apr 1874 at Stourbridge St John.
Ellen Rose SCOTT, bapt 25 Apr 1877 at Stourbridge St John.

Francis Scott was listed in various local trade directories as a builder. His ownership of freehold land at Longlands, Stourbridge, qualified his entry in the 1874 electoral register.
Elizabeth Scott died 12 October 1893, aged 58. Francis remained at 32 Church Street but he ended his days on 2 March 1897 aged 69 at the Stourbridge Union Workhouse (located nearby at Wordsley, Staffordshire). Both were buried in the same grave at South Road cemetery, Stourbridge.

e-mail: Mark Scott

Useful links and references for Stourbridge genealogy

• Nigel Perry "A History of Stourbridge" Phillimore & Co, 2001
• 1837 facsimile Plan of Stourbridge - available from Stourbridge Public Library
• "Bentley's History Guide and Alphabetical and Classified Directory of Stourbridge 1841" facsimile edition, Dudley Libraries New Transcript Series 1985
• William Scott "Stourbridge and its Vicinity" 1832
• 1861 census - a searchable on-line database
• Oldswinford parish registers and Monumental Inscriptions - transcripts available from Birmingham & Midlands Society for Genealogy and Heraldry
• Worcestershire Record Office
• www.stourbridge.com

Other Scott researchers can be contacted via the Scott Family Genealogy Forum

earlier DOO generations
earlier SCOTT generations

Updated: 26 May 2008