First known Cutcliffe to move from Engalnd to Australia. Rev. Charles Cutcliffe migrated to Australia around 1851. He settled in Sydney and married Mary Jane Poingdestre in Sydney on November 28, 1855. They had 10 children. Source: A.J. Cutcliffe (Fred) in a letter to Tom Cutcliffe dated January 6, 2000: Reverend Charles Cutcliffe was the first Cutcliffe to arive in Australia. He arrived in Sydney on April 1, 1852 on Board "Pauline" ex Nelson, New Zealand. (N.S.W. Pioneers Index 1788-1888). Charles was born on October 7, 1821, in East Street, Ashburton, in the County of Devon in the south west of England. Charles Cutcliffe was the fourth child and the thrid son of Doctor George Cutcliffe, a surgeon, and Mary Sophia Spilsbury. Although born in 1821, Charles was not baptised until 1822. On November 15, 1822, at St. Andrews Chruch of England, Ashburton. Charles, together with his siblings, George (born August 30, 1813), John (born November 30, 1816 and Mary (born December 22, 1818) were all baptised together by Reverend Joshua Reynolds Johnson. The name of the Curate is significant. Sir Joshua Reynolds was a famous English painter, and this man obviously, by his name, was a descendant of this family. Charles had a great-great- grandfather, also named Charles, (Charles of Weach). Back to November 15, 1822. Also bapitsed on this day was Elizabeth Cutcliffe Gribble, daughter of Mr. Gribble and Elizabeth Cutlciffe. The child was a cousin of Charles Cutcliffe. Her mother was Charles Aunty, sister of Charles father Doctor George Cutcliffe. Doctor George Cutcliffe was a Surgeon, baptised April 12, 1786 at Barnstaple, Devon, England. Dr. George Cutcliffe was the son of John Cutcliffe and Mary Pollard. John and Mary Pollard 's other children were: 1. Doctor Charles Cutcliffe of Barnstaple, born June 6, 1778, died January 1843. Dr. Charles Cutcliffe was married to Bridget Gearce (or Pearce) of South Molton. 2. William Cutcliffe Unmarried 1843 3. Mary Cutcliffe Unfarried 1843 4. Elizabeth Cutcliffe who married Mr. Gribble John Overholt, a Cutcliffe historian in England, who corresponds with Ruth Slater is a great, great grandson of Dr. Charles Cutcliffe, the brother of Dr. George Cutcliffe. Doctor George Cutcliffe of Ashburton married (Mary) Sophia Spiolsbury of London. This wedding was announced in the "Taunton Courier" dated May 14, 1812. Dr. George Cutcliffe died on July 11, 1840, aged 54 years at Ashburton, England. He is burried at St. Andrew's Church, Ashburton. In 1999, a photo of Dr. Grorge Cutcliffe's grave was taken by Mr. and Mrs. Peter Head, of Ashburton who are friends of Anthony John Cutlciffe, Hereford, known as "Pommie John". Mary Sophia Spilsbury was baptised on November 23, 1787 at St. Anne's Church Soho, Westminster. She died on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1882, at Walton on the Naze, England. Mary Spilsbury's parents were Francis Spilsbury and Dorthy Evans. Francis Spilsbury was baptised on August 13, 1736, at St. John Zachary. He married Catherine Brockhill. Catherine Brockhill died on November 2, 1757. Francis then merried Dorthy Eans on August 19, 1779 at St. George the Martyr Church in Holborn. Francis Spilsbury died in 1792. Upon his death Dorthy Evans Cutcliffe married her second husband, John Gribble on April 25, 1795. Dorthy and John Gribble had a son, Nelson Beveridge Gribble, who had a daughter, Henrietta Frances Gribble who was baptized in 1820. William Henry Cutcliffe, (who would have been about 26 years of age), son of Dr. Grorge Cutcliffe and Mary Sophia Spilsbury married Henrietta Frances Gribble in 1858 at St. Martin's of the Fields. This means that a marriage took place between two grandchildren of Dorthy Evens. Furthermore, in the 1881 Census, William Henry Cutcliffe is listed as age 50, occupation Collector, living at 73 Clapham Road, Lambert, England. Also at this address were Louisa, aged 54 years and Louisa aged 12 years. The 1881 Census gives more information about the family. They were living at Saville Street, Walton on the Naze, England. Listed were: Mary Cutcliffe, age 93, Annuitant John Cutcliffe, age 64, Chemist. Deaf. Mary Cutcliffe, age 62, Blind Elizabeth Cutcliffe, age 52, Governess Elizabeth S. I. Cutcliffe, age 18, Assistant Governess Bridget Augusta Cutcliffe, age 14, Scholar Another 5 Scholars are listed that are not members of the family, togrether with 3 servants. It would appear that they conducted some form of private boarding school. The Reverend Charles Cutcliffe conducted various private Grammer Schools in Australia at Bathurst, Goulburn, Yass and Bourke St. Wooloomooloo, Sydney.Ó
Born 7th. October 1821 in East Street, Ashburton, in the County of Devon, in south west of Engalnd. He was the 3rd. son of Doctor George Cutcliffe, Surgeon, and Mary Sophia Spilsbury. He studied at Magdalene College, Oxford, which he entered in 1840 and gained a B.A. degree in 1844. He was ordained Deacon on 22nd. December, 1844 and ordained Priest of the Church of Engalnd on 14th. December 1945 by the Bishop of Chester.
Chistchruch, New Zealand, was founded by the Canterbury Association, founded in 1848, to establish a model Church of England settlement. A specialised migration programme of Anglicnas was put in place with ships of Anglicans only with their own Chaplains. The first settlers under the scheme reached Christchurch on 16th. December 1850. Charles was a Chaplain on the ship ÒLabuanÓ and arrived at Lyttelton (port of Chrischurch) on 14th. August 1851. He later sailed from Nelson, N.Z. for Sydney on board the ÒPaulineÓ and arrived on the 1st. April 1852.
1853 Charles was a classical scholar and a great teacher and conducted private grammar schools at variour loactaions. In 1853 he conducted a Grammar School at Bathurst named Beauclerc House with a Mr Freeman and eventually by himself.
On 28th. November 1855 Charles married Mary Jane Poingdestre at St. James Church of England, king Street, Sydney. Both were residents of the Parish of Alexandria. Mary Jane Poingdestre was born on 17th. March 1835 at Upper Woodstock, Canada, of Jersey parents. She died at Morpeth on 9th. July 1919.
1856: Grammar School at 22 Bourke Steet, Wooloomooloo
1858: Grammar School at Goulburn.
1860: Grammer School at Yass. Mary Jane had a Prepartory School for boys.
1866: Became a Roman Catholic on 29th. June 1866 at Yass.
1870: Living at 197 Dowling Street, Wooloomooloo where he subsisted by giving private tuition, and conducted a High School in Macquarie Street under the patronage of Archbishop Polding.
1873: On 12th. May 1873, he wrote to Sir Henry Plrkes, the Colonial Secretary, requesting a position in Government. He was refused.
1875: On 5th. March 1875, Mr. E. Butler, wrote to Premier of New South Wales, Mr. John Robertson, on CharleÕs befalf. On 1 st. May 1875, he was appointed Clerk of Petty Sessions (C.P.S.) at Murrumburrah N.S.W.
1897: Charles died on 15th. June 1897. Burried in Murrumburrah cemetery.
The following article was in ÒThe FreemanÕs JournalÓ, a Catholic newspaper published in Sydney, dated 26th. June 1897, page 18:
ÒIt is with feelings of deep regret I have to record the death of Mr. Charles Cutcliffe, B.A. Oxon., which sad event took place at his residence, Murrumburrah, on Tuesday, the 15th instant. Deceased was in his 77 th year, and was a colonist of about 50 yearÕs standing. Mr. Cutcliffe had been ailing off and on for the last six months, but was always able to go about town and see his many friends and have a chat and a joke. Though he had long past the allotted span of three-score years and ten his unexpected end came as a shock to his family and friends. As showing his wonderful vitality and clear intellect, it may be mentioned that he gave instruction on the night prceding his demise to a class of boys whom he was teaching Latin. On Tuesday morning he felt unwell, and sent for his old friend and Father Confessor, Very Rev. R. Butler, P.P., who was soon at the bedside, and administered all the Consolations and rites of Holy Church; and the deceased, in the Possission of his faculties, breathed his last. On Tuesday, Feast of Corpus Christi, the remains were conveyed to St. MaryÕs Chruch, where Father Butler read the appropriate prayers, and at 3 oÕclock the funeral left the church for the cemetery, followed by a large concourse of people. Father Butler performed the last sad rites at the geave. The deceased leaves a widow, five sons and four daughters, all of whom were present except two, Mrs. Laura Phillips, of Mittagong, and Mrs. Thomas Raw of Stanmore.
The death of Mr. Cutcliffe serves a link which connected us with the early days of Murrumburrah. For more than 21 years he discharged with conspicuous ability the duties of C.P.S. here, and was retired in July of last year, receiving a well earned gratuity from the Government, the thanks of the Bench and the legal profession, and a public testimonial from the townspeople, the presentation marking their appreciation of his uniform courtesy. Mr. Cutcliffe had been a Church of England clergyman, and officiated first in Sydney and subsequently at Yass, where on 29th June, 1866 (SS. Peter and PaulÕs Day), he became a convert, being received into the Church by the Very Rev. Dean Hanley. Six weeks later Mrs. Cutcliffe and family joined the Church. At the time of his conversion Mr. Cutcliffe was conducting a flourshing boyÕs school at North Yass. In order to mark their disapproval of his having embraced Catholicity, many parents withdrew their sons, and Mr. cutcliffe left for Sydney, where he was engaged teaching and ÒcoachingÓ students until his appointment to Murrumburrah on May 1, 1875. As a classical scholar, Mr. Cutcliffe had few equals in the colony. He was a most vigourous public writer, and for many years contributed under the nom de plume ÒRupe de CissiÓ (see note) to the ÒFreeman, EmpireÓ, and other leading journals. he was an exemplary Catholic, and of a most charitable disposition, doing bood by stealth; every ready to assist those in need. He was of a very retireing nature. He wasa good Christian in the best sense, and his memory will be long cherished by the people of Murrunburrah, both young and old, and it is no figuure of speech to say that it will be many a long day till we look upon his like again. Requiescant in peace. June 21.Ó
ÒNote;- The correct Ònom de plumeÓ used by Charles was ÒRupe ScissarusÓ using the Latin words ÒRupeÓ meaning ÒRockÓ (or Cliff), and ScissarusÓ meaning Òto cutÓ hence CUT-CLIFF.Ó