John Burdett Wittenoom (1788-1855) was ordained in 1812, and, his first wife, Mary Teasdale, having died in England after bearing five children, he was appointed Colonial Chaplain and emigrated to the Swan River Colony in January 1830 via Wanstead, with his mother, sister and four sons, John Burdett, Henry, Frederick Dirck, and Charles. By his second wife, Mary Watson Helms, he had three more children, one of whom (Mary Eliza Dircksey, m. Kenneth Stirling Brown) was the mother of Edith Dircksey (Brown) Cowan.
He was not quite the first clergyman in the Colony. Thomas Scott had arrived here by accident the previous November and was not able to leave, as it happened, until after Wittenoom arrived, so was available to show him the ropes.
Cranfield:
On 3 January 1839 he married Mary Watson Helms, of Perth, by whom he had two daughters and a son who died in infancy. An amateur cellist and a fluent speaker, he encouraged musical evenings and reading parties in his home; but religious enthusiasm was contrary to his High Church views and his colleagues thought him too easygoing and unenterprising as an organizer. With the opening of a convict gaol at Fremantle his duties increased. His health was undermined by domestic worry and too little exercise, and he became a victim of gout. He died in Perth on 23 January 1855. Cranfield 1967.
Edith Cowan was Wittenoom's granddaughter. Her grandson was Peter Cowan.
He conducted the marriage of Daniel and Jane Scott in March 1830 on board the (wreck of the) Marquis of Anglesea.
Erickson:
WITTENOOM, (Rev.) John Burdett, b. 1789, d. 23.1.1855 (Perth) arr. 30.1.1830 per Wanstead with mother, sister & 4 sons, m. 1st Mary TEASDALE d. UK 1828, m. 2nd 3.1.1839 Mary Watson HELMS b. 1809 d. 7.10.1878 (Bowes), dtr. of Thomas. Chd. Edward d. young, John Burdett b. 1815 to Victoria, Henry b. 1819 d. 1884, Frederick Dirck b. 1821 d. 1863 (Civil Servant), Charles b. 1824 d. 1866, (2nd wife), Mary Eliza Dirksey b. 1839 d. 1868, Augusta Henrietta Maria b. 1842 d. 1909, John Burdett Cornelius bp. 1854 d. 1856. Granted land at Beverley, 5000ac. Avon Loc Z & 20ac on Swan. "Gwambygine" leased until sons of age to manage it. Had been Headmaster Newark Grammar School 1813-1828. Anglican clergyman. Colonial Chaplain 1829-1855, opened small grammar school, Perth. 1847-1855 Chairman of Educ. Comm. Freemason, Lodge St. John. JP. Widow 1856-8 Mistress Perth Girls School.
Aveling, Marian 1981, 'Western Australian society: the religious aspect 1829-1895', in Tom Stannage ed., A New History of Western Australia, UWAP.
Cranfield R. E. 1962, Wittenoom Family in Western Australia, privately published.
O'Brien, Jacqueline & Pamela Statham-Drew 2009, On We Go the Wittenoom way: the Legacy of a Colonial Chaplain, Fremantle Press.
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ADB entry
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