MESSAGE FROM JOYE WALSH
What a wonderful day! The weather was kind, the venue was terrific and we all could share time together in comfort in the area where our ancestors James Rixon & Amelia Goodwin lived with their 5 children for several years from sometime after the triplets were born in 1806. The younger sons – Thomas & Henry were born in Windsor in 1808 & 1810. James died suddenly on 5 April 1811 and was buried in an unmarked grave. In 2016 a headstone was installed in St Matthews Cemetery.
Shortly before his death James had purchased many items at Auction from the estate of Andrew Thompson – who was honoured by the naming of Thompson’s Square in Windsor. It appears the family may have been establishing themselves in that location but James’ death changed that.
They were possibly living in George St as Amelia later sold a house there to Thomas Rickaby. Amelia, as Emma Goodwin married Robert Burrows on 23 December 1816, the first marriage in St Luke’s Liverpool. Amelia & Robert had a son, also named Robert, on 6 October 1816. He married Elizabeth Harpur in 1847, did not have any children and died in 1866 at Broulee.
In 1816 Amelia was granted 40 acres of land at Airds but they were still living in Windsor area until after 1820 when her husband Robert Burrows drowned in the creek at Aspinall’s farm, near Windsor. By 1825 Amelia was recorded as a landholder in Campbelltown, together with her 6 sons. She died in 1834 and is buried in Campbelltown as Amelia Burrows.
Thank you to all the folks who travelled from far and wide to connect or reconnect with other family members, to share stories, or just to learn a little more about their heritage.
It was wonderful to see the different coloured name tags [thanks Kay Burgess], and how special are the lanyards! Thanks also to all those who helped set up, sort lanyards etc.
Highlights for me, included putting faces to names I had known for a long time, hearing people speak of meeting family members for the first time, catching up with others not seen for a long time, planning smaller family gatherings in the future, and helping others sort out just where they fitted into the overall family.
Our thoughts went to the Cunneen family with their recent loss of Linda [Wilson – Thomas line], who would so much have liked to be present along with her husband Reg, son Robert & grandson Matthew. Also to Judith Falle [Holland – Benjamin line] whose husband John passed away very recently.
Several people were unable to attend at the last minute because of illness or unexpected events, and others because of the distance to travel.
Special attendees included Joan Grove from Kiama, our most senior “twig” at 97 and the most junior, little Christian Rixon at 10 months.
Thank you to those people who shared their stories and brought along photos and charts to illustrate their line. One special photo was that of Alfred Rixon b1862. On p178 Forest he was wrongly described. His correct family line has now been included in the updated version of Rixon Forest.
Another highlight was the continuous Power Point display of photos collected over the years. Several folks asked for a copy. You can watch a video of this below, and download the Power Point. There are 99 slides so it is too big a file to email. Please send me a USB and I can copy it for you.
Download Second Rixon Gathering 20.5.2018 Roundup as PDF
SLIDESHOW PRESENTATION FROM REUNION DAY
Duration 16 minutes
Right-click and download the Power Point file (189 megabyes).James Rixon and Amelia Goodwin
Right-click and download the video file (medium resolution 196 megabyes).James Rixon and Amelia Goodwin
Right-click and download the video file (high resolution 387 megabyes).James Rixon and Amelia Goodwin
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE DAY
I first heard of the Rixons a few years ago. James (son of the first James) had a daughter Martha who married Adam Kirkaldy Page. They lived in Merimbula. Adam was the brother of my great-great grandfather and sailed from England in 1854. I have just recently made contact – via our DNA results! – with a great-great granddaughter of Adam and Martha. She lives in Crookwell, NSW. I’m in the UK and thrilled to have found, at long last, a direct relation on the Page side of my family! I will tell my new found fourth cousin about your website – shame I didn’t look a couple of months ago; maybe she could have come to your reunion!