The Chrishall Archive Group receives correspondence from time to time from the descendants of people who emigrated from Chrishall and last year David Corby in Australia emailed with information about his family history. His great-grandfather, William Corby was born in Chrishall in about 1832 and married Chrishall girl Susan Manning in 1850.

In 1855 William and Susan left England on the ‘Constitution’ for Australia. William was 24 and a farm labourer and his wife Susan was also 24. They had with them Thomas aged 4 and Joseph aged 2. According to the shipping reels Susan and both her sons spent time in the hospital during the voyage. Susan’s brothers Joseph and William Manning, and her sister Mary Ann were also on the same voyage. They arrived in Sydney harbour on 27th May 1855. When they arrived William got work as a farm labourer in the Camden and Berrima districts. Seven months after arriving in Australia William and Susan had a daughter, Rebecca – possibly named after her maternal grandmother. Rebecca was born on 3rd December 1855 and seven more children arrived, all born in Berrima.

After their last child, Emily, was born in 1871, the family moved to  Cootamundra. In time William became a magistrate, president of the town’s Show society and a member of the local council. After Susan passed away in 1877, William married her sister, Mary-Ann Gilmour (nee Manning),  who had also emigrated from Chrishall and come out on the same voyage.

William became the owner of Rose Farm in Cootamundra and was father to 14 children. He was a pillar of the local community and a splendid stained glass window was commissioned in his memory in a local church.

Many thanks to the Corby family who have done a huge amount of research on both the Corby and Manning families which they have kindly provided to the Archive. If you are connected to these families please get in touch for more information. Many thanks to David Corby for the beautiful photographs provided on this page.

Update: details of William and Susan’s marriage:

Date of marriage Sept 21 1850
Both were aged 20. He was a labourer. Both born in Chrishall
Her maiden name was Manning.
Fathers are listed as James Corby and William Manning both labourers.
Witnesses: John Brooks and Hester Monk
Officiating Officer: Godfrey Everth