Torrens
DESCRIPTION
NameTorrensDescriptionFive Torrens siblings came to Australia from Londonderry, about the 1850’s.
Elizabeth Torrens b.1826, daughter of Alexander and Margaret Torrens (nee Campbell), arrived in Australia aboard ‘Ellenborough’ in 1853, aged 27 years. Her shipping records state her father was dead and her mother was living at the grove, Co Derry. She had no relatives living in the colony.
In 1854, Elizabeth paid a deposit for her brother William 31, his wife Jane 25, their three-month-old son Alexander, and a Mary Jane Torrens (unknown) aged 24 years, to come to Australia. This list was for persons ‘who have received Embarkation Orders to join the ship ‘Gloriana’. This deposit was refunded or declined.
Two years later in 1855, Elizabeth married Thomas Bush. The lived for a time in the Newcastle area where their three eldest children were born. They moved to Wollongong some time before 1862, when son, Mark was born. Eventually Elizabeth and family moved to the Southern Highlands, and then Tenterfield.
Elizabeth’s brother William and family did arrive in Australia in 1855 aboard ‘Hilton’. Elizabeth was listed as depositor, and as living in Chippendale. William b.1825 married Jane Turner (daughter of William and Letitia) in 1854. A year later they came to Australia with their 9-month-old son, Alexander. Mary Jane Torrens (unknown) who was on the original deposit list did not accompany them.
William and Jane settled at Shellharbour and shortly after moved to Yellow Rock. Their children were -
Alexander b.1855 (married Ellen Maria Rudd, died 1917, Mullumbimby)
Margaret Letitia b.1857 (married Charles Edward Pinner and Frederick Lean, died 1927, Kiama)
Mary Jane b.1859 (married Thomas Timms, died 1950, Lake Macquarie)
William b.1860 (married Harriet Vidler, died 1941,Yellow Rock) shot himself
Elizabeth (married Richard Worden, died 1942, Manly)
Agnes Nancy b.1865 (married David Vidler, died 1954, Kiama)
Thomas b.1866 (married Mary Ellen Pollock, died 1915, Murwillimbah)
John Turner b.1871 (married Jane Mackenzie, died 1943, Maroochydore)
Smyth b.1874 (married Emily Ann Law, died 1963, QLD)
Four years after William and Jane’s arrival in Australia, siblings Alexander and Margaret arrived aboard ‘Escort’ 11 March 1858. Their surnames were listed as Torns on the shipping list. Alexander was recorded as being 18 years old, a farm labourer, from Derry, and could read. Alexander’s sister, Margaret was recorded as being 23, a general servant, from Derry and could not read or write.
Alexander Torrens married Sarah Ashton near Hill End in 1873. They moved to Kiama before 1875 and had a family of six children. One son, Robert, married Ruby Hambly (daughter of Charles and Dinah of Shellharbour).
Margaret Torrens married William Fraser at Albion Park in 1859. After William’s death in 1876, she married John Beattie/Beatty and moved to Goulburn
The fifth Torrens sibling to come to Australia was Thomas b.1828. His obituary ‘ The Richmond River Herald and Northern Districts Advertiser Tue 16 Aug 1921’, states he emigrated from Northern Ireland in the 1840’s, though no shipping records for Thomas can be located. Thomas married Ellen Maria O’Brien in Sydney in 1866. The couple for a time in the Ulladulla area, where their first child was born. They moved to Araluen, and then on to Grafton. Thomas died at Ballina in 1921.
Sources
Ancestry.com shipping records ‘Ellenborough’ and ‘Hilton’
Ancestry.com NSW Immigration Deposit Journals 1854
Find My Past shipping records ‘Escort’
Trove
NSW BDM
External LinkFree Selection William Torrens Section 13 Yellow Rock 1862Insolvency Alexander Torrens 1885Albion Park Superior Young Cows 1886Auction Sales William Torrens 1890Special Land Sale 1890Colville Vs Torrens 1890Albion Park Lecture on Usury by William Torrens Jnr 1895Sarah Torrens Vs Alexander Torrens 1896Sarah Torrens Vs Alexander Torrens 1898Torrens Vs Torrens 1898Kiama Police Court Alexander Torrens 1889Torrens Vs Gillmore 1903The Late Mrs Bush (Elizabeth Torrens) 1905Mr John Torrens 1907Kiama Police Court 1907Thomas Torrens Article 1908Death Mr W Torrens Snr 1908Death William Torrens Snr 1908Wedding Torrens McKenzie 1908Death Alexander Torrens (William Snr Brother)1915Death T Torrens 1915Death Alderman T Torrens 1915Albion Park Farm Sale 1917Found in a Well - Sad Tragedy at Mullumbimby 1917Thomas Torrens Snr Death 1921Mrs F Lean 1927Obituary Mrs Harriet Torrens Aged 72 1931Obituary Mrs Jack Torrens (Hambly) 1935Henry Alexander Torrens 61 Years 1935Death William Torrens Jnr 1941Death of William Torrens Jnr 1941Obituary Mr Fred Lean, 78 Years 1942Mrs A Vidler 1954
Elizabeth Torrens b.1826, daughter of Alexander and Margaret Torrens (nee Campbell), arrived in Australia aboard ‘Ellenborough’ in 1853, aged 27 years. Her shipping records state her father was dead and her mother was living at the grove, Co Derry. She had no relatives living in the colony.
In 1854, Elizabeth paid a deposit for her brother William 31, his wife Jane 25, their three-month-old son Alexander, and a Mary Jane Torrens (unknown) aged 24 years, to come to Australia. This list was for persons ‘who have received Embarkation Orders to join the ship ‘Gloriana’. This deposit was refunded or declined.
Two years later in 1855, Elizabeth married Thomas Bush. The lived for a time in the Newcastle area where their three eldest children were born. They moved to Wollongong some time before 1862, when son, Mark was born. Eventually Elizabeth and family moved to the Southern Highlands, and then Tenterfield.
Elizabeth’s brother William and family did arrive in Australia in 1855 aboard ‘Hilton’. Elizabeth was listed as depositor, and as living in Chippendale. William b.1825 married Jane Turner (daughter of William and Letitia) in 1854. A year later they came to Australia with their 9-month-old son, Alexander. Mary Jane Torrens (unknown) who was on the original deposit list did not accompany them.
William and Jane settled at Shellharbour and shortly after moved to Yellow Rock. Their children were -
Alexander b.1855 (married Ellen Maria Rudd, died 1917, Mullumbimby)
Margaret Letitia b.1857 (married Charles Edward Pinner and Frederick Lean, died 1927, Kiama)
Mary Jane b.1859 (married Thomas Timms, died 1950, Lake Macquarie)
William b.1860 (married Harriet Vidler, died 1941,Yellow Rock) shot himself
Elizabeth (married Richard Worden, died 1942, Manly)
Agnes Nancy b.1865 (married David Vidler, died 1954, Kiama)
Thomas b.1866 (married Mary Ellen Pollock, died 1915, Murwillimbah)
John Turner b.1871 (married Jane Mackenzie, died 1943, Maroochydore)
Smyth b.1874 (married Emily Ann Law, died 1963, QLD)
Four years after William and Jane’s arrival in Australia, siblings Alexander and Margaret arrived aboard ‘Escort’ 11 March 1858. Their surnames were listed as Torns on the shipping list. Alexander was recorded as being 18 years old, a farm labourer, from Derry, and could read. Alexander’s sister, Margaret was recorded as being 23, a general servant, from Derry and could not read or write.
Alexander Torrens married Sarah Ashton near Hill End in 1873. They moved to Kiama before 1875 and had a family of six children. One son, Robert, married Ruby Hambly (daughter of Charles and Dinah of Shellharbour).
Margaret Torrens married William Fraser at Albion Park in 1859. After William’s death in 1876, she married John Beattie/Beatty and moved to Goulburn
The fifth Torrens sibling to come to Australia was Thomas b.1828. His obituary ‘ The Richmond River Herald and Northern Districts Advertiser Tue 16 Aug 1921’, states he emigrated from Northern Ireland in the 1840’s, though no shipping records for Thomas can be located. Thomas married Ellen Maria O’Brien in Sydney in 1866. The couple for a time in the Ulladulla area, where their first child was born. They moved to Araluen, and then on to Grafton. Thomas died at Ballina in 1921.
Sources
Ancestry.com shipping records ‘Ellenborough’ and ‘Hilton’
Ancestry.com NSW Immigration Deposit Journals 1854
Find My Past shipping records ‘Escort’
Trove
NSW BDM
External LinkFree Selection William Torrens Section 13 Yellow Rock 1862Insolvency Alexander Torrens 1885Albion Park Superior Young Cows 1886Auction Sales William Torrens 1890Special Land Sale 1890Colville Vs Torrens 1890Albion Park Lecture on Usury by William Torrens Jnr 1895Sarah Torrens Vs Alexander Torrens 1896Sarah Torrens Vs Alexander Torrens 1898Torrens Vs Torrens 1898Kiama Police Court Alexander Torrens 1889Torrens Vs Gillmore 1903The Late Mrs Bush (Elizabeth Torrens) 1905Mr John Torrens 1907Kiama Police Court 1907Thomas Torrens Article 1908Death Mr W Torrens Snr 1908Death William Torrens Snr 1908Wedding Torrens McKenzie 1908Death Alexander Torrens (William Snr Brother)1915Death T Torrens 1915Death Alderman T Torrens 1915Albion Park Farm Sale 1917Found in a Well - Sad Tragedy at Mullumbimby 1917Thomas Torrens Snr Death 1921Mrs F Lean 1927Obituary Mrs Harriet Torrens Aged 72 1931Obituary Mrs Jack Torrens (Hambly) 1935Henry Alexander Torrens 61 Years 1935Death William Torrens Jnr 1941Death of William Torrens Jnr 1941Obituary Mr Fred Lean, 78 Years 1942Mrs A Vidler 1954
CONNECTIONS
Torrens. Shellharbour City Council, accessed 11/07/2026, https://discover.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/18103