PEARCE, William

  General Notes:

Note
The birth of William & Susannah's first child Clara aboard the "David Malcolm" suggests the Pearce's resided in the Riverland before moving to the Burra district. CW 3 June 2007

11 December 1888, Page 2
Obituary. Mr Sampson James, a well-known and respected resident employed by Drew & Co., died on Saturday after ten days of illness. He was a local Wesleyan preacher and member of the Rechabites. They attended the funeral in large numbers on Sunday. He leaves a widow and two children. He was the son-in-law of W. Pearce Sen. who only a few months ago lost a son and two daughters by the same disease: pneumonia. Pneumonia is very prevalent at present. [Died 8 December, aged 39.]

18 December 1888, Page 2
obituary. Mr William Richards of Moonta and late of Burra, son of John Richards of Burra, died on Monday leaving a wife and three children. He was a son-in-law of W. Pearce Sen. [Died 17 December, aged 47.]

Editorial. A Retrospective on 1888.
Locally the year has been most unsuccessful with the prevailing depression. This had prevailed elsewhere in the colony for some time, but became really known here as the railway became finished and drew away carrying business, which had been so important for us.
[A part is missing here from the microfilm version, but appears likely to have said that not only was business affected by the completion of the railway to Broken Hill, but that the dry season had severely affected both the farming and pastoral sectors and hence businesses in the town.]
Business and social affairs have been dull. The year began with a good harvest, but winter was dry and the year closed on one of the worst of seasons. At the start of the year excitement in connection with the Barrier Mines was setting in and it rapidly grew to a climax and the anti0climax has been extreme. At one time it seemed that the colony would find its own Broken Hill as silver discoveries were reported all over SA, but in grasping at shadows many have lost the substance. Locally this was as evident as elsewhere and our own mines have not yet justified all the expectations concerning them.
Sales of new leases in pastoral country to the northeast have done little to stimulate activity due to the drought and little development there has so far resulted. One ray of brightness is the news at the close of the year that the Burra Mine has changed hands. As long as SAMA owned the mine it was clear that it would remain moribund. Now with British capital we may hope it will again become a busy hive of activity. Before the next year has closed we may expect the old activity will be revived. The local committee probably promoted the sale, as we understand they were prepared to take up the mine had the London buyer not been found.
The health of the people has been good and we have not lost any prominent citizens, but sympathy has been widely expressed for W. Pearce Senior who in the last four months has lost two daughters, one son and two sons-in-law.

William married Susannah COLE. (Susannah COLE was born on 31 Jan 1820 in Wing, Buckinghamshire, England.)

  Marriage Notes:

The Burra Record
XV, 269, 8 Nov. 1893, page 3
Compiled by Eric Fuss
"Golden Wedding. On Monday night last in the Wesleyan Hall at Kooringa a social was held to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the wedding of Mr & Mrs W. Pearce. The tables were supervised by their great-nieces and were heavy with all kinds of eatables and beautifully decorated. There were musical items and an address from the Kooringa Band of Hope, of which Mr Pearce has been the Vice-President for the last ten years. There was another address from the Kooringa Wesleyan Church. The Mayor addressed the assemblage of 300-400 people and presented a purse of 22 sovereigns appropriate for a golden wedding.
Mrs Pearce nee Coles was born in the village of Wing in Buckinghamshire on 31 January 1820. Mr Pearce was born 9 November 1820 in the town of Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire. They were married in the Parish Church at Wing by Rev. John Felix on 6 November 1843. On 23 November 1847 they embarked on the David Malcolm and arrived at Port Adelaide 24 March 1848. Mr Pearce worked briefly in Adelaide and then formed an engagement with Mr William Pearce of Adelaide to manage a business for him in Burra and has remained here ever since. He was postmaster at Kooringa for three years till the post and telegraph departments amalgamated. He was Councillor for West Ward for two years. He has been a teetotaller for over 53 years and is the longest serving trustee of the Kooringa Wesleyan Church. The couple had eleven children: five sons and six daughters. Three sons died in infancy and one son and two daughters died in 1888. There are 34 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. The late Mr James Pearce, timber merchant, was a brother and 37 call then uncle and aunt. The two families now number 81.
Thanks were extended to the Mayor and Town Clerk for postponing the fortnightly Council meeting to attend."