The Webb Wagg Family in Australia

Albert Hayden Webb Wagg was the ninth child of William (Bill) and Sarah Wagg.  He was know as Hayden and is my maternal great-grandfather. It's taken me a long while to get to Bill and Sarah's ninth child.  It's over two years since I wrote about Chris Webb , their seventh child.  Alice was Bill and Sarah's eight child.  She was born on 30 March 1869 and died 3 months later on 30 June 1869.  A year later, on 1 July 1870, along came Hayden.  He was born at the family's home in Blues Point.  Sarah's sister Jane Trickett (nee Turner) was present at the birth. Only three of Bill and Sarah's children were still living when Hayden was born - Sarah Jane (11 days short of the 14th birthday), Charlie (8 years and 7 days) and Chris (3 years and 9 months).  William George died in 1855 aged 18 months.  Mary Ann died in 1861 one day short of her third birthday.  Adelaide died in 1861 at 8 months.  William John in 1868 at 3 years and 9 months...

In April 1862, after nine years of marriage, Sarah Jane was Bill and Sarah Wagg's only surviving child.  Their other three children, William George, Mary Ann and Adelaide, had died as infants.  On 23 June 1862, their second son Charles was born at Table Bay on the North Shore of Sydney - probably at the same location as Mary Ann and Adelaide.  We now know the area as Wollstonecraft Bay.   Charles was baptised on 21 September 1862 at St Thomas Church of England, North Sydney.   We've read about Charles in previous posts- The Webb's, the Foy's and the Sydney Flying Squadron Charles Webb-Wagg - 23 June 1862 to 08 May 1939 Charles worked for Sydney Ferries all his working life ending his career around the age of 70 as a master of the vehicular ferry service between Dawes Port and Blue's Point.  The service was discontinued when the Harbour Bridge opened in 1932. On 30 January 1893, Charles married Amy Agnes Clancy at St David's Church of Engl...

So much of the Webb Wagg story is set around the waters of Sydney Harbour and Middle Harbour.  The Sydney Flying Squadron at Kirribilli is a central part of that story.  Here's a few extracts from their website to set the scene- "The 1890’s sailing environment was the pinnacle of conservatism. Then along came this upstart called Mark Foy. He had made his fortune in retailing and had one of the biggest department stores in Sydney. He wanted to upend tradition and do things like have colours on sails so spectators could easily identify boats. Mary Foy The first race that Sydney Flying Squadron took part in was on 24 October 1891. Mark Foy’s 20 footer “Kannanook” and champion sailor, Chris Webb’s “Mantura” took part in the race. Mark Foy was a successful businessman known for the department store “Mark Foys” Mark Foy's Kannanook in the foreground Chris Webb's Manuta "The Squadron men had little money, few free days, enthusiasm and skill. They were ...