Sarah Harris was the daughter of Luke Harris and Charlotte Newman (see Charlotte Harris profile in this cemetery). Born around 1838 in East Chinnock, Somerset, Sarah and the family obtained assisted passage under the ‘Poor Scheme’ and came to NZ on the Clifford in 1841.
She married Patrick Moran on 23 August 1852, in Wellington. She was 15 and Patrick was 40.
Patrick was born in 1812, in Ennis, County Clare, Ireland as the son of Michael Moran and Elinor Morison. In 1839, he enlisted in the 65th (2nd Yorkshire North Riding) regiment. There was a lack of work in Ireland at that time and the British actively recruited there during this period. In 1847 Patrick arrived in Wellington. Known as “The Royal Tigers,” more than 1100 of them took their discharge in NZ. They served all over the North Island and were respected by, and known by Maori as the “Hickety Pips”. Patrick paid for his discharge in 1849 after 10 years service. Sarah’s father, Luke, was also in the 65th Regiment, so maybe this is how they met.
Sarah and Patrick were the parents of at least 5 sons and 5 daughters, most of whom were baptised at St Mary’s (Catholic) Church in Boulcott St. Two of these children died in childhood.
They were living in Majoribanks St in 1872 when Patrick was “found drowned” in Wellington Harbour at the age of 60. In the coroner’s report he was described as “eccentric” and “suffering from melancholy”. He had been moved from his role of store man to that of gardener, work that he felt did not suit him, and he was thought to be homesick for Ireland. Patrick was buried in Mount Street Cemetery.
Of Patrick and Sarah’s remaining eight children, five died between the ages of 37 and 53. Sarah outlived seven of her children.
Sarah continued to live in Wellington in the Majoribanks area, where she died in 1918. She was 81 and suffering from “senile decay”.
Plot: *ROM CATH/V/62
By Kelly Townsend
