Emily Clare

Surname:

Clare

Given names:

Emily

Given address:

Bluff Harbour

Sheet No: 341

Town/Suburb:

Bluff

City/Region:

Southland

Notes:

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Emily Jennings was born about 1836 in London, England – the daughter of Edward Jennings, a baker, and Elizabeth Pearce.

She emigrated to Victoria, Australia with her family in 1849 on the Whitby.

Emily married Captain Joshua Joseph Clare in Victoria in 1852 - they had seven children, one who died in infancy, and lived in Williamstown.

Joshua had left the seafaring life for the 'diggings' before taking over the 'Steampacket Hotel' in Williamstown.

In 1864 Emily and the children sailed for Port Chalmers on the Alhambra, Joshua had presumably gone before them.

They settled in Invercargill, had a further six children and they ran the 'Clare’s Ship Inn' then, in 1866, the 'Clarendon Hotel'.

In 1868 Joshua became the Harbour Pilot at New River Heads where Emily signed the suffrage petition.

Joshua died in 1897 and Emily died on 16 November 16^th1906 at her home 'Te Mokomoko', Greenhills – they are buried in the family grave in the Bluff Cemetery.

Her obituary said 'many old identities will recall the cordial welcomes that wayfarers received when they called at the Harbour station in the days when travelling was much more leisurely and arduous than it is now. Her kindly, gracious presence will be greatly missed by a wide circle of friends.'