Biography contributed by Wendy Napier-Walker
Emma Goodson was born on 19 July 1866, West Tamar, Tasmania, Australia to James Goodson and Betsy Kerrison, the seventh of eleven children.
The Goodson family left Launceston, Tasmania arriving in Melbourne on the ss “Derwent” on 12 August 1873. They then departed Melbourne on 28 August for Port Chalmers, New Zealand, arriving on the ss Albion II on 3 September 1873 – name on passenger list is “Goodman”. From there they travelled north to Oamaru. Shortly after arriving in New Zealand, James Goodson died on 19 September.
Emma Goodson (21 years) married William Rusbatch (23 years) on 6 August 1884 in the house of Mr Samuel Rusbatch, Humber street, Oamaru. Less than ten years later William died on 1 June 1894 of Typhoid Fever and Epistaxis (nose bleed). Emma was left with four boys (William 1885-1956, Samuel 1887-1947, Frank 1889-1962, Albert 1891-1943) and a fifth (Arthur 1894-1959) due to be born.
Emma took in washing and was noted for her skill in laundering the stiff white shirt fronts and collars which were the fashion of the day. Not an easy task when her only tools were the washboard and tub, plenty of elbow grease, and old Mrs Pott’s irons heated on a coal range to do the ironing. She counted local Doctors and Lawyers amongst her clients.
Emma was an austere woman, but underneath she had a very kind nature.
Emma Rusbatch re-married to Sampson Carlyon in 1912.
Emma Carlyon died on 24 October 1946 in Oamaru and was buried on 26 October 1946 in the Oamaru Old cemetery – Presbyterian section, Block 11, Plot 27, 28 with her second husband, Sampson Carlyon who died in August 1936.
Emma’s sister Mary Ann Carlyon (297), first wife of Sampson Carlyon, also signed the Petition.
Sources
Goodson Family Record 1800 – 1990, compiled by Betty Lindsay and Mary Allington
Victoria Coastal Passenger Lists 1852-1924, Year 1873-74
Public Record Office, Victoria, Australia, Outward Passenger Lists, Record Series No (VPRS): 948
Marriage Certificate: William Rusbatch/Emma Goodson
Death Certificate: Emma Carlyon
NZ DIA Marriage Registration: Emma Rusbatch/Sampson Carlyon 1912/427
Interview with Amy Napier nee Rusbatch 25 April 2018
Oamaru cemetery records online database