Scard Biography
Researched, Compiled and Writer by Judith S Adams (Great Granddaughter)
 
James Scard (the younger) Mary Candy Margaret Sodden
[1830 - 1873] [1839-1929] [c.1847-?]
(bigamous marriage 1869?)
of NSW Australia, formerly of Henstridge, Somerset, born Reading Berkshire, England.
1830-51: Birth and Family: James Scard was baptised at Reading, Berkshire on the 17th December 1830 St. Giles Reading, Berkshire, the eldest child of
James Scard and his wife Jane Porter. Subsequently several siblings were born at the same venue where his parents were living close to Jane's
married sister who like Jane was native of Tunworth twenty miles south of Reading. By 1839 the family traveled by coach to Henstridge,
Somerset, where several more siblings were born. James was recorded in the 1841 Census living at a farm not far from his parents, at this time
he was aged twenty-one (although census states age seventeen). By 1851 he was living with his aunt at Hampshire and his first cousins.
1856: Young James Scard leaves England: James departed England per the Immigration Ship 'Beejapore' [built at Liverpool 1851] departing Southampton,
Hampshire on the 2nd December 1856, bound for Sydney, NSW, Australia. Aboard were 193 adult males, 167 adult females, 39 male children,
53 female children, 9 male infants and 8 female infants. Edward M Drenning the Master, the duration of the voyage was three months, twelve days.
 immigration record1856
The shipping record shows James to be literate, aged 22;[actually 26]; occupation a 'Baker/Miller/Groom; Born in Reading Berkshire;
That his parents were James & Jane Scard living at Henstridge, Somerset and were alive at departure; his religion and a surprise revelation
that he had a relative in Australia an Uncle John Low, a miller & baker, then residing at Brucedale (Bathurst). James paid ₤1 for the voyage.
1857: Arrival at the Colony - the search for Uncle John Lowe: Berthing in Sydney Harbour on the 14th March 1857. Within a week of arrival James
placed an advertisement in the Empire Newspaper (Sydney) on Monday 23rd March 1857. Evidence implies it was unlikely that James himself ever
worked at Brucedale which was a huge cattle property near Bathurst in NSW. The Property employed a large number of workers in various trades.
It had its own church/chapel, school, bakery, blacksmith etc for the benefit of the maintenance of their Cattle Station, their employees and their
families. Investigations have not yet revealed the identity or any information relating to James's Uncle John Lowe.
 click on image to enlarge
1857: James marries: Also traveling onboard the Beejapore was eighteen-year-old Mary Candy and her elder brother George of Wilton, Wiltshire.
During the voyage a ship-board courtship appears to have began between James and Mary. Soon after arrival James appears to have taken
employment as a grocer in Sydney and six months later James Scard married Mary Candy on the 10th August 1857 at Pitt Street, South Sydney,
Presbyterian Church.
Mary Candy was the daughter of Isaac Candy and Elizabeth (nee Gerrish) of Wilton, Wiltshire. According to their immigration papers Mary and
her brother George mention a cousin 'George Gerrish' soon to arrive in the colony. They appear to have both been subsidized (by a prior arranged
employer) paying only 10/- each for the voyage. Mary was still in her minority recorded aged nineteen at this time, her brother George gave his
consent and signing the document as a witness. See further information for Mary's family in the Biography of her father Isaac Candy.
1858: The move to Grafton: The following year James and Mary had moved to the Country Township of Grafton 600kms North of Sydney where the
eldest of their four children 'Harriet' was baptised in the May of that year. Two months later James purchased two Properties in July. Notice
was published in The Morten Bay Courier (Brisbane) 21st July 1858;
"Land Sale on Clarence River (Grafton): Purchaser James Scard for one small lot of 3 Roods, 39 perches for £ 4. 2s. 6d"
and a larger property of 2 acres & 2 Roods for £10. 2s. 6d at North Grafton. More children were born;
Issue: Harriet Elizabeth Scard [1858-1858] Registered (unnamed) born 23rd May 1858, baptised at Grafton 8th June 1858
- Harriet was the namesake of her father's sister who died in adolescence in England
- Harriet Scard buried 19th July 1858 aged 2 months.
William James Scard [1859-1940] Registered (unnamed) born 5th October 1859 at North Grafton, baptised Christmas Day 25th Dec 1859
- 'William' is not a direct Scard Family name - appears to be the namesake of Mary's Uncle.
- "James" is the namesake of his paternal grandfather
- William married 1) Emma Hurst & 2) Ivy Sophia Ehlers of whom both he had issue - See Biography
Alfred Henry Scard [1862-1951] Registered: Alfred Henry Scard born 1862 at Grafton
- The namesake of his father's brother in England
- Alfred married Amy Eveline Rudder by whom he had issue - see Epilogue
Geraldine Theresa Scard [1864-1884] Registered born 15th June 1864 at Grafton
- The names 'Geraldine' and 'Theresa' - namesakes of unknown
- Not found attached to either the Scard, Candy or Gerrish Families so far - Unexplained
1859: The Law Suit: During this time several events had occurred. James appeared at Grafton Court in a Suit by Edward Sabien who according to his obituary
some years later the plaintiff was involved in the Heiffer Industry round this time and is listed at this court with several similar petitions.
James appears to have settled the matter for the sum of £9.11s.2d the details of the debt unknown. Sydney Morning Herald 29th Oct 1859;
1861: The accident: James appears to have taken a position with a Mr. Muir in the township of Grafton possibly to supplement his income when he sustained
a blow on the head from his horse. The incident was published in the Clarence & Richmond Examiner and New England Advertiser on 16th Oct 1861.
"Accidents: On Wednesday last, as a man named Scard in the employ of Mr. Muir of Dobie Street (Grafton)
was trying to force a horse to drink at the river. The animal began to kick and plunge and in
striking out, struck Scard on the left eye, inflicting a frightful wound. The head of the suffer
having been dressed by Dr. Little, the patient is now a fair way in recovery."
James's employer Mr. Muir was later accused of withholding wages from a former employee. It is not known if James received similar treatment.
1864: Application for position of Bailiff: James Scard, with three other reputable citizens applied for the position of Bailiff of the Small Debts Court at Grafton.
The applicants were advertised in the Clarence & Richmond Examiner and New England Advertiser on Tuesday 26th April 1864;
1869: James and Mary separate After this point the marriage between James and Mary was deteriorating. Family Legend from
the mouth of his son William James Scard (born 1859) states that James deserted Mary and their young children in 1869 and left Australia around this time
to work transporting horses for the East India Company. However evidence would suggest that Mary fabricated this story for the sake of her children when
the truth appears that he bigamously married in Sydney in late 1869 and had two further children before his premature death four years later in 1873. In the
interim Mary herself had formed a relationship with another man.
The Letter: Following the trail of documented evidence, certainly James and Mary had separated before 1869. On the 15th January 1869 a Notice appeared
in the Clarence & Richmond Examiner and New England Advertiser amongst several unclaimed letters held at Grafton Post Office one of which was addressed
to James W. Scard - Access Image. If not claimed within one month of publication date, it would have been be forwarded to the Dead Letter Office in Sydney
(none of these letters have survived).
James's suspected bigamous marriage: A Notice appears in the 'Family Notices Section' of the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) Tues 16th Nov 1869:
"Marriages: On Monday 8th instant, at 41, Burton-street, by Bishop Bailey, William James Scard,
youngest son of James William Scard, miller, &c., Henstridge Ash, Dorset, England, to Margaret Soden,
second daughter of the late George Soden, of Talla, county Clare, Ireland." Also appeared in the SMH 3rd Dec 1869.
Margaret Soden was aged sixteen when she arrived in Sydney per immigrations ship 'Hornet' in 1865 with her sister Jane Soden aged 18yrs.
This couple recorded the birth of a son 'George Skard' at Muswellbrook, NSW in 1870 (tentatively the namesake of Margaret's father and
James Scard's brother who was still living at Henstridge) and a daughter Jane Scard at Wallaby Flat, near Mudgee born 11th August 1872
(Tentatively the namesake of Margaret's sister and James's mother Jane Scard (nee Porter) then also still living at Henstridge).
For full Details of their daughter's birth see table below.
Investigation of the England 1861; 1851 & 1841 Census revealed online one "Scard" individual fitting this description, namely the son of James and Jane
Scard of Henstridge, Somerset. Mary's fidelity may have precipitated the separation since the namesakes of their last child in 1864 implies no connection
to either Candy or Scard Families. Certainly he had no concern in advertising his marriage in 1869, possibly knowing Mary would not put forth a challenge.
1873: The James Leard error: An Insolvency record was found in the State Records NSW Sequestration on 14/1/1873 No. 11372 for James Scard [alternative
transcription Seard], farmer of Merriwa, NSW. Other mis-transcribed under the name "James Scard" of Scone and also Merriwa appear to be the same
'James Leard' who had been in the Colony for several decades before Scard's arrival. Investigations on my behalf at the NSW State Record Office and
several newspaper articles have implied much evidence that this man was James LEARD and irrelevant to the Scard Family.
1873: Death of James Scard (believed alias William James Scard): Details of his death from excerpts taken from his Death Certificate 1873: William James Scard
died 14th May 1873 at Warrable Creek, Home Rule, a Dealer aged thirty-two. Cause of death was Pneumonia suffered for two weeks prior, last attended by
Dr. Lewis on the 5th May 1873. The deceased father was noted William James Scard a Miller. He was also noted born in Devonshire, England and had been
resident in the Colony since 1860. The Witnesses were his widow Margaret and William Macarty (later found to be William Machardy). The deceased was
buried at Mudgee 15th may 1873 (Episcopalian) stated survived by his widow and two children. Full transcription by Joy Murrin - see Table below
His widow Margaret remarried in 1874 at Wellington NSW to William Machardy, the same man ("William Macarty") who was co-witness on the
Registration of the Certificate of death of James Scard the year prior.
No further information was found for Margaret nor her two children George and Jane. (if anyone has info they would like to volunteer would be lovely)
Epilogue
Mary Scard [nee Candy]: estranged wife of James Scard;
After James left, Mary struggled to survive with her three surviving children William aged 10, Alfred aged 7 and Geraldine 'Theresa' aged five.
Her brother George who had been previously living at Grafton and now married had, by 1869 moved south to Woolongong. Around 1872 Mary formed a
relationship with Henry Hillary and the family moved to northward to Bellingen where Mary gave birth to the first of their four children; Stephen Hillary
in 1873, the couple unable to sanction the union [probably because Mary was still technically married] Around 1876 Mary and Henry with Mary's three
children by James Scard moved further northward to Kempsey where Mary gave birth to Berthenier Hillary 1876, Isaac Henry Hillary 1877 and
Ellen Elizabeth Hillary in 1881. Ultimately Henry Hillary married Mary Scard [nee Candy] in 1882 at Sydney. Mary’s sons by James Scard also moved
to Kempsey, both marrying there and both recording issue in the township. Mary and Henry and Mary's son William Scard and his family moved to
Emu Vale in Queensland where Mary’s beloved Henry Hillary died on the 4th November 1893. Mary conducted a small mixed business at nearby Yangan.
At the age of sixty Mary then married Henry Williams at Warwick, Qld. They continued the mixed business at Yangan. Mary Williams [formerly Hillary,
formerly Scard, nee Candy] died in October 1929 at the age of ninety-one and is buried beside her beloved then deceased young daughter Geraldine Theresa
Scard at Rookwood Cemetery in Sydney.
See the full details of Mary's life subsequent to James' desertion is entwined in that of her eldest son: Biography of her son William James Scard.
See the full details of Mary's early life and parents in the biography of her father: Biography of Isaac Candy of Wilton, Wiltshire.
William James Scard: Eldest son of James Scard & Mary [nee Candy];
When very young he was sent to work on a nearby farm whilst his mother struggled to support the family,
William was ill-treated during his apprenticeship at the farm.
Still a young boy he gained training as a carpenter and became a remarkable tradesman.
William James Scard married 1] Emma Hurst the daughter of Isaiah & Sophia at Kempsey in 1884.
They followed William's mother to Emu Vale in Queensland where they settled for fourteen years.
William lost his farm in the 'Great Federation Drought' in at the turn of the Century.
He then began a restless migratory pattern for the rest of his life.
William and his family traveled hundreds of kms up and down the NSW coast where he worked as a carpenter and
a photographer also buying, working and selling farms intermittently over the years.
Emma died in 1810 of Typhoid Fever, the very illness which took the life of his sister many years before.
In all William and Emma had 13 children of which only six survived infancy;
Child 1: Lillian Grace Scard born 24th May 1884 at Kempsey.
Married Bernard Goldman in 1873 at Coffs Harbour. They had issue. Further details withheld.
Child 6: Frederick Wilton Scard born 17th April 1891 Frederickton Qld.
Married Reta Youngblutt in 1915 at Murwillumbah, NSW and had issue. Further details withheld.
Child 9: Retea Norine Scard born 10th July 1896 at Emu Vale.
Married Matthew Ward at Sydney 1926. They had issue. Further details withheld.
Child 11:William James Scard born 27th April 1899 at Emu Vale.
Married Gladys Hanby 1929 and had issue. Further details withheld.
Child 12:Harold Agustus Scard born 2nd April 1902 at Emu Vale.
Married Thelma Olive McKay at Berala 1928. Had issue. Further details withheld.
Child 13:Vincent Henry Scard born 16th April 1905 at Casino. Married Gladys Brewer at Gunning. Had Issue.
Further details withheld.
At the age of fifty-six William married 2] Ivy Sophia Ehlers [twenty-two years old] in 1913 at Brisbane, Queensland.
William had a further four children by Ivy of which all survived infancy.
Child 14: Ronald Henry Scard born 1914 at Tygallah.
Married Christine Kelly 1932. Had one child Donald who did not survive. Further details withheld.
Child 15: John Scard born 1921. Never married. Further details withheld.
Child 16: Sylvia 'Girlie' Scard born 1923. Died of Bright's Disease at the age of nine years.
Child 17: Betty Scard born 1925. Married and had issue.
Further information: See Full Biography of William James Scard  ![Biography of William James Scard [1859-1940] of NSW Australia](A folder 33333.gif)
Alfred Henry Scard: Son of James Scard & Mary [nee Candy];
Alfred was witness to the 1st marriage of his brother William James Scard to Emma Hurst at Kempsey in 1884.
Alfred like his brother was a carpenter working together on many projects over their early married lives.
Alfred Scard married Amy Eveline Rudder the daughter of Julian John Rudder and his wife Mary Ann nee Chilcot
in 1884 at Kempsey. They had 3 children:
Child 1: Ruby Leighton Scard born in 1885 at Kempsey. Ruby died aged 1 year at Kempsey in 1886.
Child 2: Sylvia Leighton Scard born in 1887 at Kempsey.
Sylvia Scard married 1] Reginald Alwyn Bowen in 1911.
Reginald was killed in Service [WWI], buried at Brewery Orchard Cemetery Nord, France in 1915.
They had one daughter Adele Bowden born 27th Sept. 1913 who married and had issue.
More information: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~yewenyi/6/25110.htm
At the age of sixty-four Sylvia Leighton Bowen [nee Scard] married 2] Albert Solomon Bennett
at Manly, Sydney in 1951
Sylvia died five years later 7th October 1956 at Manly under the name Sylvia Leighton Bennett
her parents noted as Alfred H. Scard and Amy E.
Child 3: Charles Gerald Scard born 7th Aug 1890 Kempsey.
Charles Gerald Scard married Lilian Adelaide Lucy Radley [1891-1969] in 1914 at Sydney
and had issue.
Charles died in 1963 at Manly, Sydney at the age of seventy-three.
During this time Alfred, with three other local candidates stood for Election for the Municipal Council at Kempsey.
Although defeated the results published in the SMH 5th Feb 1898.
Amy and Alfred appear to have separated around 1902.
Alfred's brother William James visited him in Sydney in 1914 and the couple had been separated for about 12 years.
Alfred was living with a lady friend at Chatswood.
Neither Alfred nor Amy remarried.
Amy Scard died in 1936 at Sydney aged sixty-nine.
Alfred Scard died on the 21st September 1951 at Manly aged eighty-nine.
See more information in the Biography of his brother William James Scard.
Geraldine 'Theresa' Scard: Daughter of James Scard & Mary [nee Candy];
At the age of seventeen Geraldine 'Theresa' traveled to Sydney with her mother and stepfather Henry Hillary in 1882
to begin training as a nurse at Sydney Hospital, arranging for 'Theresa' to 'live-in'.
While in Sydney her mother and Henry were married and subsequently returned to their other children at Kempsey.
Two years later Geraldine contracted Typhoid Fever and did not recover. During her two-year Term, known as
'Theresa' she was endeared by all the Hospital Staff.
Geraldine Theresa Scard died on the 11th March 1884, Administration arranged the Headstone for her grave paid by
the Hospital Board.
Geraldine was buried at Rookwood Cemetery, aged nineteen. The name on her Tombstone is 'Theresa' Scard'.
The Inscription reads;
'Theresa Scard'
'From illness contracted during the
performance of her duties in the
Sydney Hospital.
Erected by the Board of Directors.'
George Candy: Brother of Mary Scard nee Candy;
George witnessed and gave consent to his sister Mary’s marriage to James Scard in 1857.
He moved to Grafton with his brother-in-law James Scard and sister Mary.
George Candy married Sarah J. Gilmore [middle name assumed 'Jane'] in 1861,
the daughter of Charles & Ann Gilmore.
George and Sarah had the following issue;
Child 1: George W. Candy born 1861 to George & Sarah, Grafton.
George Candy [the younger] married Fanny E. Short at Sydney, 1992.
They lived at Sutherland, Sydney had issue.
George [the younger] in 1966 at Sutherland, aged 91 yrs.
His father appears to have lived with them in later life.
Note: Sarah seems to have adopted her middle name recording their subsequent children
under ‘George & Jane’.
Child 2: James Joseph Candy [born unknown].
Married Catherine Dolan 1882 at Waterloo.
Died 1941 Granville parents noted as ‘George & Jane’.
Child 3: Anne E Candy born 1864 Parramatta to George & Jane, Parramatta
No further information.
Child 4: Robert Candy born 1867 Woolongong to George & Jane.
Married Edith F. Davis in Sydney 1895.
Child 5: Mary E Candy born 1869 Woolongong to George & Jane.
No further information.
Child 6: Isaac George Candy born 1875 Woolongong to George & Jane.
No further information.
George Candy [the elder] died at Sutherland, Sydney, in 1917 aged 80 years.
His wife Jane nee Gilmore survived him by three years and died at Auburn in 1920.
John Gerrish: Cousin of Mary & George Candy;
John Gerrish left England per Parsee arriving at Morten Bay Brisbane 9th February 1857.
Mary and her brother's voyage took longer than the 'Parsee' and they were unaware of his prior arrival.
John was noted aged 26yrs was accompanied by George Gerrish aged 20 and his sister Ellen aged 18yrs.
No further information for John in Australia.
For more information see: Gerrish Family of Wilton Wiltshire.
Also The Biography of Isaac Candy |
