the family of james belcher of waterford, ireland - University of ...

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respectively. John Joyce died on 22nd December 1855, leaving Sarah as a young 26
year old widow with 2 young children. Ann died at one year old in 1856. However
John Joyce had been a shrewd businessman, and at his death he left to his wife 3
allotmentsofland, oneinCollingwood, oneatLyndhurstandoneatBraybrook, being
carefultoensurethattheseweretobethepersonalpropertyofhiswife, independently
of any future husband, and independent of any debts that husband might contract.
He also left her in his will, his horse and dray and all other goods and chattels for
her own use absolutely.
On 16th June 1858, Sarah Joyce, now living in Collingwood, married a Charles
Cupit, a 33 year old Baker from Wandsworth in Surrey, England, again at St. Peter’s
Church of England, East Melbourne, and they moved to 56 Queen Street, West
Melbourne. They had three children, Sarah, born in 1859, George born in 1861 and
Charles William, born in 1863. Meanwhile, Sarah Jane Joyce died in 1861.
On April 22nd 1869, Charles Cupit died in turn, and on 24th May 1871, the
now 33 years old Sarah married a 51 year old widower of 14 years, John Henry
Broughton, previously married to a Mary Johnstone, with whom he had had two
deceased children. They married at the Independent Church in Collins Street. John
Henry was a prosperous leather merchant and shoe manufacturer at 335 Lonsdale
Street, Melbourne, opposite St Francis Church. She and her husband lived at 2
Union Street, Richmond, a house owned by her, where they had two children Ada
Florence and Alfred James, born in 1872 and 1874 respectively.
On 7th April 1894, Sarah Broughton died, aged 60, and was buried on 9th April
at Booroondara Cemetery in Kew. She had appointed the two sons of her previous
marriage, George and Charles William Cupit, as executors to her will. It appears
that the leather business in Lonsdale Street belonged to her and not her husband,
although in his obituary, when he died in 1903, he received the credit for it. She
left the house in Richmond to her two daughters, and a life interest in a property
in Bridge Road, Richmond to her husband, and upon his death to their son Alfred
James. The leather business was to be inherited by all three sons equally. She had
been as shrewd as a businesswoman as her first husband John Joyce, and presumably,
had financed her husband in his business.
Her husband, John Henry Broughton died on 28th May 1903 at the age of 83, after
53 years in Australia. He was reported to have commenced his leather business 48
yearsearlier, in1855, inRichmond, afterafewyearsatthediggings, takingadvantage
of the shortage of skilled leather-workers during the gold-rush.