FREEMAN, Elizabeth

Elizabeth Grimason was born on 12th August 1835 at Tandragee County Armagh, one of seven children of Thomas Grimason a carpenter and weaver and Elizabeth Holmes, a spinner from Tandragee County Armagh, then Portadown.  Elizabeth sailed on the ‘Mooltan’ for Geelong from Southampton 23rd April 1853, as a 17 year old, arriving in Point Henry 3rd August 1853.  She worked as a domestic servant to Charles Wyatt of Frogmore, Fyansford for six months before marrying Londoner John Freeman 20 years her senior, at Christ Church Geelong on 26th April 1854.  They left soon after for Ballarat goldfields.  Their first child jack was born in a tent on 12th December 1855.  They moved to Buninyong then onto Enfield.  Between 1855 – 1874 they had a total of 8 children.  The Freeman family returned to Ballarat in 1886 where John died from typhoid fever on the 21st April 1890 aged 74 years.  Whilst in Ballarat several of Elizabeth’s children joined the new Salvation Army, and after her initial displeasure she also joined.  Elizabeth lived at Creswick Road next to the Royal Oak Hotel in 1906.  She died on the 5th February 1910 aged 74.

Elizabeth is buried at the Ballarat New Cemetery Church of England C Row 3 Grave 17