Benjamin (Gardiner) Garner Dawson

  General Notes:

Paul Shurte notes:
He was delivered aboard the S/V "Equestrian" while the vessel was enroute to Australia. Benjamin was given the same birthplace as Renhold, Bedfordshire, England, which is a tradition done at sea when vessel are underway listing last place of ships main birth.
Benjamin Garner "Gardiner" Dawson who was born at sea had been given the name "Gardiner" as a middle name and this could have been spelt in error. Benjamin Garner Dawson throughout his own life spells his name as Garner but the S/V Equestrian" records indicate on shipping records the name to be spelt as Gardiner and he to be delivered on January 27, 1845 at Renhold, Bedfordshire, England.
The name Gardiner may have been given as middle name was misspelling was the family last name Garner or it may meant like this as a twist for Benjamin to be reminded of the fortune the family had as well as himself to survive the voyage because life was hard in those days. To be born at sea - regardless the name appears on the shipping records as this spelling and as life carried on Benjamin changed his name to appear, as his family would have spelled the name in the family old ways, "Garner" instead of "Gardiner". Benjamin Garner Dawson returned his family name to its original form once he could spell himself but the story always stayed with him and he always said it allowed him to give him a free beer a the start of a night. Benjamin is baptized February 1845, at Bedfordshire, England, which indicates the vessel did return to homeport after the baby was born or they lay off shore waiting for good wind and following seas before they departed. When Benjamin died he was transported in May 1918 to the area of Ollarah, Armidale, New South Wales, where he was buried and later when his spouse died she too was to rest next to him. Records indicate even though he was born at sea that he is a legitimate Immigration coming to Australia in 1848 on the Sailing vessel "Equestrian" leaving from Plymouth, England and arriving in Sydney, Australia.
His main occupation in his lifetime was a Carpenter/Chandler.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Baptism, 6 Apr 1845, Bedford, Bedfordshire England.

Benjamin married Sophia Priscilla Beasley in 1864 in Guyra, NSW Australia. (Sophia Priscilla Beasley was born on 29 Aug 1845 in NSW Australia ⁵¹⁵, christened on 21 Sep 1845 in Penrith, Sydney, NSW Australia, died on 25 Feb 1920 in Guyra, NSW Australia ⁵¹⁵ and was buried in "Ollera" Station, Tenterden, between Guyra & Tingha, Guyra Shire, NSW Australia.)