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Elaine Today at 10:02 Request review
Family rumour was Eliza married beneath her family statis so was a disgrace to her family. We believe this is because she was a decendant of Sir John Hawkins on her mothers side and they of course would be a family who didn't like to have anything to do with a common sailor (my thoughts).

Eliza's husband Robert John Heays became a master mariner. He was born abt 1808.

Eliza and Robert John had one son William Henry and three girls, Elizabeth Ellen, Ada and Sarah M.

My grandmother, Eliza's granddaughter, being the first born of Eliza and Roberts only son, was christened Grace Eliza Hawkins Heays.
I'm not sure about the marriage and where either were born. We thought England but some say Robert was Irish. What I do know is they were living in Hampton road, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia in 18 October1853 when their son William Henry was born.

Robert John Heays died abt 1861. William was about 8 according to the journal he wrote. Shortly after his death

William and his middle sister Elizabeth (known as Liz)went to live with their uncle & aunt Mr & Mrs Morland. Uncle was a boat builder at Research bay Tasmania.

William started work with his uncle at that time. The uncle had an adopted son Joseph Webb and an apprentice in the boat yard named Harry Grubb

Interestingly his mum Eliza took the eldest and youngest girls to go and live in Hobart at the same time so the family was not living in Hobart when Robert John died.
they were in Tasmania though.

William Henry Heays like his father became a master mariner.

His surname has been spelt many aways including Hey/Heys/Hays/Heyes/Hay and Hayes to add to the confusion