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The various branches of the Williamson family lived in the Medway area of Kent consisting of the adjoining towns Strood , Rochester, Chatham, and all linked by the common High Street.
The first recorded member of the Williamson family was Joseph Williamson (c.1730) who married Elizabeth Arlidge (b.1728) on Friday 28th June, 1751 at St.Margarets Rochester Kent.
Their third son Francis Williamson (b.1767 ) married Anne Cassé (b.1767) on Sunday 24th Aug 1788 at St.Nicholas Church, Strood. Francis & Anne’s first son, William Williamson (1789-1862) married Elizabeth Watson (1798-1869) on Saturday, 13th November 1813 St.Margarets Church, Rochester.
William & Elizabeth’s first son William Moss Francis Williamson was born on 1st June, 1819 in Rochester. William was baptised in St.Nicholas Church Rochester on 27th June 1819.
The Williamson family had long followed the occupation of mariners, fishermen, watermen and bargemen working on the Medway River near Rochester, Kent which is a tributory of the River Thames.
Evidence shows that this family were consistently involved with the sea and the River Medway. Most had been apprenticed, serving at least 7 years before being released from their servitude. Their fathers made application on their behalf for their freedom which finalised their apprenticeship.
On August 4th 1840 it is recorded “Wm Williamson has this evening applied for the freedom of his son Wm M.F. Williamson, indenture hearing date July 25th 1833. Servitude very satisfactory to be admitted on next appointment.” [Freeman Application Register for Rochester Oyster and Fisheries].
On Saturday, 25th June, 1842, when he was 23 years old, William Moss Francis Williamson married Mary Neal (aged 21) in St.Mary’s Parish Church at Chatham, Kent . They had Emily (March 1843 –she died in the same year), William Henry (25 Jul 1845), Francis (26 Jan 1847), Anna (13 Jan 1849) and Edward Moss (7 Aug 1851) all christened at St.Mary’s Church, Chatham.
On Census night, Thursday 13th March 1851, Mary was at home at the Hit or Miss Yard in Chatham with the children William, Francis and Anna. William Moss Francis wasn’t at home that night but would have probably been out fishing. We know he had not left for Australia, as he was the informant on Edward Moss Williamson’s birth in August 1851.
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