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He married Sophia BUSS on 3rd October 1814 at Ticehurst, Sussex,

Sophia was born in 1793 in Brightling, Sussex.

According to the 1841 Census, William was working as an agricultural labourer in Little Longhurst for Jesse Piper at Conghurst, Kent.

NEW ZEALAND

On 22 June 1841 they sailed from Plymouth on board the 506 ton "Oriental" with 10 of their children and arrived in Port Nicholson (Wellington), New Zealand on 22 October 1841.

For further information about the settlement see the following web site

Whilst there, Jane married Baker Polhill, a seaman on the "Oriental".

Ann married John Badans, who had been Chief Officer on the "Oriental".

Matilda married Robert Grace, also a seaman.

According to family folklore, William and Sophia "did not much like the look of the raw young country (NZ) and after a few years moved to the comparitive sophistication of Australia"

The Watts family settled in Jamberoo, NSW - probably to be near the Steadman and Vidler families whom they may have known in Kent.

On 15 October 1847 the schooner "Comet" arrived in Port Jackson, Sydney carrying Ann & John Badans, Matilda & Robert Grace and Edward Watts.

Edward returned to New Zealand, married and settled around Kaikora North (later renamed Otane).

There were 14 children in all, ten travelling to NZ:

1. Sophia 1815 - 1864
2. William 1817 - 1873
3. Jane 1820 - 1916
4. Ann 1822 - 1902
5. Matilda 1824 - 1903
6. James 1826 - ?
7. Edward 1826 - 1914
8. John 1829 - 1911
9. Elizabeth 1831 - 1914
10. Henry 1833 - ?
11. Hannah 1833 - ?
12. Emma 1835 - 1835
13. Daniel James 1837 - 1907
14. Jesse 1839 - 1922

Sophia died 19 December 1863 at Jamberoo aged 70.

William died 5 September 1873 at Jamberoo aged 82.

They are both buried at the old Wesleyan (Uniting) cemetery in Jamberoo.