William John Baker

Born: 14 Apr 1831 in Bickleigh, Mid Devon District, Devon, England
Baptised: 24 Apr 1831 at Bickleigh, Devon (parish register)
Died: 3 Jun 1919 at Hyde Park, Unley, South Australia (aged 89)
Buried: West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia

Family

Life

William was born in Bickleigh, Devon in 1831. According to the Ship Stag passenger manifest (1850), he was a mason by trade. His parents were James and Jane Baker of Bickley, Devonshire, England, as stated by the Playford's Past community history resource (single source — not independently verified).[^playford]

He emigrated to the Colony of South Australia aboard the ship Stag, departing Plymouth on 22 February 1850 and arriving at Port Adelaide on 11 June 1850. He travelled as a young single man aged 18-19 seeking opportunity in the new colony.[^playford]

After arriving in South Australia, William initially worked carting goods by bullock team to the Burra copper mines. He later took up farming.

He married Sophia (March) Baker (née March) on 9 March 1853 in Adelaide, South Australia (Genealogy SA Marriage Index, District Adelaide, Book 15, Page 73). Sophia was the daughter of Joseph March (1797–1883) and Sophia (Webster) March (1803–1892), who had emigrated from Norfolk, England in 1846.

William and Sophia raised a large family of nine children at Hyde Park, Unley. After Sophia's death in 1901, William continued living in the family home.

He died at Hyde Park on 3 June 1919 at the age of 89 and was buried at West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide. His death notice in The Chronicle (7 June 1919) records him "late of Virginia", aged 89, "a colonist of 70 years", at his residence in Francis-street, Hyde Park.[^trove]

Sources

• [^playford]: Playford's Past — William John Baker — accessed 26 Jun 2026. States: "He was the son of James and Jane Baker who lived in Bickley, Devonshire, England." Also confirms arrival on Stag, occupation as mason and farmer, marriage to Sophia Marsh, and 9 children. Re-read 22 Oct 2026: also prints death as "4 June 1919" (superseded — see Notes; the Trove notice says 3 June), and arrival as "June 1849" (inconsistent with the Stag's June 1850 arrival).
• [^trove]: Trove — The Chronicle (Adelaide, SA), 7 June 1919, p.31, Family Notices, article 87485729 — accessed 22 Oct 2026. Death notice reads verbatim: "BAKER.—On the 3rd June, at his residence, Francis-street, Hyde Park, William John Baker, late of Virginia, aged 89 years. A colonist of 70 years." (primary — newspaper death notice)
• FindAGrave: William John Baker (1831–1919) — Memorial 156315174 — accessed 23 Jun 2026 (via Wayback Machine)
• WikiTree: Baker-1805 — accessed 26 Jun 2026
• WikiTree: March-72 — accessed 26 Jun 2026
• Playford's Past (Recollect): William Henry Mark Baker — accessed 23 Jun 2026
• Bound for South Australia: Ship Stag 1850 (departed Plymouth 22 Feb, arrived Port Adelaide 11 Jun)
• [^wjb-children]: WikiTree (Baker-1805) children list — accessed 27 Jun 2026. Shows 9 children: William, Hannah, Emeline, James, Alfred, Fanny, Walter, Sophia Harriett, Phineas. Matches Playford's Past children list exactly.