Abraham DOWSETT was born 4th November 1813 in Blackmore, Ingatestone, Essex
- he married Ann MEAD in 1838.
Ann was born 1814 in Blackmore, Ingatestone, Essex
She died in England in 1848
They had 5 children.
Ann Mead Dowsett was their last born ( November 1848 )
- both the baby and mother Ann died that same month.

Abraham remarried the following year to Eliza Suzannah KING
Eliza was born 1816 in Clapham Parish, Surrey, England
She died in New Zealand 1881
- they had 4 children

Children from Abraham's first marriage were:

* Charles Edward Dowsett 1838 Blackmore, Ingatestone, Essex
- he married Ann ?
- he died on the 27th October 1910 at his residence, 11 Stoke-street, Wellington, after a short illness

* Frederick William Mead Dowsett 1841 Herefordshire
- he married Mary Ann HARRIS - she was born 1844 in Johnsonville, daughter of Luke Harris and Charlotte Newman
- in the 1897 publication of The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District] it stated they had 10 children and that 5 children were still living in 1897. I have 14 children for them so would like help in verifying these children - visit their tree at the above link ...
- he died 15th September 1914 and is buried in Newman Cemetery Eketahuna

* Sophia Ann Dowsett 1843 Essex, England
- she married Henry NEWSON in 1873 in Abraham's home, Wellington
- she died ?

* Jessie Levina Louisa Dowsett 1846 Essex England
- she married James Henry OVEREND in St Paul's Thorndon, Wellington in 1864 - he was born 1838 in Leeds, Yorkshire, died 1905 in Wellington and buried Karori
- they had 9 children

* Ann Mead Dowsett born November 1848 in Essex died November 1848

The children of Abraham's second marriage were:

* David Dowsett 1850 in Clapham, Surrey, England
- I have no further information on David except he emigrated to New Zealand with the rest of the family when he was 6 OR he was registered to leave but didn't ?? he is on the ships list

* Emily Susannah Dowsett 1852 Clapham, Surrey
- she married George WEBSTER in 1874 at St Johns Presbyterian Church, Willis St, Wellington - he was a cab driver

* Charlotte Eliza Dowsett 1874 in Clapham Surrey
- nothing else is known of Charlotte except she emigrated at the age of 2

* Sarah Ann Dowsett 1856 in Clapham Durrey
- she married John WILSON (6 known children at this time)

On the 14th February 1857 Abraham and Eliza emigrated to New Zealand on the ALMA arriving in Wellington on the 15th May 1857
With them was
Charles aged 18
Frederick William Mead aged 17
Sophia Ann aged 13
Jesse Lavinia Louisa aged 10
David aged 6
Emily Susannah aged 4
Charlotte Eliza 2
Sarah Ann an infant

In New Zealand in about 1859 they had another daughter
* Alice Louisa Dowsett
- she married Herbert FREEMAN - from page 1097 of the Otaki section of the Cyclopedia of New Zealand, a "Mr Herbert Freeman was a Coachbuilder, Wheelwright, and General Blacksmith, Otaki Coach Factory, Otaki.
He was born in Norwich, England, and served his apprenticeship in Placton-on-Sea, in Essex. He came to New Zealand in 1873, per ship "La Hague." Being a competent workman, he readily obtained employment on landing, having no less than six offers of work before leaving the ship. Mr. Freeman has been a very busy man ever since his arrival in the Colony, and on no occasion has he been without employment. The Otaki Coach Factory, which was established in 1879, has turned out a great number of vehicles of all descriptions. Mr. Freeman, having had a large experience in connection with the trade, purchased the business in 1880, and under his energetic guidance a considerable trade is done. The factory is a building of wood and iron, which contains some 2000 square feet of floorage space. A staff of skilled workmen assist in the work. The trade extends throughout the large district of which Otaki is the centre."

Abraham Dowsett died on the 23rd February 1870 by drowning in the Wellington Harbour - he was 57
His wife Eliza died 11 years later aged 65