Elizabeth Ann Amies born 6 June 1853, near the Eureka Diggings according to her dear friend Mary Ellen Murray. Elizabeth married Joseph Benjamin. Children of Elizabeth and Joseph: David Benjamin born 4 March 1878. (died 14 August 1944), John Amies Benjamin married Minnie May Descore, Alice Benjamin was born on 4 December 1883, christened on 24 August 1887 with her sister Rachel, Rachel Jane Benjamin was born 26 August 1886, christened 24 August 1887, Florence May Benjamin was born 13 February 1894.

Elizabeth’s friend, Mary Ellen Murray, was born nearby on the Eureka Diggings on 19 June 1853 12 days later.  They were great friends for many years. Mary Murray was also one of the sponsors at the baptism of the son of Catherine (Quinn) and John Small, Thomas Small, who was baptised at St Alipius on 7 February 1856.

Mrs J. Benjamin 12 Eddy Street writes: – I have read in Saturday’s courier that Mrs Jones of Burnbank St says that she was born in 1853 and was 11 months old at the time of the riot. I was born in June 1853 and was 18 months old at the time of the riot, so I think I can claim to be the oldest female born in Ballarat. I have lived here continuously all my life.

References:

Ballarat Courier

Corfield, J., Wickham, D., & Gervasoni, C.The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Ballarat Heritage Services, 2004.

Dorothy Wickham, Women in ‘Ballarat’ 1851-1871: A Case Study in Agency, PhD. School of Behavioural and Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Ballarat, March 2008.

Dorothy Wickham, Women of the Diggings: Ballarat 1854, BHSPublishing, 2009.

Clare Wright, The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka, Text Publishing, 2013.

http://eurekapedia.org/Elizabeth_Amies

http://www.eurekapedia.org/Blood,_Sweat_and_Tears:_Women_at_Eureka