Marie's marriage portrait - May 6, 1826

Marie's Story

What thoughts were likely going through Marie’s head as she sailed along beautiful Lake Geneva from Geneva to Vevey that fateful day in September, 1818? Will I ever see my family again? Is this a wise decision? Am I making a huge mistake? At the tender age of 21 Marie was making the biggest decision of her life, and doing so all alone. If Marie could have foreseen her future life would she still have followed through on her course of action?

Within a few days, on September 16, Marie would have in her hands a document giving “Francoise Marie Richenet”, Bourgeoise, the “Recognizance of the town of Vevey”. This passport equivalency was required by anyone wishing to leave Switzerland and had to be obtained in person. Marie had become eligible for this as soon as she turned 21 on August 16 and she had not waited long before making application for it from her home in Geneva. Now she was sailing past all the many small towns between Geneva and her beautiful birthplace of Vevey.

What had happened to bring Marie to this momentous point? Why was she alone in this decision? Where was she planning to go upon leaving Switzerland? An entire Richenet family history in Vevey lay behind this moment, a history and stories about which Marie had slowly learned as she grew older. It was a history which many would be glad to leave behind in order to start a new life. The Richenet reputation in Vevey had deteriorated to the point where the town fathers might have been glad to see one more female leave.

But in 1818, on this trip, Marie still had a chance to change her mind. Much might depend on a visit to her grandmother, Jeanne Anthoinette Richenet – a time when granddaughter and grandmother, separated by distance for many years, would face saying a final farewell. Would Jeanne Anthoinette, the grandmother who had raised her with the financial assistance of the Town of Vevey, encourage her to take this step? When at age 13 Marie had left Vevey in 1810 she had moved to Geneva with her mother’s sister, Jeanne Judith. Was this because her grandmother had been too ill to take care of her or had Jeanne Anthoinette seen more opportunities for Marie in Geneva, opportunities which might help Marie avoid following in her mother’s footsteps - making the same mistakes which would bring more shame on the family?

Also living in nearby Chexbres was Marie’s half sister, Jeanne Louise Grandchamp, 16 years old now, daughter of her mother’s only marriage, but she too was not being raised by her own parents, but by the parents of her father Abraham Grandchamp. Had Marie and Jeanne Louise ever even known each other as children or had a relationship of any kind? Did Marie want to say goodbye to her too?

And what of Marie’s own mother – Jeanne Marie Richenet – why was she living in Lausanne? What sort of relationship had this mother and daughter ever had? As soon as Marie was born her mother was put into prison for five days for having this illegitimate child, fathered by Bastien Finch of Worms, Germany. Marie very likely had to go with her as well. Marie’s grandmother had then intervened and become an essential force in Marie’s life as Jeanne Marie went on to have three more illegitimate children as well as twins born to a short-lived marriage. All of these other children died before the ages of two months. Did Marie even want to see her mother on this final trip? Could she have even located her, given her unstable lifestyle?

All these thoughts could well have been running through Marie’s head as the ship docked in Vevey and she made her fateful next steps to pick up the papers which would open the door to a new life for her.

Whether or not she said these good-byes in Vevey, she would have still returned to Geneva in order to leave the country, where she would also have been able to say good-bye to her Aunt Jeanne Judith, now married to Louis Demorey, and their three young children. Apart from her grandmother, mother, half-sister and aunt’s family, there were no other family members in Switzerland. Marie was very much alone – facing enormous changes and challenges at the young age of 21.

And where is the next glimpse of Marie in any other official document? It is on May 6, 1826 - Marie’s marriage to Alexander Lockhart, Gardener to His Grace the Lord Primate, Archbishop of all Ireland, in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, Ireland. An enormous change – from a young tailleuse (dressmaker according to the 1816 census of Geneva), living in French-speaking Geneva, Switzerland, to a young bride living on the Demesne of the Archbishop of Ireland in the land-locked city of Armagh in English-speaking Ireland.

Courage, intelligence, determination, faith – all would have been required of Marie – to cope with her family of origin in Switzerland and then the enormous challenges of leaving for an unknown future in a strange and new country.

At the heart of every family there is a story, a deep and grand story. Here is Marie’s story.