Friday 15 November 2013

Life on the ocean waves

He married, he died, and in between, he fathered children. But he was never born, at least not according to the records I have consulted. His parents and his two older brothers arrived in Port Jackson 13 May, 1839, as Bounty Migrants aboard 'The Spartan', which departed Falmouth 22 February, 1839. Christopher is not on the passenger list, nor is he recorded on the New South Wales 'BDM' data-base. Perhaps, he stood on Platform 9¾ and whistled.

His father, John, is my 3rd great-grandfather on my mother's side.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

If he died in 1912 aged 74 he must have been born in 1838. Strange there is no record of him.

Joan Elizabeth said...

3 greats ... that is impressive.

It is so frustrating when the births, deaths etc can't be found but hang in there ... he will pop up one day.

Julie said...

My theory is that he was born aboard the ship. i must find out how that was registered in those days.

Thanks, Bill.
Thanks, Joan.

Kay L. Davies said...

Your family goes back a long way in Australia, farther than mine does in British Columbia.
I think your theory about the ship is probably correct, and the only record might be the captain's log, if that still exists.
I wish you success in your search, and good health with which to carry it out.
Hugs,
K

Joan Elizabeth said...

Yeh, there are shipping records that you should hunt down. Amazing how much stuff is kept from back in those days.

hamilton said...

I've missed these grave posts we all had.....

Judis Studio Australia said...

Have you tried church babtism records?
He may not have been christened till he got here. Family history group at Bathurst library are very happy to help do research as I have recently discovered turning up a birth record of my G.G.grandmother, child of convicts when there was no record at NSW BDM.
UK records are pretty exstensive so I feel sure if he was born before they left there would be a church or civil record there. Maybe try Ancestry .com 14 day free trial?? You can access british records easily. Good luck! JH