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To all who replied to my OBBARD request, thank you all so much for your replies. I have printed them all off, and am going through them, the 1861 census I already have, and at first glance much of the other information ties in with what I have. However the Australian connection is wonderful, I am fairly sure this IS my Pelham, and brother Howard, whose wife Helena , is a widow on the 1891 Census. Now just have to find the little missing bits of the jigsaw. I also googled the newspaper article and printed off, such a tragic story ! Luckily I have family contacts out in NSW who can help with any bits of research needed, so hope to finaly finish this branch of the Newton Tree at long last. Again, many thanks to you all
Kind regards, Pat

Wow ladies, I am very impressed what an amazing piece of detective work.
Pat, I'm sorry but I cant recall from memory if we have been in contact before. I have a One Name Study registered for the surname Obbard. I will admit I havent done any research for months and my paper records arent exactly in order but it is a very rare surname and I have only ever come across one Pelham so am 100% sure this is him and it explains where he vanished to.
I wonder if his Brother Howard ever came back from Australia as I have no record of him after the 1871 census although I can trace his wife Helena forward to her death in 1921 and his son Joseph (aka Percy) to his death at the age of 19 in 1888; Frederick lived until 1948 and their Sister Helen passed away in 1956 at the age of 85.
You mention that you still have little missing bits of the jigsaw. If any of them are Obbard related do please let me know as I may already have found the answer.
Kind regards, Sylvia

Message for BarbaraFromYorkshire -

I copied out the information posted at 15.18 yesterday. I couldn't copy and paste it either!

Hi Choccy, Thank you for your answer, I just wondered if I wasn't "copy / pasting" it right.

Sylvia--my message to Patricia yesterday (15:16) should answer your question about Howard the link to the probate is

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=1904&iid=31874_222879-00010&fn=Howard&ln=Obbard&st=r&ssrc=&pid=3337888


Best wishes
Barbara xx

As one of the world's slowest typists-it's impossible to cut and paste the darned probate info. (at least they're short!)

I don't think Howard ever came "home" from Australia,either.
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/

Doing the obbard search seems to indicate that Howard also went under the name of Howard Gordon?? Or am I reading that incorrectly?

So nice to see that a connection was made!!!

Maureen

Hi Ladies, sorry for the delay in replying.

I should have been clearer, I was wondering if Howard came back and then returned to Australia or if he stayed out there. I just wonder why he would have stayed there for 7 years until his death as he had a wife and 3 children at home and his youngest son was just 2 when he left

I'm not sure if Howard also went under Howard Gordon but interestingly his youngest Son was Frederick Arthur Gordon Obbard so the name Gordon must have had some significance to the family.

Hi
I can't see a return for Howard --either as Obbard or Gordon

Barbara xx

Hello everyone, thanks for the links, I now have the Probate details for both twins. Like you I am puzzled as to why Howard remained out there, and have not yet found a return either way. There is a small newspaper cutting refering to Howard Gordon, I wonder if there was something goin on here in UK with the family, and Howard used his brother`s death as an excuse to make a new start ! Sylvia, I have sent you a message through this site, think you are the lady I tried to contact a year ago re similar request.
Sorry for delay in replying, but my 'message alert' does not seem to be working at the moment !
Regards PAT

Hello Pat, I will look out for the message you sent me.

Meanwhile I have been doing some digging in the Brisbane Courier.

4 October 1867 a Mr Obbard arrives in Brisbane aboard the Harmonious from Gravesend after a 112 day voyage.

8 April 1872 Pelham Obbard listed as persons claiming to have their name inserted on electoral roll in the District of East Moreton

22 September 1873 Pelham Obbard appointed Government Agent to accompany ships employed in the Polynesian Labour Trade

Going back to those Probate Records in 1875 Pelham's estate was between £100 & £200 which by 2008 would be between £52,000 and £104,000. Howard on the other hand by 1882 left £21 15s which is around £11,400 in 2008 terms. As that is entire value of estate rather than available cash I wonder if he shimply couldnt affort to come back as the passage home would have been very expensive

In case you are interested I used measuringworth.com to calculate the values

Sylvia

Good chance this is Howard's death:

Australia Death Index, 1787-1985 about Howard O Gordon
Name: Howard O Gordon
Death Date: 1881
Death Place: New South Wales
Father's Name: Gordon
Registration Year: 1881
Registration Place: Hume/albury, New South Wales
Registration Number: 4529

Maureen

Hello Maureen, yes it probably is Howard`s death, BUT, we still do not know where the GORDON came from. It is not in the Newton family [his mother`s side] nor apparently in the Obbard side. Also Howard`s father is Joseph not Gordon. A real mystery !! However as all the other details match to what I already know, I am going with this being the same person. Thank you very much for finding this for me.
Best Wishes
PAT

Thanks everyone for all your help, between me and Sylvia we now know when Pelham went out to Australia, and that Howard travelled out just after his brother`s death and did stay out there. He seems to have become a tutor, and died a few years later, presumably could not afford passage back to England.
Thanks again ladies, and good luck with your own researches.
Best wishes, PAT.

It was such a fascinating glimpse into history!

Maureen