Find Ancestors

Thanks in advance for your help with the story of these two brothers.
George and John Thomas were born in England around the Arundel/Worthing area and the evidence seems to suggest their parents were George Dash and Ann Smith. George Snr and Ann probably weren't married - I can't find a record of their marriage and their two sons took the last name Smith.
We know George and John Thomas emigrated to Australia. George married Margaret O'Connor and John Thomas married Harriet Whitney. John Thomas's death certificate indicated he came to Australia 50 years prior (about 1869/70) but George seemed to come over first because he married Margaret in Australia in 1865.
We would love some help particularly with their immigration records and any records of their parents and grandparents which are proving hard to find.
Thank you so much.

As a start -
their births, for our reference (John Thomas in London):

DASH, GEORGE DASH mmn SMITH
GRO Reference: 1844 J Quarter in WORTHING Volume 07 Page 524

DASH, JOHN THOMAS mmn SMITH
GRO Reference: 1851 M Quarter in CITY OF LONDON Volume 02 Page 207

1851 census:

John Dash
in the 1851 England Census
Name John Dash
Age 2 Mo
Estimated Birth Year abt 1851
Relation Son
Father's Name George Dash
Mother's Name Ann Dash
Gender Male
Where born London, Middlesex, England
Civil parish All Hallows the Great
County/Island Middlesex
Country England
Registration district London City
Sub-registration district London City South
ED, institution, or vessel 30
Neighbors
Household schedule number 124
Piece 1530
Folio 361
Page number 25
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
George Dash 30 Head - Groom, Angmering, Sussex
Ann Dash 26 Wife - Arundel, Sussex
George Dash 6 Son - Arundel
John Dash 2 Mo Son - London

John and his father in 1861:

George Dash
in the 1861 England Census
Name George Dash
Gender Male
Age 41
Relation Head
Estimated Birth Year 1820
Where born Angmering, Sussex, England
Civil parish St Botolph Without Bishopsgate
County/Island Middlesex
Country England
Registration district East London
Sub-registration district St Botolph
ED, institution, or vessel 11
Neighbors
Household schedule number 291
Piece 211
Folio 132
Page number 52
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
George Dash 41 Head - Ostler, WIDOWER
John Dash 10 Son - London
Charles Bedwell 63 Lodger
James Gower 20 Lodger

Marriage - later than young George's birth:

George Dash
in the London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938
Name George Dash , bachelor [ Stable keeper ]
Gender Male
Marriage Age 29
Record Type Marriage
Birth Date abt 1820
Marriage Date 4 Nov 1849
Marriage Place Saint George The Martyr: Borough High Street, Southwark, England
Father John Dash, labourer
Spouse Ann Smith , spinster [ Father: Thomas Smith , carrier]
Register Type Parish Register

George (senior) in 1841:

George Dash
in the 1841 England Census
Name George Dash
Age 20
Estimated Birth Year abt 1821
Gender Male
Where born Sussex, England
Civil parish Arundel
Hundred Arundel
County/Island Sussex
Country England
Registration district Worthing
Sub-registration district Arundel
Neighbors
Piece 1089
Book 2
Folio 7
Page number 6
Household Members (Name) Age
John Pope 75
Elizabeth Jones 40
George Dash 20 - MS

Probably Ann's death:

DASH, ANN 24
GRO Reference: 1851 D Quarter in WORTHING Volume 07 Page 413


Anne Dash
in the England, Select Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991
Name Anne Dash
Gender Female
Death Date abt 1851
Burial Date 8 Nov 1851
Burial Place Arundel, Sussex, England
FHL Film Number 1040971
Reference ID item 2

Ann with parents and siblings in 1841 (all born in Sussex):

Ann Smith
in the 1841 England Census
Name Ann Smith
Age 15
Estimated Birth Year abt 1826
Gender Female
Where born Sussex, England
Civil parish Arundel
Hundred Arundel
County/Island Sussex
Country England
Registration district Worthing
Sub-registration district Arundel
Neighbors
Piece 1089
Book 1
Folio 11
Page number 15
Household Members (Name) Age
Thos Smith 45 - carrier
Jane Smith 40
Ann Smith 15
Elizabeth Smith 12
George Smith 8
Ellen Smith 3

Address: High Street, Arundel

Young George's baptism - before the 1849 marriage:

George Dash Smith
in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name George Dash Smith
Gender Male
Baptism Date 26 May 1844
Baptism Place Arundel, Sussex, England
Mother Ann Smith - "single woman"
FHL Film Number 1040971
Reference ID item 2

John Thomas's baptism - after Ann's death:

John Thomas Smith Dash
in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name John Thomas Smith Dash
Gender Male
Baptism Date 27 May 1855
Baptism Place Arundel, Sussex, England
Father George Dash
Mother Ann
FHL Film Number 1040971
Reference ID item 2


No image to view .

Ann's sister Ellen's baptism:

Ellen Smith
in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name Ellen Smith
Gender Female
Baptism Date 25 Mar 1838
Baptism Place Arundel, Sussex, England
Father
Thomas Smith
Mother Jane
FHL Film Number 1040971
Reference ID item 2


Ann's baptism:

Anne Smith
in the West Sussex, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1920
Name Anne Smith
Gender Female
Baptism Date 20 Aug 1826
Baptism Place Arundel, Sussex, England
Parish as it Appears Arundel
Father Thomas Smith, labourer
Mother Jane Smith

Interestingly, Ann's baptism was performed by John Morris, DD, Rector of Elstree, Herts
But Rev Morris had no apparent family or Sussex connection to the Smiths, per a tree on Ancestry and some records. Maybe in Arundel as locum, or on holiday . (Did vicars have holidays in those days ?! )



Other siblings' baptisms:

Elizabeth Smith
in the West Sussex, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1920
Name Elizabeth Smith
Gender Female
Baptism Date 5 Apr 1829
Baptism Place Arundel, Sussex, England
Parish as it Appears Arundel
Father Thomas Smith
Mother Jane Smith


William Grinsted Smith
in the West Sussex, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1920
Name William Grinsted Smith
Baptism Date 6 Mar 1842
Baptism Place Arundel, Sussex, England
Parish as it Appears Arundel
Father Thomas Smith, carrier
Mother Jane Smith


Parents' marriage:

Thomas Smith
in the West Sussex, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1936
Name Thomas Smith
Marital Status Single
Record Type Marriage
Marriage Date 5 Dec 1820
Marriage Place Shipley, Sussex, England
Parish as it Appears Shipley
Spouse Jane Grinsled (her mark)

Witnesses: Richard Grinsted (his mark) & John Tomson

Thank you. Yes that is the family. I can't quite work out why John Thomas Smith Dash dropped the Dash when he went to Australia, as he was born after George Snr and Anne Smith got married. John Smith is a very hard name to trace.

We know George Smith (Dash) arrived between 1861 - 1865 because he is in the 1861 Census in England but married Margaret O'Connor in Australia in 1865.

John Thomas Smith (Dash) married Harriet Whitney in 1874. I can't find him in the 1871 England Census so it is possible they came together.

Have you asked about the family before - looking on FMP for George Dash junior in 1861 - all possible entries show as ticked for previous search.

Checking for George Smith born Arundel - here he is in 1861 listed as nephew

1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census
St Pancras Street, St Pancras, Chichester, Sussex, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
William Burchett Head Married Male 42 1819 Baker employing 1 man Littlehampton, Sussex, England
Mary Burchett Wife Married Female 37 1824 Bakers wife Arundel, Sussex, England
William Thomas Smith Burchett Son - Male 2 1859 - Chichester, Sussex, England
George Dash Smith Nephew - Male 16 1845 Baker journeyman Arundel, Sussex, England

Presume the Burchett/Smith marriage

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Marriages Jun 1841 (>99%)
BEDFORD Paul Austen Chichester 7 395
BURCHETT William Chichester 7 395
Grout Septimus Chichester 7 395
REILLY Catherine Frances Daahwood Eustace Chichester 7 395
REILLY Catherine Frances Dashwood Eustace Chichester 7 395
SMITH Mary Chichester 7 395
TRIGGS Mary Chichester 7 395

and birth of the son William Thomas late in the marriage -

Name: Mother's Maiden Surname:
BURCHETT, WILLIAM THOMAS SMITH SMITH
GRO Reference: 1859 J Quarter in CHICHESTER Volume 02B Page 304

Seems the family liked to include Smith in the children's names

-----------------------
1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Halnaker, Boxgrove, Westhampnett, Sussex, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
William Burchett Head Married Male 32 1819 Baker & grocer Sussex, England
Mary Burchett Wife Married Female 27 1824 - Arundel, Sussex, England
Ellen Smith Wifes sister - Female 13 1838 - Arundel, Sussex, England

Australia, Inward, Outward & Coastal Passenger Lists 1826-1972
Australasia

First name(s) George D
Last name Smith
Arrival port Melbourne
Arrival month May
Birth year 1841
State Victoria
Age 22
Country Australia
Ship name Roxburgh Castle
Arrival year 1863
Nationality English
Database Title Victoria Inward Passenger Lists 1839-1923
Departure port London
Record set Australia, Inward, Outward & Coastal Passenger Lists 1826-1972
Departure country England
Category Travel & migration
Subcategory Passenger Lists
Collections from Australasia, Australia, England, Great Britain

??
Australia, Inward, Outward & Coastal Passenger Lists 1826-1972
New South Wales, Australia

First name(s) John Thomas
Nationality/where born -
Last name Smith
Arrival year 1871
Sex Male
Arrival date 27 Feb 1871
Year Of Birth -
Seaman or passenger Passenger
Age -
Archive State Records Authority of New South Wales
Vessel Macedon
Year range 1871
Year 1871
Passage type New South Wales Unassisted Passenger Lists
Departure port Melbourne
Record set Australia, Inward, Outward & Coastal Passenger Lists 1826-1972
Destination Port Sydney, New South Wales
Category Travel & migration
State New South Wales
Subcategory Passenger Lists
Country Australia
Collections from Australasia, Australia

It's a list of Passengers and crew of the Ship Macedon of Liverpool here sailing from Melbourne to Sydney

OR

First name(s) John T
Nationality/where born -
First name(s) as transcribed Jno T
Arrival year 1869
Last name Smith
Arrival date 22 Feb 1869
Sex Male
Seaman or passenger Passenger
Year Of Birth -
Archive State Records Authority of New South Wales
Age -
Year range 1869
Vessel City Of Brisbane
Passage type New South Wales Unassisted Passenger Lists
Year 1869
Record set Australia, Inward, Outward & Coastal Passenger Lists 1826-1972
Departure port Brisbane
Category Travel & migration
Destination Port Sydney, New South Wales
Subcategory Passenger Lists
State New South Wales
Collections from Australasia, Australia
Country Australia

Ship registered in Sydney (but all crew registered as British)

Nothing further to identify for certain - age, occupations not recorded.

Otherwise too many John Smiths. No Surname Dash

??
Patching under 4 miles from Angmering and both close to Arundel

George Dash
in the West Sussex, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1920

Name George Dash
Gender Male
Baptism Date 17 Sep 1819
Baptism Place Patching, Sussex, England
Parish as it Appears Patching
Father John Dash
Mother Anne Dash

From the original - Abode Patching, Father a Labourer

Ancestry suggests the 1851 census posted earlier is the same person and also links to the London marriage of George to Ann Smith

AG posted this earlier -

Name George Dash
Gender Male
Marriage Age 29
Record Type Marriage
Birth Date abt 1820
Marriage Date 4 Nov 1849
Marriage Place Saint George The Martyr: Borough High Street, Southwark, England
Father John Dash
Spouse Ann Smith
Register Type Parish Register

Further info from the original - Ann aged 24 a Spinster. George a Bachelor.
George made his mark, Ann signed
Both said to be residing at Adams Place at time of marriage.
Witnesses were William Hoare and Mary Burkett (Possibly Ann's sister shown in the 1851 census

??
1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Angmering, Worthing, Sussex, England

First name(s) Last name Sex Age Birth year Birth place
John Dash Male 60 1781 Sussex, England Ag. Lab
Ann Dash Female 55 1786 Sussex, England
Edward Dash Male 30 1811 Sussex, England
James Dash Male 15 1826 Sussex, England
David Dash Male 12 1829 Sussex, England
Ann Dash Female 10 1831 Sussex, England

??

Clapham next village to Patching. Ancestry cites the 1841 census posted above as the family

John Dash
in the West Sussex, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812

Name John Dash
Event Type Marriage
Marriage Date 4 Aug 1806
Marriage Place Clapham, Sussex, England
Spouse Ann Tuesley

West Sussex Record Office and West Sussex County Council

-------------------------------
??
Baptisms to the marriage apart from George 1819 posted separately


Edward Dash 22 Jul 1810 Patching, Sussex
Thomas Dash 20 Dec 1812 Patching, Sussex
Henry Dash 26 Mar 1815 Patching John,Anne
William Dash 1 Jun 1817 Patching John,Anne

David Dash 7 Dec 1828 Angmering John, Ann
Ann Dash 19 Jun 1831 Angmering John,Ann