Find Ancestors

Hi maybe a long shot but here goes..... My GGgrandfather William John Brown,wife Jemima and baby son James left Plymouth on the 13th July 1851 on board the 'Oregon'. I have the record from the site 'The Ships List' where he is listed as John.... John Brown aged 31 ag. lab. Bindex 188/2 birthplace Berks. Would there be an emmigration record somewhere that gives more info as I am trying to find his Mother? I cant order a birth cert as I cant find place of birth or mother's name. All I have is birth date 29.11.1818 and Berkshire. Father John. So what I'm really asking is... Are there more detailed records filled out by passengers prior to departure from England. and if you can lookup the index above (Bindex 188/2) somewhere? Been searching for years now. Colleen

Hi Colleen, Do you already have his death certificate from Australia?

Colleen, As your ancestors disembarked at Port Adelaide, South Australia, you may be lucky to find a record of your ancestor John Brown's death there. I am not sure of SA death records, but Qld ones state deceased name, parents, maiden name of mother, where born and if not born Australia, how long period of residence in Australia. Hopefully someone with access to SA BDM records will be able to do a lookup for you. Helen

Hi There are several entries for William John Brown's marriage to Jemima Butler. Freebmd shows the marriage was registered in the Dec Q of 1850 at Wallingford (vol 6 page 503) and the IGI shows and extracted entry for 10 Nov 1850 at Long Whittenham, Berks. A submitted IGI entry for the marriage gives his birth date and date of death as 16 Nov 1892 in McLaren Vale SA. From the SA BDM website, you should be able to get a copy of this death certificate. Diane

Hi Helen and Rhonda Thanks for your replies Yes I do have death details but unfortunately S.A. records only give name of informant or relative and in this case it says 'not recorded' so not very helpfull at all. Cheers Colleen

Sorry I missed you before Di Yes I have a copy of marriage cert and death record but neither give mothers name. What I was really hoping for was a more detailed record of information when he applied for passage to Australia which might have included mother's name or whereabouts in Berkshire he was born. I and others have looked in Long Wittenham (where he was married) but there is no record there. Cheers Colleen

Nudge

Hi Colleen There are also another couple of Brown's from Berkshire on board the Oregon, do you know if they are related or not? There are SA Shipping on fiche at our library which I could check for you to see if there is any additional information. The Biographical Index of South Australians is a handy source for finding those extra details if the family is listed. Have you tried to find them in the 1841 and 1851 census? Carol

Hi Carol Yes the other two Browns, Absalom and James were his bros. by another wife. The father John apparently remarried after William's mother died. I have checked census. The father John was a widower as his second wife had also died. William was living with another family 1841 and in 1851 was already married to Jemima. The biogrphical index entry for William John Brown doesn't give mother's name and gives Long Wittenham as place of birth but this can't be confirmed as there is no record for his birth in that register and it was later presimed that he possibly moved there as a child with his father. Have other records re William John (or John William as he was also known as) but none of them give his mother's name. I would very much appreciate if you could check the shipping records for me Thankyou Colleen.

Colleen, I have found someone in Berkshire who has this Brown family, mother given as Ann Tyrrell - marriage 9 April 1826 Watlington Oxfordshire, obiviously the second marriage. John Brown b1796 Watlington Oxfordshire. Children - William John 1818-1892 James 1829 Absalom 1831 John 1832-1833 Henry 1834 George 1836 John 1836 Would you like me to contact them to get an email address for you? Carol

Hi Unfortuunately, I don't know much about South Australian records, but I don't think they had assisted migrants and did not keep the detailed records kept by NSW (which recorded 'Native place' and parents. You could try Graham Jaunay's website, for info, he is in SA. Diane