Genealogy Chat

My Great Great grandparents were Thomas and Mary Bluett. This notice appeared in the China Mail, published in Hong Kong, issues 27th March, 3rd April, 10th April and 17th April 1845:

'MRS BLUETT, wife of THOMAS BLUETT, has been left by him with her two children in this island entirely destitute of support. Several influential persons have benevolently subscribed towards a fund in her aid, to enable her to return to England. Any further subscriptions for her will be received by the Hon Frederick W Bruce the Colonial Secretary. Victoria 19th March 1845.' Mary did manage to gain passage home, on the freetrader Tory, but the captain of the ship went berserk, hacking at members of the crew with a cutlass and bayonet, causing deaths and terrible injuries. When he was eventually put on trial in London, Mary was called as a witness. Captain Johnstone was sent to Bedlam lunatic asylum. 1845 was not a good year for Mary Bluett. Neither was 1846 because after reconciling with her husband he died after being acidentally shot by a boy playing with a loaded gun in Drury Lane, London. It's the Hong Kong connection which has stumped me. Thomas was a freelance lithographer and he had taken his family to New Zealand, Sydney and Hobart. I don't know why in late 1844 he took the family to Hong Kong. I've searched the internet and found nothing, although his time in Australia is well documented - his work appears in museums all over the region. I'm hoping somebody on-site in Hong Kong will be able to unearth something.

I think it was a member called Chris.(Don't know if Chris was male or female.) Paul, if you get REALLY stuck, I have the time to do the legwork, if you have the price of the airfare and a week at the Peninsula!!!!! LOL Jay

Jay, perhaps you could start with my ancestors from Siberia and Outer Mongolia?

Snow shoes and arctic survival kit going into the holdall now, Paul! Jay