JAMES FLEMING/ELLEN MAHER

[mariah]

After many years of knowing nothing of my greatgrandfather but that his name was James Fleming and that he emigrated from Clare to Australia I have just discovered that he sailed on the ship Conflict from Plymouth for Australia on 25 Aug 1868. He was 20 years old and his wife-to-be Ellen Maher who was 16 was also on the same boat. I think his father was Patrick Fleming but that is just an educated guess. Unfortunately James Fleming is a very common name. Can anyone suggest a good starting point for learning more about his family?

[grisel]

Hello again

I think that James and Ellen's marriage certificate would be the best starting point although I'm not sure what exact details it would hold. They seem to vary from state to state.

[Waitabit]

Mariah, you don''t give an occupation for your Gt. Grandfather or where he was married, but these Flemming Families come up on Electoral Rolls in 1903.
Flemming Edward...caretaker
FLeming Ellen.....home duties
Fleming JAMES...pensioner
Fleming Mary,,,music teacher
Fleming Lawrence..labourer
...All at 276 Go[rv]e St. Fitzroy in Nth Melbourne Vic.

Perhaps a bit early for James to be a pensioner unless a special case.

[grisel]

Another thought - did either James or Ellen travel to Australia as part of a family group? Having names of siblings as well as parents could help eventually if checking out baptisms.

And any idea of a location in Clare? There are RC parish registers for Clare mostly at the NLI and also at the Clare Heritage and Genealogical Centre (who do paid research) But needles and haystacks come to mind....

Let's hope the marriage cert has parents' names. Or maybe death cert?

[mariah]

I will request marriage cert when I get back to NZ, probably cheaper from there as the marriage was in Melbourne - and perhaps death cert too as I have just discovered he died in Melbourne in 1881, apparently drowned with his wife and sons watching. I do not know what his work was. As for the 1903 info, although Ellen and Lawrence are mother and son, the others at that address are new to me and will be worth looking at further, thank you. So the James who died in 1911 and was the only one I had found until now was probably the 'pensioner' and perhaps my James's father rather than the 'Patrick' I found somewhere else. Frustrating to have my notes in NZ when my internet access is so much better here. I should have brought them with me. Next year perhaps when I come to France to visit family again.

[mariah]

No idea of location in Clare unfortunately and according to journal article both travelled alone. Friend I stay with in Dublin works at NLI so perhaps I might try there.