Is there SKS going to the NSW Archives?

[Sandra Parker]

Thanks Hugh, I did have that - ironic if he is 'my' chap as he was transported for stealing 2 bushells of the stuff!
Thanks for the details, Procat. Will need to get the certificate. If he is mine, he certainly won't have put 'married' in the status column, but it may give me some other details - or maybe not!.
I could do with a nice long accurate obituary in the local paper. Unfortunately, doesn't look promising on that one - well not on Trove anyway.
Sandra

[spison]

V1854330 85/1854 CHILVERS JOHN & WALTER MARY A
Whilst the NSW index does not record the place of the event Ancestry has the district as Goulburn, Gunning, Yass (County of Argyle), New South Wales

Save your money! If you want someone to actually look at what this says I can do this next time I'm at a local centre. I can only take a transcription as you are not allowed to take a copy. (You can look at this yourself if you have a large centre near you that holds a copy of the ARK (Archives Records Kit). Only this record on the Pioneers CD of NSW BDM will tell you the church/area.

The Goulburn papers are indexed for some years in the Southern Highlands Library in Goulburn as they're not on TROVE yet. The staff there would dearly love them on TROVE. If you contacted the research librarian in Goulburn she might take a look for you.

Jane

[Sandra Parker]

Thanks Jane. I have written to the library, so hopefully there may be something. I have also found an old email address on line for someone interested in the wife, who although known as Mary/MaryAnn Walters/Walker, was probably the convict transported as Mary Ann Cavanagh who was born in Lancashire, England c 1815. She came to Australia as a convict on the "John Renwick" in 1838 as Mary Ann WALKER.
So I"ll follow that up.
If only I could find some proof that my John and the Collector John, were one and the same.
Sandra, whose spectacled aura is staying right out of it till we know if he's the right chap.

[spison]

Hi Sandra,
Some random thoughts.
1. If he was found guilty of anything and was sent to gaol you would have a description which would hopefully match up in a lot of ways with the description you know to be your man. Gaol records are wonderful things and should also state his ship of arrival so that would be absolutely brilliant as he may have grown since he arrived. (I kid you not!) Probably Goulburn gaol but he could have gone anywhere unless it was a short sentence. I don't think that these are on Ancest** yet. The NSW Police Gazettes if you can get hold of them may also have references to him but they may not be in Darwin.
2. If Southern Highlands comes up with some references, and doesn't offer to look them up for you, the microfilms for the Goulburn Herald are at the NLA and you may be able to get the film/s you need on interlibrary loan.
3. Goulburn, Gunning and Collector were quite sparsely populated at this time and the other John CHILVERS was at Bathurst.
4. I will try to get and look up your marriage before Christmas but you know what it's like at this time of the year. I'm trying to find out whether there is a copy of the ARK in Darwin as I expect it would be there and you could look sooner. Once upon a time I knew where to look for this info!
Jane

[spison]

There's only one copy of the ARK in the NT.

It's held at:
Genealogical Society of The Northern Territory (limited opening hours)
1st Floor, 25 Cavenagh Street DARWIN NT 0800

They'll know how to use it as the BDM reels are fiddly if you want to have a try.

Here is the SRNSW link to tell you what is there - you add the www.

records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/guides-and-finding-aids/archives-in-brief/archives-in-brief-39

(And for anyone in the UK, the British Library has a copy.)

Jane

[spison]

Hi Sandra,
Transcript of V1854330 85/1854 follows. Sadly there were no ages or marital status stated in the record.


I, John Chilvers do hereby declare that I am a Member of, or hold Communion with the Wesleyan Church. John (X) Chilvers - his mark.
I, Mary Ann Walker do hereby declare that I am a Member of, or hold Communion with the Wesleyan Church. Mary Ann (X) Walker - her mark.
I, Benjamin Hurst of Goulburn, Minister of the Wesleyan Church, do hereby Certify that John Chilvers of Collector and Mary Ann Walker of Collector were joined together in Wedlock by me, on the First day of February, 1854, at Goulburn in the presence of James Wakefield and Ann Hurst, both of Goulburn.
James (X) Wakefield - his mark
Ann Hurst (signed)

Jane

[Sandra Parker]

Thank you very much for that. Why couldn't he have just added ex convict, arrived in New South Wales in 1838, formerly of Dickleburgh, Norfolk?
Then I'd have known it was my chap!
Oh well, back to the drawing board!
Best wishes for a great Christmas and a Happy, and rewarding, New Year.
Sandra and her increasingly festive spectacled aura.

[spison]

...John Chilvers up on a horse stealing charge at Goulburn NSW, 7th March 1854....Hugh.

If my thinking in connection to this is correct, John must have gone to trial for this event. If I were you I'd be hoping he was found guilty! I will be going to SR - Globe Street before Kingswood - early in the year - probably mid-January as I need to look at the Goulburn Gaol records for my own research. I will start looking a decade earlier to see if he turns up in that gaol for this crime.

Merry Christmas (and celebrate your felon's life)
Sandra

[spison]

PM sent
Jane

[Sandra Parker]

So as of now!

For my John Chilvers, I have personal details, ag lab., court case, hulk record, transportation, application for family to join him, ticket of leave and freedom certificate. Dates up till 1843. Did not appear to have returned to his native Norfolk. I cannot find any other details of him after his arrival other than the 3 documents mentioned, so no idea of where or for whom, he worked after his arrival in 1838. there is a reference to a Mr Milson on his Ticket of Leave, a variation as he had left the employ of Mr Milson. (I do have some details of Mr Milson and his role in the colony)

Then I have John Chilvers, same area, same father's name, similar time in colony of NSW, married a convict in 1854 (although if this is my chap, his wife was still alive in Norfolk- remarriage I know was not an unusual occurrence), selected land, wheat farmer, possibly fruiterer. Had some wheat burned by arsonist (ironic as my chap was transported for stealing wheat!) died at Collector NSW, as a result of a fall from a cart and broke his back, I have details. His wife, Mary, for whom I do have details, was the one who reported the death, and presumably gave the family details on death record. I also have Trove reports of the accident and death.

But I cannot find any document or reference for either of them(if there are 2) for the period 1843-1854, which would provide a documentary link.

So I'll just have to keep looking and hoping!
Sandra whose spectacled aura is not of any help at the moment.