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Thread: Smith/Wedlake

  1. #1
    Quentin
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    Default Smith/Wedlake

    Hi - am stuck at a point and can't link back further without proof. GtGt Grandparents George Smith (groan) and Mary Ann (shows as Marianne) Wedlake were married 5 March 1852 at St James Church Melbourne, Vic. I have the copy cert. It was apparently one year before parents names were required. They had 4 children that I know of, Sarah 1853, William 1855, Mary Oliver 1857, Joseph 1859. Sometime after 1859 and prior to 1864 they crossed the Tasman as the next child I have found is Charlotte, born NZ 1864. But more importantly, I cannot discover when George and Mary Ann arrived in Victoria - don't know if they travelled together, or with their families. The info I have collected is that they originated in Tower Hamlets, two people fitting with info were christened at St Dunstans, Stepney, George apparently born 1827, and Mary Ann 1835. In NZ George's occupation says "Miner" and I suspect he may have come to Vic for the gold rush, as there was family 'story' backing this up. Can anyone point me in the right direction to search for arrival/date/ship to Aust. Thank you. Quentin

  2. #2
    Procat
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    Hi Quentin. Vic PRO has the index to immigration online here.

  3. #3
    Quentin
    Guest

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    Hi Procat - for some reason I can't see the reply made to you so will try again! Thank you for your advice, however I have looked on that site many times but nothing gels. I have no ship name for a start, either from the UK or to NZ. I can't find a group of people travelling to NZ, with or without George. The children would surely have been with their mother, but any child of the same name doesn't fit with the ages. Perhaps I'm using the site incorrectly? Even to find just when George and Mary Ann arrived from UK and whether they came with their families at different times and only met in Australia would be progress. I do thank you for responding. Cheers, Quentin

  4. #4
    Procat
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    Hi Quentin,

    You probably are using the site correctly - some people just don't want to be found. My great great grandfather swam to Australia I can assure you. If they did arrive in Victoria (rather than land elsewhere then travel overland) I wonder if George and Mary came as unassisted - I know that as a percentage of arrivals the numbers are small but it is possible. The online indexes for that only start in 1852 and presumably they would both have been here before then.

  5. #5
    Quentin
    Guest

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    Yes, perhaps they also swam! There is an odd thing though - I understand that both George and Mary Ann were born in Tower Hamlets, christened at St Dunstan's Stepney. What are the odds of them both ending up in Melbourne and being married there in March 1852? I am suspicious that they may have travelled together and then married when they got here - if the date of birth is correct, then Mary Ann was only 17, so perhaps no parents to stop them. Cheers, Quentin

  6. #6
    Loves to help with queries
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
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    Can you name the witnesses on the marriage certificate please?

    Why is there no son named George...after father?

    Mary Oliver...did she keep that name in later life?

    It might have been meant to be Olivia, but if it stays as Oliver it might be a family name, suggesting maybe grandmother's maiden name?

    Do you have a death certificates for George and Mary?

    The Victoria birth record for William, 1855, and later children will have provision for parents ages and birthplace.....probably just England, but you be lucky and get something more specific.

  7. #7
    Loves to help with queries
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
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    This looks promising -

    Departures Launceston to Melbourne "City of Melbourne"
    11 Oct 1851 George Smith ..conditional Pardon..arr. "Bangalore" from Bermuda
    31 Oct 1851 M A Wedlake ...free..arr. "Hannah"

    Also George Smith...seaman..."City of Melbourne"...same voyage, plus several voyages 1851...1852.

    I think you need to see a birth certificate for William, b. 1855, which would give age and fathers occupation to see if George Smith "Bermuda" is the nam who marries M A Wedlake,

    Convict records George Smith #20827 CON33 image 163 of 207
    23yrs..tried Coventry 15 Sep 1845 7yr sentence..arr. "Bangalore" Hobart 11 Apr 1848
    Tile Cutter. offence stealing ribbon from Rowbottom.

    Convict record CON14 images 72 and 73 of 216
    single, cannot read or write, C of E, father ...could be Joseph, mother Phoebe...brothers Thomas, Elijah, John...another name that might be Theophilia.

  8. #8
    Procat
    Guest

    Default

    Well found Bess. That looks very promising.

  9. #9
    Quentin
    Guest

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    Hi Bess - thank you for your reply. The witnesses on the marriage cert. are not easy to read, but looks like "Josiah Gettins of Melbourne and Eliza Gettins of Melbourne". Also, George and Mary Ann have signed their own names. They did have a son named George but he was born after they moved to New Zealand. Yes, Mary Oliver Smith, (she became Mrs Walter Hedgman in NZ) kept her name, and if Mary Ann is the daughter of the people in Tower Hamlets that I believe she is, then her mother was Maria Oliver who married John Wedlake/Widlake. This has always been my only clue - the "Oliver" in Mary. I have always puzzled how such a young girl would travel to Australia on her own - and for what reason.
    I have not yet obtained death certs for George and Mary Ann, but I understand a relative is in the process of obtaining them at this moment. I thank you for the good advice to obtain a birth record for William - I will do that. Many thanks, Quentin

  10. #10
    Quentin
    Guest

    Default

    Hi Bess, further to my last message, death certificates have been obtained and there is a real red herring. According to the info on these certificates George Smith is shown to have been born in London (as I thought) father is William and mother is Susan! However I have always thought that William was married to an Ann Atkins. Perhaps a second marriage? Mary Ann Wedlake was also born in London, father John Wedlake and mother Mary Ann Elliott. I've had no luck whatsoever in finding John Wedlake married to Mary Ann Elliott - I seem to go around and around in circles with this family - nothing concrete. However this site is such an amazing resource - I know eventually there will be a clue to help untangle the puzzle.
    Thank you and kind regards. Quentin

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