WHITE,William

[warncoort]

Folks,
On William's 1859 marriage certificate in Victoria,Australia he is recorded as a 32 year old mariner,born Domar???,West Indies,son of William Possel White and Sarah? White.The section of the certificate showing parent's trade has been damaged and is unreadable.
William is a distant link(2nd husband of my gg grandmother) so any information will be useful.
Regards,
Eric

[janbooth]

Can you give us a few more details about William WHITE, please Eric. For example, whom did he marry and did he subsequently stay in Australia. The only likely marriage I can find on Trove Newspapers in 1859 is one to an Emma, youngest daughter of George BARTLETT but if William is the 2nd husband of your gg grandmother, perhaps this is unlikely to be his marriage.

Janet

[warncoort]

Janet,
He married Mary Ann Gibson(nee Blanks)b 1821 but there was no newspaper report.A cousin spent time as a child with Mary Ann's daughter who related information about the family etc,including Mary Ann's death in childbirth and burial in Geelong in 1860 though records can not be found.William states he was widowed in 1852 with 2 children,yet to find births which match or William after 1860.
While trawling through Trove i found a shipping agent in Melbourne trading as W P White and Co,this may be his father? leading to his birth in West Indies.
William looks to only have orphan researcher (Me) and a common name.
Eric

[Dundee10]

Hi Eric,

Do you not think that the surname is actually POSTLETHWAITE; a common enough surname, often misspelt. The birth of their son Walter William was registered in 1860 as POSTLEWHITE as was the death of Mary Ann, also in 1860, parents Thomas BLANKS and Sophia.

[warncoort]

Dundee,
Her parent's names match both my research and as shown on marriage certificate,William made his mark so not able to correct spelling.
Off to look some more.
Eric

[warncoort]

Folks,
All checks out including the death of her son,Walter William.My cousin will be delighted to know her memory wasn't slipping.
Thank you both,
Eric

[Debra Wilson]

Folks,
On William's 1859 marriage certificate in Victoria,Australia he is recorded as a 32 year old mariner,born Domar???,West Indies,son of William Possel White and Sarah? White.The section of the certificate showing parent's trade has been damaged and is unreadable.
William is a distant link(2nd husband of my gg grandmother) so any information will be useful.
Regards,
Eric

Hi...William Postlewhite was my great, great grandfather. I found this piece on the internet: Searching for John Postlethwaite wife Sarah and son William born in Demerara Brit Guiana circa 1813. John may have been in Argentina before this in 1810. He was a planter at the time of William's birth, but also described as a trader. Had returned to Liverpool by 1841 Census described then as a marine dealer/ trader. William also went to Liverpool, where he married Elizabeth Johnson in 1842, they had two daughters,Louisa and Emily and had come to Melbourne Australia by 1852. In particular, I am looking for connections and information about John.
http://www.cousinconnect.com/d/a/25763 Please contact me if you have any queries or information. I don't know much about William but have only today (11 Feb 2016) found out that Mary Ann Gibson (need Blanks) was his second wife. Cheers Debra

[Debra Wilson]

Have now found out that William Postlewhite married Matilda Mayhew in 1853 in Melbourne which means he was married at least three times.

[warncoort]

Obviously a ladies man!
I only have the two marriages in Victoria and the birth and death of his son,Walter.I note the baptisms of his daughters on Lan OPC,still to find the marriage.Any information earlier is appreciated.
Is the surname Postle(white) or (whaite)?
Eric

[Debra Wilson]

Hi Eric...thanks so much for replying. William was illiterate and therefore the spelling of his surname changes with every document you see. I'll start from the beginning. I have William's daughter's Wedding Certificate dated 1 January 1861 and her wedding was in Ballarat, Victoria. Her name was Emily White and she named William as her father and a mariner, Elizabeth M A Johnson as her mother, her birthplace as Liverpool on the certificate. William signed the Marriage Certificate with a X as he was illiterate. Last year I found that Cousin Connect piece I inserted earlier today about John and Sarah Postlewaite and how William was born in Demarara, British Guiana. After that, I couldn't find anything more about William; so last night I posted a help request on a Facebook Genealogy page I follow about William. I have received so much information about him. I was told William was born in 1820 and married Mary Elizabeth (the names have been swapped about) Johnson in Liverpool in 1840 - this ties up with what was in the Cousin Connect piece and Emily's marriage certificate. Then someone found the marriage information about William Postlewhite marrying Matilda Mayhew in 1853 - he's listed as a widower, mariner and both have 'signed' their names with crosses. Then it seems he married Mary Ann/Maryanne Gibson (nee Blanks) in 1859 as you've stated on this website. She died in childbirth on 30 May 1860 and was buried in the Geelong Eastern Cemetery on 1 June 1860. Their baby - Walter William - died three months later. I cannot find out when William died and it makes it difficult because his name changes. Someone has just found a naval record for him. Some of the writing's difficult to read but I think he was a mulatto/half caste which ties in with Emily being called half caste in a newspaper clipping. I have just tried to upload the naval record and don't know whether it's worked. Is there any way you can send me the document you refer to in your post on here? My email address is: sammi1957AThotmailDOTcom. I'd love to receive anything you've got and can advise you about William's daughters if you're interested. Great to hear from you. Debra
https://www.british-genealogy.com/extensions/uploads/c05a0f9a-cddd-4e31-b027-1de94edd30aa.png

[warncoort]

Debra,
Just trying to add all this to my tree.Records do seem a bit sparse.
Eric

[Debra Wilson]

Debra,
Just trying to add all this to my tree.Records do seem a bit sparse.
Eric

Hi Eric There's no document attached. Send it to my email address: sammi1957AThotmailDOTcom please. I have another document for you which is very interesting. Will swap with you when I get yours. By the way, what is the name of your relative who was married to William? Debra

[hannah77]

Hi, Eric,
William is my 3 x great grandfather. Was born in Demerara according to his marriage certs. When not sure.I am descended from his second daughter from his marriage to Elizabeth Johnson in Liverpool.She was supposed to have died in Melbourne in 1852, but no death recorded. Married Matilda Mayhew next, had two more daughters, before she left him for a miner. He then married May Ann Gibson who died 1969 and their baby son Walter soon after.When my grt grt grandmother died, 1869 cert. said he was in NZ. However can't find any records of him there. As he was a seaman he could have gone anywhere without it being recorded. He is a real mystery.

[Debra Wilson]

Hannah, I am one of William's great, great, great grandchildren. His daughter Emily's son Frederick is my mother's grandfather. I'm so excited that you're related to him through Louisa, Emily's sister. Louisa's children took care of Emily while she was very sick and she died in their home in Chapel Street, South Yarra. I found this out by looking through TROVE records. I have been wondering how to contact the Watterston family in the hope they could give me more information and possibly some photos as I have never seen any but I had no idea how to find them. William was indeed a mystery and it was only earlier this year that I started finding out about him through this website and by a genealogy page on Facebook. I have Emily, and her first husband's, wedding certificate and only knew that William was a mariner, had lived in Liverpool and was illiterate due to him signing the wedding certificate with an X. Is it at all possible you can email me a scan of his and Elizabeth's marriage certificate and any photographs of Louisa and Emily and their families as I have never seen what my gr, gr, gr grandmother looks like. My email address is: sammi1957AThotmailDOTcom. If you look through these posts, you will see that I have placed information about William including a document relating to his history in the Royal Navy. He was born in 1819/20. Please respond to me via the email address I have given you. I would love to hear from you. With warm regards, Debra Wilson.

[Dundee10]

......his marriage to Elizabeth Johnson in Liverpool.She was supposed to have died in Melbourne in 1852, but no death recorded.

This may be Elizabeth's burial:

Reg. Number 5722
Year 1853

POSTLETHWAITE, Elizabeth

Died MELBOURNE
Age 26

As a record of burial it won't have much information but could be checked to see if the date is before that of William's second marriage which was also in 1853.

[Debra Wilson]

Thanks for that, Dundee10. Elizabeth was apparently born in 1820; so if she died in 1852/1853, she would've been 32 or 33. William's second marriage - to Matilda Mayhew - is dated April 1853. He didn't waste time getting married again. He also doesn't seem to be a nice chap at all being charged, and sentenced, with horse stealing and TROVE articles tell of him being abusive with Matilda. Documents show that Matilda, and her children, were living with a police magistrate when William was in prison. I hope there wasn't anything suspicious about Elizabeth's death.