MILNE/MYLNE family of Little Munden

[deeree]

An ancestor Alexander MILNE went to Australia in 1844. If that detail on his death certificate is correct he would have been 11 years old. It would be unusual for a child of that age to travel alone and none of his family accompanied him. I have investigated the SNELL CHAUNCEY family (local gentry), in case one of them took him as a servant, and although some went to Australia, they did not travel in 1844 or thereabouts. The transportation of convicts had largely stopped by then, and he is not among the records. Alexander had 2 sisters, Eliza & Harriet, and 2 brothers, John & George who were all in Little Munden in 1851. Is anyone else tracing this family? Can anyone suggest a strategy I could use to find out exactly when and how Alexander emigrated to Australia. Please.

[ChristineR]

Was the age given on his death consistent with ages given for him at the time of his marriage and on the birth certificates of his children?
If his age is wrong, then the date of his arrival will be wrong too.

[deeree]

Hello Christine,

Thanks for your thoughts. Alexander married in January 1871 and gave his age as 35. He died in May 1888 and his death certificate said he was 56. The Alexander from Little Munden was baptised in September 1833.
There is definitely a discrepancy between the age he gave when he married and the age on his death certificate. I have always suspected that he lied about his age when he married by pretending to be younger, but perhaps came clean later. His bride was only 17.
His mother in law certified his death (his wife pre- deceased him), and said that he'd been in Victoria for 44 years.
I'm guessing that Alexander and his wife were close to his parents in law, as both men were employed by the ARMYTAGE's at Balmoral and Dunkeld, and lived on the properties. So I hope that the MIL knew the details of his arrival in Australia. I have not found any information about Alexander in Australia prior to his marriage in 1871.

[ChristineR]

Alexander married in January 1871 and gave his age as 35. He died in May 1888 and his death certificate said he was 56. The Alexander from Little Munden was baptised in September 1833.

I checked the Pioneers index to see what it said - did you mean 46 years old at death? Are you able to doublecheck the age actually given on the certificate?

[deeree]

Hello Christine,

I apologise, I have a dyslexic keyboard. I've checked the death certificate and I should have typed 53 years for his death age. It seems that none of the dates tie up properly. I'm hoping that there's something helpful on the Pioneers index. Thanks, Desley

[ChristineR]

I was looking at the first BDM index cd for Victoria - I was looking at the wrong Alexander obviously - yours must be the one with age as D (which I thought meant a day old), registered Horsham, as was his wife, so they had left the Dunkeld area. The birth of the last two children were also registered there. The mother-in-law may have come to live with, or near, him to help look after the six children when her daughter died.

Can you tell me the names of Alexander's parents? mum's maiden name?
I will see if I can identify any of his siblings who may also have emigrated.

[deeree]

Hello Christine,
Alexander's parents were Alexander MILNE and Mary DOVEY. Alexander's father worked for the SNELL CHAUNCEY family at Dane End House as their gardener. He had a cottage near the estate which I suppose was tied to his employment. Father Alexander died of typhoid in 1852 and the rest of the family disappeared from Little Munden after that. Family tales say that Alexander was a convict, but I haven't found any evidence of that being the case. I've wondered if he was a poacher or in some way was sent away under a cloud. The mother in law died the year after Alexander and the children were taken in by a George Shearwood. Thankyou, Desley