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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Australia Lookups completed => Topic started by: DelB on Sunday 03 October 04 02:57 BST (UK)
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I have just discovered this list - hope someone may have some ideas for further searches for me. My grandfather John Wilkinson Barker b. 1855, married in Charters Towers in 1900 but I have been unable to find his arrival in Australia. His death certificate does not show his length of time in Aust. - maybe he was a stow-a-way? Would there have been any other way he could have arrived in Aust.? Both his parents were dead by 1872 so the family has assumed he came to Australia soon after. We found one John Barker aged 19 arriving in Sydney in 1874 but the records show Cambridgeshire and he was from Yorkshire. Are these records accurate?
Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks, Del
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Censuses in the UK are taken every 10 years,have you tried an appeal to see if he was here in 1861 and 71?
What were his parents names- or brothers and sisters?
And where exactly in Yorkshire did he come from?
Also his exact DOB would be handy.
Not promising anything but maybe I(or someone ;)) could find out when he disappeared from the UK records.
Carol
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Del
I'm not sure what record you found - but if it is a scan of an original shipping list, the information would have been provided by the immigrant, so it would be accurate to the extend of his own knowledge. If it is a transcription, there can be transcription errors. I live in Qld & occasionally visit the archives, so will add your name to my list of people to check. I haven't had alot of luck with the Qld shipping lists but live in hope - I probably need to improve my search skills. If you can narrow the date range as suggested by Carol, this would no doubt help the search. (If you live in Brisbane, you could try the archives yourself - They have a large shipping index )
Trish
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Hi Del
I found found a John W Barker arriving in Brisbane Oz on November 10 1883 he was aged 25 and was a passenger on the Kincardineshire.
??? any good??
cheers
Janet :)
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Hi Janet
Did u find that on-line or at the archives? I am still looking for a few unassisted arrivals to Queensland so any search suggestions would be appreciated.
Trish
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Hi Trish
I volunteer at my local LDS family history centre at Redcliffe and they have index books for the info held at the archives. It just gives the name age and arrival date in Oz.
If you would like to send me a message with the details I will see what I can find for you.
Cheers
Janet :)
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Hi Del
You never answered my earlier question of the 7th October.
Where exactly was he born in Yorkshire,what date,and do you have any other useful info about his family.parents brothers and sisters names etc.
All will help to follow him through over here and give us a pretty good clue as to when he left England.
Waiting for your reply to get going on yet another mystery, ;)
Carol
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Sorry everyone, I didn't mean to be rude but a storm took out my computer! Back to catching up now.
Thanks for all those replies.
These are the details for John Wilkinson Barker I have so far.
1881 census then aged 26 - a few which 'could' be John W., one in Skipton, another with a mother 'Margaret' I have ruled out. Impossible to prove.
1871 census - then aged 16 - unable to find. His father Abel had remarried and is living in Town St. Armley with new wife Martha and her two children. His sister Mary is living with John Wilkinson also in Town St. Armley.
1861 census - then aged 6 -living inFar Fold with father Abel, Mother Ellen, sister Mary.
John was born 29 Sept 1855, Bramley, Wortley, father Abel Barker, Mother Ellen (Wilkinson).
On his death certificate, which should show how long he had been in Australia - blank! He would never talk of his early years in Australia.
He married in 1900 in Charters Towers, Sarah Binns. I have found Mining Leases in the name of John Barker, presumably his as his occupation on his marriage certificate is 'cyanider'.
Thanks again for all those replies. Hope this helps. Really appreciate your interest.
Cheers, Del
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Hi Janet,
My sister had found the John W. Barker you found on the Kincardinshire and when we checked it further found he had a wife Ellen who died enroute and a son Arthur. His birthdate is 1858 but I'm sure mistakes were made and it doesn't rule it out. If it is our John W. we certainly didn't know he had another wife and we are trying to follow this through as well!
Just like a detective novel isn't it!
Thanks for your help.
DelB
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Hi Del
I went to the archives today & had a few wins - (but more losses). There were 8 references I found to John Barkers in the immigrants index - including one only John W - who is probably the one you have been checking. I checked two that referenced the paper files, but then realised they were 1860s and too early for your John. I ran out of time to look at any of the others - on film. Let me know if you would like me to check them in the future. On the index is simply the name and a reference to the file number - sometimes you get an age but usually not - which is annoying. The paper files are very quick to check - the films take a little longer.
Trish
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Hi Trish,
Many thanks for taking the time to do that for me. If there are no ages on record it's a bit of a lost cause so don't spend any more time on it. I'll pursue the English end and continue checking the census reports to see if I can track him down that way and at least find out when he was in England. As I haven't found him in the 1871 census although I have found the rest of the family it is possible he left as a 16 year old, or soon after. Interestingly, he always had with him his mother and father's photographs and the front page of the family bible with his grandparents family listed,and I would have thought his sister Mary would have kept those in England!
Thanks again for your help. Much appreciated.
DelB
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Hi Del
The ages are usually on the films - it's simply the index that omits them. If you find an approx year of travel and/or ship let me know. I'm happy to check the films - just rather slow. It's rather a shame we don't seem to have too many family bibles with children listed any more (the last one in my family belonged to my grandmother). They have been much help to my family searches.
Trish
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Hi again Trish,
Pauline very kindly doing look-ups for the 1871 census found a WILKINSON BARKER aged 19 in the Cavalry Barracks, Leeds and wondered if he had put his age up.
A little research has shown that they paid 1 Guinea to join up so I guess that is a possibility. He was certainly feisty enough to make his way to Australia and the Gold Mines here! The question is when?!
If you come across any Wilkinson Barkers on the ships lists it is a combination I hadn't thought of although I searched for John Wilkinson and found one in the 1871 census living with J.W.B.'s mother's cousin, Abraham in the same street as J.W.B.'s father. I can't find a son for Abraham of that name as yet so it is possible John was still in England in 1871.
More mysteries to pursue. Thanks again,
Del
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Hi Trish,
After a break away, I have found more information about John Wilkinson Barker.
In the 1871 census he is 16 and living in Rastrick with his Uncle John Barker. Still unable to determine whether he is still in England for the 1881 census as all the data is too vague.
We have just returned from a trip to the U.K. (among other places) and actually got to visit Rastrick and take some photos of Toft's Grove where he lived.
A friend who was at the Qld. archives found a J.W.Barker arriving in 1880, age 25, but didn't investigate it further.
This would make the age right (born 1855).
I wonder if you have some spare time could you look this one up for me please. Sorry I don't have more information to help.
Hope you have had some successes for yourself!
Cheers,
DelB
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Hello Del
I just hit the wrong button & lost all of my reply. This about sums up 2005 for me - it has been a ghastly year.
Meanwhile, my apologies that I didn't get back to the archives & follow up your man. We will be away in January, but I will plan a day there as soon as we return & John will be at the front of the queue.
You trip to UK sounded fabulous.
Wishing you a very happy Christmas
:) :) :) :)
Trish
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Thanks Trish, and a very happy Christmas and New Year to you too.
Cheers,
Del
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Message for DelB - by a miracle, I have photographs of John Wilkinson Barker, his wife Sarah Binns and their son ... presumably Tom.
In addition, I have photos of John's sister Mary (and William Mawson), and John's cousin Martha. Martha married one of my relatives, Fountaine Shaw.
You might, of course, have all these photos. But if not, I'm very happy to share.
Very exciting to find that John was an early gold miner!
Jan
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Hi Jan, welcome to Rootschat :D
According to his profile DelB hasn't been on Rootschat for about a year, he should get a notification of your post on this thread and hopefully get in touch soon.
Jool
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Jan if you would like any headstone photos from Charters Towers just let me know :)
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Hi Jan,
So excited to hear from you and know you have those wonderful photos! I have never seen a photo of John Wilkinson Barker's sister Mary.
I have contacted you on your e-mail address.
Thank you Rootschat!
DelB
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Jan - you may need to make one more post, just reply on this thread, to be able to message Del back. If you give an email address, then it will be easier to share information (you may have already been given an email address, but if not, I don't want a situation where you can't reply to Del's message).