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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Australia Lookups completed => Topic started by: lindagene on Wednesday 19 January 05 22:03 GMT (UK)
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??? ???
Thanks to genni I managed to find that Offord did indeed go to Australia, he got married there in 1890.
My problem now is finding out when he left the UK.
I know that he was in the UK in 1883, but how and why and when he left I am in the dark about. Most of the sites that give the lists of passengers and crew and those who skipped ship do not seem to go up to the dates I am looking at.
If it is of any help. Offord's wife, (I am not sure if Offord was with her or not) lived at South Beach, Broome, WA in 1916.
If anyone can point me to an immigration site that may give me the data I am looking for I would appreciate it.
Lindy
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Hi Lindy
The following link is for the Western Australian Genealogical Society - it may be of some help to you.
http://www.wags.org.au
Also the following children were born to Offord Ernest Baker & Georgina Blake in WA. (I only have access to indexes 1841 to 1905.)
Bessie May Baker born: 1896 Fremantle Reg no. 542
Terence Baker born: 1898 Fremantle Reg no. 1359
Terence like his brother Ronald served in WWW1, his papers state that Offord was deceased when he enlisted in March 1916.
So it appears the family moved from Victoria to Western Australia between 1894 and 1896.
If you could locate his death certificate it may tell how long he was living in Australia and in which states, so you could narrow your search period down. Immigration didn't begin until the 1920's so unfortunately no permits were needed to come to Australia.
Cheers
Genni
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:D
Gennig you are a star, I will follow that up pronto, well as soon as I have a little more time! and will let you know how I go on.
Lindy
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Hi Lindy,
Offord Ernest Baker from Essex was my Grandfathers Uncle, I too have had a great deal difficulty finding information on him. My Grandfather told stories about him over the dinner table, If these stories are true then he was an interesting man.
With a name like Offord you would think he would be easy to locate as there are so few of them. Offord was a name given to at least one boy of each generation in the Baker family and this tradition still goes on today with my brother giving the name to his first born son.
Have you found any information about him being in the Navy?
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Hello Laurakim,
Welcome to RootsChat. :)
If you click on Lindagene's username, you'll see her profile and notice that she hasn't been online for over two years. However, hopefully she has email notifications ticked for any postings on her threads, so will then check in to read your message.
If you post twice more on this thread, you'll then be also able to use the personal message system to send her a personal message.
Good luck!
Dee :)
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Thank you for that information, I have no idea how this works I only joined this site an hour ago. lol
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It's a wonderful site, and Rootschatters do their best to help others with their family history searches and challenges.
The Personal Message system is essential for things like exchanging email addresses, as posting them threads is banned because of scammers.
Dee :)
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I don't have access to Ancestry Worldwide..perhaps someone else can help...but it looks as though Offord E Baker arrived in Sydney, NSW in 1889 (unassisted passenger). Dazey
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Laurakim, have you searched Trove Newspapers for mentions of Offord Ernest Baker?
There are several mentions of him in articles, including this one.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0k3t/
Dee :)
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Do you have Offord's death?
Offord Ernest BAKER died in 1949 in Petersham, NSW.
Parents = John and Elizabeth.
Ref = 8185 /1949
Dee :)
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Oh wow!!! thank you thats very useful.
Laura
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Hi
There is a naval service record for an Ernest WILLIAM Offord, born Wathamstow 27 February 1877, available on the National Archives website, could this be your man?
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=6968643&queryType=1&resultcount=37
Martin
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No I didnt have his death date or his marriage or very much at all. finding his birth was hard as somebody had transcribed his name wrongly. I complained and had it corrected tho. lol
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Thanks Martin, This one is not my guy, he was born in Feb and in Essex south minister Maldon. But thanks anyway.
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Laurakim, have you seen Lindagene's other thread on Offord Ernest BAKER?
Dee :)
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Never heard of Trove What is it? . You have definately got right person his parents were John and Elizabeth Ann ( formerly Clarke) pf Tollesbury.
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NO How do I find that, Sorry I am still learning about this site.
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Trove newspapers is the National Library of Australia's wonderful website for the collection of digitised newspapers that they are putting together. It is totally free to search and save articles of interest.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper
Choose advanced search and enter Offord Ernest Baker in the phrase. You can alkso get results for his son by entering Offord Baker.
I haven't tried any other variations at this stage.
Dee :)
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NO How do I find that, Sorry I am still learning about this site.
You are on a fast learning curve, Laurakim, and we're happy to help. ;)
Just click on this link and it will take you to another of Linda's threads.
Dee :)
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Now, thanks to Dazey999's pointer, I've found Offord's arrival in Australia.
Offord E Baker aged 21 departed from London on the Garonne and arrived in Sydney, NSW on 25th July, 1889.
He was a crew member.
Dee :)
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Blimey!!! I have found two mentions of him in TRove How exciting.... Thank you so Much!!!!
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You're welcome! :)
If Linda comes back, she'll possibly have more information as well. :)
Here he is in the Electoral Rolls.....which poses the question as to what happened with wife Georgina.......
1930, 1933
Balgowlah New South Wales
Parthena Woodland St
Offord Ernest Baker Master mariner
Elizabeth Ann Baker Home Duties
1936,1937
Manly, NSW
Ocean Road
Offord Ernest Baker Master mariner
Elizabeth Ann Baker Home Duties
1943
Springwood, NSW
Silverdale, Sassafras Park Road
Offord Ernest Baker No occupation
Elizabeth Ann Baker Home Duties
1949
Marrickville, NSW
8 Sadlier Crescent
Offord Ernest Baker No occupation
Elizabeth Ann Baker Home Duties
Way past my bedtime.
Hopefully Linda will get in contact on the thread or by PM. (Personal Message.)
Enjoy!
Dee :)
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Thank You so Much for your Help.
You're right, It is a fast learning curve I am on.
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Laurakim
I have not looked at Rootschat for so long, could not believe it when I came across you.
I have found out quite a lot about Offord, who was my father's grandmother's brother. Very complicated, but, William Baker who came from Diss in Norfolk, married Maria Offord of Little Stambridge, they had a number of children of whom John Joseph Baker was one, John Joseph married Elizabeth Ann Clark, they had seven children, one of whom was Offord, and another was Maria Elizabeth who married William John Payne who was my father's Grandfather.
I now know that Offord, who went to Australia by working his passage, stayed there to marry and produce three children, one, Bessie I think died as a child, the other two, Terrance and Ronald Offord both fought and survived the first world war. Ronald married at some time as he re-enlisted in the second world war and put his daughter Evelyn June Baker as his next of kin.
Offord worked as a police constable in Broome Western Australia....this I guess is where the stories of him being a pearl diver came from, he did send home a string of pearls for my Grandmother according to my father! but he resigned from the police in 1907. The last electoral roll for Western Australia however, in 1909 still shows him as a constable. The next roll 1913-1917 shows no Offord, but shows his wife Georgina Baker, and, a George Baker...heaven only knows who this is. Georgina remarries in 1918 but I have never found any documents for a divorce. But,
Offord returns to the UK in 1924 aboard the 'Jervis Bay' with a new wife Mary Alice, they head for London Road Grays Essex which is where the Payne family live. They are shown as going to journey on to "other parts of the British Empire" but I have never found out where. I do know that this explains how he was able to sign off his indentures for his Watermen and Lightermen time, I think that he had the longest apprentiship in living memory.
I would be fascinated to hear about the stories your Grandfather told, and to find out just who was your Grandfather.
Look forwards to hearing from you,
Linda
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Great result that you are now both in contact!
With every good wish......
Dee :)
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yes Thank you. Linda has told me loads I didn't know and I have learnt alot from Trove too. This is so exciting and a little disappointing as I am finding some of the family stories are far from true. Still have lots to discover tho. Me thinks I am going to be a regular on this site :D Thanks again. Laura
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Hi
I own a house originally owned by Offord in Broome which he bought in 1905.
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Hi
I own a house originally owned by Offord in Broome which he bought in 1905.
Wow! that's amazing I am surprised it's still standing.... Not sure where Broome is though. Any additional information would be fantastic.
Thanks Laura
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Are you related to him? Broome is an historic.town on the NW coast of Western Australia with a very colorful past. Was he some sort of seafarer?
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Georgina Abel Baker (nee Blake) was my Great Grandfather's sister. She was born in 1871 near Aberdeen Scotland. She arrived in Victoria with her family in 1881. They has supposedly spent some time in west Australia before this, but I think this is a furphy because the ship they came on first stopped at Adelaide on its way from England.
I have her marrying Offord Ernest Baker in 1890 in Victoria. They must have moved soon after to Fremantle in West Australia and from there to Broome. I imagine it would have been a pretty tough life for a white woman in Broome at that time.
Like others I have found no record about a divorce or death of Offord; I found she married Thomas Harrington in Broome in 1918 and she died in 1920 in Broome.
I have assumed Offord shot through and abandoned Georgina.
would love to hear more stories and find out where that house is in Broome.
Pat
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Try here
http://www.broomemuseum.org.au/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broome
Broome was/is the pearling capital of WA.
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Posted the following in chronological order. May possibly answer some questions for someone :D
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72369776
The Enquirer and Commercial News, Perth 20 Mar 1896
………….Captain John Owen, marine superintendent for the Adelaide Steamship Company, Limited, and Offord Ernest Baker, water police constable, gave evidence similar to that published in Monday’s Herald. ………
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66535763
The Enquirer and Commercial News, Perth 27 Nov 1896
Police Changes.
In the Steamer Albany, which left Fremantle for the North-West last night, Water-police Constable Offord Ernest Baker, who has done excellent work at the Port since he joined the police force, left for Shark’s Bay, where he is to take charge of the Water-police station in the place of Constable Hopkins, who, it is understood, has been promoted.
Australian Electoral Roll
Western Australia 1905
BAKER Georgina Abel Broome HD
BAKER Offord Ernest Constable Broome
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article25374155
The West Australian 13 Feb 1905
…………………Offord Ernest Baker, Lightkeeper, Broome. Are you the Acting Harbour-master? --I am the lightkeeper. Do you act on behalf of the Harbour master?-Yes. Are you gazetted as such ?-Not that I am aware of…………………
Second Marriage in NSW
9092/1917
BAKER Offord E
LEE Mary A
District Hamilton
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137503579
Newcastle Morning Herald 29 Mar 1926
Offord Ernest Baker, 53, master mariner, for whom Mr. H. L. O'Neill' appeared, pleaded not guilty to a charge of having made use of improper language within hearing of persons in M'Cormack-street on the previous night. Evidence was given by Constable Lardner and two other witnesses. Defendant gave evidence denying using the words alleged, and corroborative evidence was given by his wife. Defendant was convicted, and fined £3, in default a month's imprisonment. Discharged.
Probate Packet at NSW Records for Mary Alice BAKER
http://investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/Entity.aspx?Path=\Item\164230
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16467999
Sydney Morning Herald 29 May 1928
Probate Jurisdiction
In the Will of MARY ALICE BAKER late of Wickham in the State of New South Wales Married Woman deceased. Application will be made after fourteen days from the publication hereof that Probate of the Will of the abovenamed deceased may be granted to OFFORD ERNEST BAKER the Executor named in the Will of the said deceased, and all persons having any claims against the said Estate are required to forward particulars thereof to the undersigned within the said period. And all Notices may be served at the undermentioned address.
CHURCH and YOULL, Proctors for the Executor, 20 Hunter Street, Newcastle.
Agents THOMPSON and NOTT, 376 George street.
3rd Marriage in NSW
14158/1928
BAKER Offord E
REESE Elizabeth A
District Manly
Australian Electoral Roll
NSW 1930, 1933
BAKER Elizabeth Ann Parthena, Woodland Street, Balgowlah HD
BAKER Offord Ernest Parthena, Woodland Street, Balgowlah Master Mariner
1936, 1937
BAKER Elizabeth Ann 4 Ocean Road, Manly HD
BAKER Offord Ernest 4 Ocean Road, Manly Master Mariner
1943
BAKER Elizabeth Ann Silverdale, Sassafras Park Road, Springwood HD
BAKER Offord Ernest Silverdale, Sassafras Park Road, Springwood No occupation
1949
BAKER Elizabeth Ann 8 Sadlier Crescent, Petersham HD
BAKER Offord Ernest 8 Sadlier Crescent, Petersham No occupation
Nepean Times 7 Jul 1949
OBITUARY.
Mr. O. E. Baker.
Captain Offord Ernest Baker, late of Manly and Sprlngwood, passed away, at Petersham on June 20, at the age of 81 years. Deceased leaves a Wife, Elizabeth Ann.
The remains were privately cremated at Rookwood on June 30.
Deaths
8185/1949
BAKER Offord Ernest
Father John Mother Elizabeth
District Petersham
30150/1955
BAKER Elizabeth Ann
Father Joshua Mother Maria
District Petersham
Cando