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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: alli_burnie on Monday 29 March 10 10:41 BST (UK)
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Hi all,
My gg grandmother was named Ethel Allison. She was born in 1870 in Victoria, to Henry Allison and Mary Anne Parkinson.
Henry Allison and Mary Anne Parkinson married in Victoria in 1864.
But as the Victorian BDMs online registry doesnt start until 1853, I can't identify their births. I haven't found anything in the NLA newspaper database for their marriage either - which might have provided some information I thought.
Besides buying the marriage certificate - does anyone know of any other way to find this information?
Thanks for any advice!
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No other option than to buy the certificate because if they were born overseas you are wasting time searching in Australia.
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Hi
I have checked the indexs, the marriage gives no indictaion of birth place, the earliest birth for a Mary Ann PARKINSON is 1861
and Henry ALLISON
there is a Willam Henry ALLISON birth in 1856
a George Henry b 1858
and a Henry in 1859
All to late for your man i think
Daizi
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Well - I bought the marriage certificate.
It states that Henry Allison was born in London, circa 1835 to Thomas Allison and Mary Davis/Davies/Davids (hard to make out).
Thomas is listed as an upholsterer, Henry an undertaker.
I found something about Thomas, and who I believe is another son of his called John, here:
http://www.monkhouse.com.au/auhistory
So it seems Thomas might have been born in Liverpool in 1806, and moved to Camberwell in London as an undertaker, cabinet-maker and blind-maker. This explains why Henry would list his birth in London too.
I think Henry came to Melbourne, Australia in 1854, on the Bulgersteyn. Aged 19 and on his own.
It may be his brother John, born 1944, followed Henry out here in 1862, on the Sussex, aged 18. Again, on his own.
I have found the families of these men in the Victorian BDMs - which is great. I even found Henry's will online.
Meanwhile, I think Thomas died in Camberwell in 1884.
However, I cant find any trace of Thomas, Henry or John in the UK - nor their mother Mary Davis - from the early years of the family. So I have no documentary evidence that the Thomas and John found at the link are related to Henry. And I can't find any trace of Henry in the UK. Its very strange - does anyone know of anything I havn't tried?
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Hi there,
Have you checked for baptisms at St Peter, Walworth, Southwark, (London Metropolitan Archives), for 1835 for Henry, son of Thomas & Mary Allison of Portland Terrace, he a cabinet maker ? I think the birth date for that Henry (its hard to decipher, sorry I cannot confirm day or month) would be 1835, and as the baptism was in March 1835, that would indicate birth in Jan or Feb .
Cheers, JM
Edit to Add to this post after Judith's tip re IGI , so birth date is 10 February 1835, ie before civil registrations.
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Wow - thanks JM!
I didnt know these were searchable online. Can you tell me where?
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I assume you have seen this family on the 1851 census, living at Alfred Place, St George sub-district, Camberwell (Lambeth)
Thomas Allison 45 cabinet maker and undertaker b Liverpool
Mary Allison 45 b Brentford, Middlesex
Mary Allison 20 b Spitalfields
Edward W Allison 18 clerk to tea dealer, b Spitalfields
Henry Allison 16 office boy, b Newington, Surrey
James Allison 13 b Camberwell
Josheph Allison 8 b Camberwell
John Allison 6 b Camberwell
Edit to add - the baptism found by JM is listed on IGI
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true
Judith
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Well found Judith ;D
Hope that helps .... lots of boys ;)
Cheers, JM
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Judith - no I hadnt seen that! And it was exactly what I was looking for. I was searching the FreeCEN site - but I couldnt get that to come up. I was also certain they must appear in the 1841 census too - but no luck either.
Thank you so much - it explains some things in Henry's will. He leaves his brother John's wife, Sarah, and his brother Edward William to deal with all of his property etc. I couldnt work out who Edward William was (he must have come to Australia too!). None of his children were left to deal with his arrangements - although Henry did have some horrid luck with deaths of children and wives...
Its good to see a record of the family as a whole - I was so curious about Henry's brothers and sisters.
I wonder what inspired them all to come out to Australia, one by one.
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IGI also has this birth:
THOS. ALLISON
Born 31 JAN 1806, baptised 16 FEB 1806 at St Johns Old Haymarket, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Parents: THOS. ALLISON and Mary.
This is an extracted entry which means it has been taken from local rcords so is reasonably reliable.
Judith
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Have added the street to the census entry - sorry forgot it! J
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And here they are in 1841, at Southampton St, Borough of Lambeth, Parish of Camberwell
Thomas Allison 35 cabinet maker
Mary Allison 35
Thomas Allison 12
Mary Allison 10
Edward Allison 8
Henry Allison 6
James Allison 3
Judith
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Well - all I can say is that this information wasnt in the FreeBDMs or FreeCEN online! The vollies must not have made it that far yet!
Thank you so much - I've spent all day looking for this information.
Its helped me get back 8 generations - which was my goal - so I'm very happy!
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One of the most interesting aspects about Henry Allison was a statement that he entered on his wedding certificate with Mary Ann Parkinson in 1864.
Henry first married Jane Howe in 1857. They had 3 children. Children Jane and Henry both died in 1859. Jane Howe died in September 1864 (yes, Henry married Mary Ann only a month after that!). On the certificate, Henry stated that there were no remaining children from his first marriage. This was not true. In 1861, he and Jane had had a son, Alfred Allison.
Alfred Allison only just outlived his father, dying in 1889 (Henry died in 1884) - it listed his biological parents on his death rego. Alfred would have only been 3 years old when his father remarried.
I wonder if there are any sources such as a census or other documentation which might help me work out if Alfred ever lived with his father and his new wife, Mary Ann? Was he adopted out or given up as an orphan (probably not, with biological parents listed at death)?
I've checked PROV briefly - with no results. I wonder if anyone has any ideas of other possible places to look?
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There is an entry in the Electoral roll of 1856:
Henry ALLISON, undertaker, 23 Howard St, Royal Park
Therre are notices in The Argus (NLA digitised newspapers) for the births of the children of Henry and Jane and the deaths of the two babies as well as Jane's death. Her notice is in three times - twice on 7 September 1864 - the first edition of the paper saying she died on the 5th and the second edition giving her death as the 6th - and again on the 24th September. She is described as 'dearly beloved wife' and apparently died at home which is where his undertaking business was carried on.
Interesting also - I see an Alfred Allison carried on the business at the same address (Victoria St West Melbourne) - where Henry and Jane had lived. So one assumes that he and his father were in close contact. I note Alfred's death notice (The Argus 19 March 1889) has no family names, just gives his address in Ascot Vale. Henry's death notice is the same - just gives an address: 196 William St West Melbourne.
Mary Ann had died in 1880, same address as the death of Henry.
Judith
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You have probably seen Alfred's will leaving his business to his business partner Walter Downing and all else to his wife Rachel. The will is dated 15 March 1889 so it looks as though he was aware of being close to death. :(
I note also on Henry's will that he had married a third time and that he was sending an annuity of 64pounds pa to his father.
Judith
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Jud,
Thnks for making these connections for me!
Yes, I had seen the newspaper articles regarding Henry and Sarah's children - so I was surprised to find Alfred's birth rego when I did a quick search. And I did have Henry and Alfred's wills.
However, I hadnt made the connection between the addresses of Henry and Jane's home and Alfred's business. I'd say that's pretty conclusive that Alfred and Henry had good contact. It just seems odd that Henry felt the need to lie on his wedding registration with Mary - god knows why - maybe some legal or financial reason - the Allison brother's seemed to be savvy businessmen!
And Henry had 3 wives! His third (I've just checked it up) was Sarah Jones, whom he married in 1881 - 4 years before his death, aged only 49. Not sure how old Sarah was, but they managed to have 3 kids in the years they had together.
So between 3 marriages, Henry had 13 children. Not a bad run!
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Hi out there all Allison followers,
It seems that Alfred left his business to Walter as there were n o children, He was married to a jewish lady, Rachael Mandelberg. She later remarried.
Walter married a sister of Rachale, Charlotte Mandelberg and 4 kids were produced.
I have only just come into this discussion, but a cousin is inteested in the Allison people.
Do I have it right, Henry was Alfred's father.
Thomas, born 1806, and a cabinet maker etc living in Surrey, Camberwell and so on was the father of Henry.
Who were all of Henry's children? Was there another Thomas? There are so many Allison undetakers at this time.
Was one of the children of Henry a John or James?
Interestingly, my cousin is form the Allison side....and related through my father.....I am also related to the Mandelberg side from my father;s side.
Looks like everyone came out here in the 1800's, it was a good way to make a lot of money and the young colony was literally a goldmine, with the gold rushes in 1851 in Ballarat and all the growth and industry to follow, and naturally population increase.
Any assistance on my queries appreciated, thanks Esther Kahn nee Woolf Melbourne Australia
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Hi Esther - great to hear from you!
My research has revealed that ALL the Allison undertakers around at that time were related. They consisted of a father (in London) and 6 brothers (mostly in Australia), and sons of the 5 brothers who ventured out to the colony as well.
Through research, I believe that:
Thomas Allison (born 1806, Liverpool) married Mary Davis (whom I’ve found nothing about). (Actually, I haven’t found their marriage registration yet… can anyone help?)
They had at least 7 children, including 6 boys:
1. Thomas Allison (b. cir. 1829)
2. Mary Allison (b. cir. 1831)
3. Edward William Allison (b. cir. 1833, d. 1887 in Australia)
4. Henry Allison (b. 1835, d. 1884 in Australia) (Henry is my 3g grandfather)
5. James Allison (b. cir. 1838, d. 1879 in Australia)
6. Joseph Allison (b. cir. 1843, d. 1886 in Australia)
7. John Allison (b. cir. 1844, d. 1921 in Australia)
I believe Edward William came to Australia in 1852 on board the Severn (age 20), Henry followed in 1854 on the Bulgersteyn (age 19). Both paid their own way. I haven’t been able to make out the passenger lists for the other brothers yet.
Henry, my 3g grandfather, is Alfred’s father. I know a fair bit about Henry and his his 3 families.
I’ve learnt some about Alfred, and I know about Rachel and her remarriage. Both very interesting people and lives! It seems Rachel was a lovely woman!
Please PM me (I believe you’ll have to make 1 or 2 more posts to be able to access that feature) or email me (profile page) if you would like.
A lot of the funeral companies in Melbourne today evolved from a business started by an Allison brother. There is a book in the Allison brothers, I’m sure of it.
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Actually, if you search on keywords 'Allison undertaker' in www.trove.nla.gov.au you will find some great photographs of Allison brothers and related sites and people.
It even has a photograph of Walter "William' Downing! I couldnt work out the brother-in-law mention in the caption, but now I do thanks to your post!
Thanks!
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Not much help, I'm afraid, but my database has 38 members of the Parkinson clan listed and is accessible at http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=SHOW&db=yt2&recno=528
Unfortunately there's no Mary Ann amongst them.
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I see that you have "Sone" Hants listed also as a surname interest. My great great grandparents were Charles Sone and Elizabeth Parkinson both from Hants. Have you any knowledge of them?
Thanks
Cheryl