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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: Br1gau on Sunday 14 July 13 19:54 BST (UK)
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Hi,
I’ve come to a full stop tracing three out of five children of Hugh/Ewen Boyd who were born in Argyll, Scotland. Hugh’s first wife was Ann Cameron, she died about 1847 and in 1849 he married Mary Cameron. They had one child, also Hugh in 1850 showing in the 1851 Kilmallie, Argyll Scottish census. No sign of the parents in 1861 so presumably they both died before 1855 when civil registration of BMDs was introduced. The children were all in separate households in or near Kilmallie in 1861. No sign anywhere in Scotland after that.
These children were:
1. John Cameron Boyd, born 1832 Glasgow, married Elizabeth Boxhall Vic. died 1902 Talbot, Vic. A Civil Servant.
2. Ann Boyd born 1840 Argyll, thought (but not confirmed) to have emigrated aboard the ‘Atalanta’ in 1861.
3. Sarah McEachern Boyd b. 1842 Argyll, Scotland, also thought to have been aboard the ‘Atalanta’ in 1861; married Alexander H Corbet, an Accountant; died 1916; buried Ballarat Old Cemetery.
4. Alexander Boyd born 1845 Argyll, Scotland.
5. Hugh Boyd born 1850 Argyll, his mother was Mary Cameron.
With John & Sarah Boyd fairly well documented in Victoria I think it possible that their 3 siblings may also have gone there, can anyone please help me look, have tried PRO Vic for Wills and immigration records and BDM vic.gov for marriages and deaths and have now run out of ideas!
Regards,
brigau
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Hi. I've only had a chance for a quick search this morning, but PROV records confirm that there was an Ann Boyd age 20 and a Sarah Boyd aged 18 both from Scotland on the Atalanta in 1861 as Assisted Immigrants. You may have seen those records but just not have confirmed them as your Ann and Sarah.
An option I suggest is a bit hit and miss, but the National Library of Australia website TROVE has an archive of digitised newspapers. I have found it useful it tracking down ancestors, and it occasionally throws up information about other siblings - subject to verification, of course.
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Here's Sarah Corbet's death notices (in case you don't have them). Unfortunately no mention of siblings.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74512624
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2097908
cheers,
Ros
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Hi,
I don't know if you have any details from the Ballarat Old Cemetery, but this may be of help .
Burial Index.
CORBET, Alexander. Secretary. Aged 76. Date 18/2/1913.
Location B.2.1 3
CORBETT, Sarah McEachen. Widow. Aged 72. 26/6/1916
Location B.2.1 3
CORBETT, Louis Cameron. Aged 11weeks {EDIT to add omitted date} 31/12/1878
Location B.2.1 3
CORBETT, Blanche. Aged 2 hours. 24/2/1914
Location B.2.1 3
CORBETT,Olive Boyd. Aged 9 months. 7/6/1921
Location B.2.1 3
Monumental Inscription
CORBETT, Alexander Houlston. b. Edinburgh 1833. D. 1913. Husband of Sarah McEachen b. Glasgow 1846, d. 1916
Sue
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Thank you both for taking the time to look. Ann & Sarah on the Atalanta certainly fit but I didn't want to jump to a conclusion with that particular record simply because it's the only one. Didn't pick up from the transcription that they came from Scotland, though. Is there anyway to see the original manifest that may record more family details?
I also found the burials in Ballarat, Sue and a photograph of the headstone. There's also quite a bit on the Corbet family in the NLA Trove newspaper indexes, mostly family notices. John C Boyd is also accounted for so it's really just Ann, Alexander & Hugh I'm looking for.
Thanks again :)
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Is there anyway to see the original manifest that may record more family details?
I think the only way is to view the records at PROV or a library where the fiche are held.
The transcriptions at A******y sometimes contain a bit more than those of the PROV, and that is where I saw the Scotland reference.
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There is an Alex McKeller Boyd born "abt 1846" father Hugh died in West Melbourne in 1894 - Registration No 14335.
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Is there anyway to see the original manifest that may record more family details?
I think the only way is to view the records at PROV or a library where the fiche are held.
The transcriptions at A******y sometimes contain a bit more than those of the PROV, and that is where I saw the Scotland reference.
The fiche are also available at many family history/genealogy centres.
The transcriptions of the PROV passenger lists on Ancestry often detail the nationality but there are errors and not all passenger lists have been transcribed. As your people of interest were Assisted Passengers there hopefully will be more information on the fiche.
You have not completed your profile so a little difficult to suggest where to search the fiche.
Cheers
Cando
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Sorry Cando, should have said. I’m in the UK and not entirely knowledgeable about Australian records. I found the Atalanta passenger list on PRO Vic but don’t have a world wide subscription to A*y so the Scottish origin of Sarah & Ann included in their record is new to me. I believe that free passages to Australia were available to young women of marriageable age about this period in time.
Again, I did find the 1894 death record for Alex Mckeller Boyd (cost me all of 99 cents!) but on the Vic gov site the record doesn’t give any indication of a birth year, ‘abt 1846’ is a new fact, not that the name Mckeller means anything to me at this stage. Will look into him further if I can.
Thanks again,
brigau
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Just a note of appreciation to say thanks to all for the threads of information that has gone before
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Following from the death index entry found by neb_maat_re Reply #6
Not much help, but at least it means he's still in the running...........
PROV has a will for Alexander BOYD, of 521 Victoria St, West Melbourne, Railway guard, died 24 December 1894. Bequests to his wife, Sarah Jane and to his children - unfortunately not named except for the eldest, who is the executor of the estate: Hugh BOYD. There is no mention in the will of the name "McKeller", and his forename is listed as 'Alexander' rather than the 'Alex' on the death index entry. He signs his name as 'A Boyd'
As you have already found the death index entry states that he was aged 48 at his death which fits quite well with the birthdate you have given.
This is possibly the marriage for this man and Sarah Jane
Victoria 1873 # 2044
Alexander BOYD
Sarah Jane BURROWS
Someone with better resources may have a birthplace listed for this man.
I see 4 births to this couple - if it is your man none of the names except for Hugh seem to follow the usual Scottish naming pattern which may mean something, or nothing ::)
Hugh, 1874, reg Melbourne; father: Alexander McKellar BOYD
Allen 1875, reg Footscray; father: Alexander BOYD
Elsie, 1882 reg Hotham; father: Alexander BOYD
Sarah Alice, 1883 reg Hotham; father: Alexander BOYD
Perhaps this is this man's immigration:
Sep 1870, per ship Colonial Empire from Plymouth to Melbourne
Alex C Boyd, 23, rly guard
Estimated birth year: abt 1847
Nationality: Scottish
Unassisted - i.e. paid full fare.
http://prov.vic.gov.au/provguide-50
As I said - just a possible :-\
Judith
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Birthplace given as GLASGOW for Alexander BOYD who married Sarah Jane BURROWS.
Another marriage record in VIC....
Alexander BOYD from ARGYLESHIRE
in 1878 to Elizabeth Purvis JONES
Reg #2079
Essie
EDIT: Sorry wrong Alexander .... he was a son of Malcolm and Jane
This family on world connect.
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Thank you Carolbea or bringing this post back to life :) Thanks also for today’s input judb and Essie. Have downloaded the marriage cert and can now confirm that the 1873 Sarah Jane Burrows marriage is the right one, although Alexander’s father Hugh is recorded as an Inn Keeper (he was really a forester) and Alexander was born in Argyll, not Glasgow. Everything else fits.
Alexander Boyd, 27, Railway Pointsman, born Glasgow to parents Hugh Boyd, Inn keeper, and Annie Boyd, maiden name Cameron married Sarah Jane Burrows, 20, born Oldham, England, the daughter of George Burrows, Engine Driver and Elizabeth Burrows, maiden name Buckley.
Bringing other threads about this family together, it’s interesting to note that Alexander Boyd, his brother, John Cameron Boyd and his sister Ann Boyd’s husband, Henry Brown were all employed by Vic Railways.
brigau
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Thanks brigau for that info on Alexander Boyd marriage in Victoria. Am amazed at the speed of this Rootschat process so thanks for all the past years posts to all. I noted the Innkeeper occupation for Alexander's family in another Boyd post. Lost Hugh Boyd and second wife Mary Cameron in Ardgour in 1861 and while possible they had died given Alexander and possibly Hugh were with family in the Ardgour area I wonder if he left the forestry there and they became Innkeepers somewhere else and in the interim in 1861 the remaining children remained with family?
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Who were the witnesses for Alexander's wedding?
Judith
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It’s hard to know isn’t it? It seems quite common for people to ‘reinvent’ themselves after emigration so I hadn’t put much store on Hugh being recorded as an Inn Keeper when I hurriedly posted this morning. The 3 marriage certs I have seen so far:
1867 Sarah McEachern Boyd – Alexander H Corbett marriage: Father Hugh Boyd, a Gentleman
1872 John Cameron Boyd – Elizabeth Boxhall marriage: Father Hugh Boyd, a Forester
1873 Alexander Boyd – Sarah Jane Burrows marriage: Father Hugh Boyd, an Inn keeper
The family is recorded as a unit in Cuil, Ardgour, Argyll in 1851 with father Hugh a forester, after which the children scattered, arriving in Victoria at different times (apart from Ann & Sarah who travelled together) Will keep looking for the parents though.
Judb, I really can't decipher the witnesses! See attached snip
Added: Could the top one be Emily Burrows and the bottom one William Thompson?
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I agree - looks like Emily Burrows and William Thompson.
Where did the marriage take place?
Judith
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Hi again Judith,
Married by Peter Mercer, Presbyterian Minister in Melbourne, at West Melbourne Manse, Lonsdale Street West. Bride and groom both of Melbourne (no street address given). Permission granted by George Burrows, father as Sarah Jane was under 21 years
brigau
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Anyone know a little more about Alexander McKeller Boyd and wife Sarah Jane Burrows two children, Allen Boyd (b. 1875 Footscray) and Sarah Alice Boyd (b. 1883 Hotham), did they marry like siblings Hugh Boyd (m. 1901 Alice Beatrice Gray) or sister Elsie Boyd (m. 1902 George Alexander Robinson) ?
At the time of mother, Sarah Jane Boyd’s death in 1896, son Allen would have been about 21 years while daughter, Sarah Alice would have been about 13 years of age.
Son Hugh Boyd lived at 521 Victoria Street from about 1892 till around 1904, later moved further away to Kensington in 1905.