RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: jrainbrim on Monday 17 February 25 18:22 GMT (UK)
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Sorry if this is a repeat.
I'm looking for the family of George Smith born in Middlesex 1822ish. Was sent to Richmond Australia as convict.
George was son of Charles and Eleanor Russusky(not correct spelling) Smith. Charles was from slovakia and was a mariner until at least 1840s.
Any informaton greatly appreciatd.
Thamk you
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There were at least 184 George SMITHs transported to Australia as convicts. How do you know that he was at Richmond? Do you have some other information that my help to locate him? Are you looking for information about his life and potential family in Australia, or about his parents? :D
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There is a George SMITH born c1819 who arrived on the Bengal Merchant in January 1835, sentenced at Middlesex (trial date 11 March 1833) sentenced to 7 years transportation, who obtained a ticket of freedom on 10 October 1840.
His Convict Indent says he was 15, could read and write, Protestant, of London, a tailor's errand boy.
A possibility ?
Modified to add:
The muster roll for the Bengal Merchant however says that his name was Edward BENNETT, alias George SMITH. :-\
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Alternatively George Smith aged 16 a ropemakers boy, convicted of robbing a till 31 Dec 1832. Transported to Richmond aboard the NEVA
ADDED: This particular George Smith was convicted of stealing the till of a baker named Burmpstead on Stepney Causeway.
The George you are looking for appears to have been baptised at Stepney in 1827 along with a brother, John, both with the surname Russkusska.
Puts him in the right area, but nothing so far to confirm its the same person, although most online trees seeem to think he is.
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The George SMITH who came on the Neva has age that varies a bit.
On the convict indent (1833) he is 16. (c1817)
General Muster in 1837 he is 18. (c1819)
On his Certificate of Freedom in 1840 it has his year of birth as 1816.
Unless he was baptised late, which would often be noted on a baptism, I would think a baptism of 1827 would be unusual.
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The online trees vary a lot in quality, as you would expect, but one that looks fairly decent is the Greenfield Singleton Family Tree owned by Terry Fletcher.
On the page for George he admits its a bit of an educated guess as to which George Smith and that he's open to corrections, but on the page for George's father (recorded as Thomas Charles Rescufska) there's another note saying "a DNA match from Slovakia has an ancestor with the surname "Ruszcowska" which could well be close to the correct pronunciation"
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Unless he was baptised late, which would often be noted on a baptism, I would think a baptism of 1827 would be unusual.
The tree I mentioned above has a specific DoB for George (19 Sep 1815), although I can't see where that's come from. Baptisms for other siblings have definitely been 'late' though - presumably because the father was a mariner. Charles (born 25 Aug 1809), Thomas (born 29 July 1811) and Eleanor (born ? Jun 1814) were all baptised at St Dunstan & All Saints, Stepney on 28 Dec 1817, with the surname Rescusoka.
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Thank you.
The reply which states the siblings of George is spot on.
Have been in contact with Mr Fletcher but he cannot help with where Georges male siblings were after 1841.
The hunt continues.
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Just to be clear, you are looking for George (and his siblings) after 1841? Do you have any of the family in the 1841 census?
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Tabitha who is now Downes, Ann and Mary Smith siblings. Mother Ellen Smith and a brother Thomas all living with Tabitha and her husband John in Richard street Limehouse. Also Ellen Rogers another sister lives at the same address.
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Thank you for the census details.
The George SMITH who arrrived on the Neva was sent to work for Joseph ONUS at Richmond in 1834. Joseph ONUS died in 1835. His wife, Ann ONUS advertised for companion in 1835 - her address is "Clearoak Farm, Richmond". Ann married William SHARP in 1837.
(There was a land dispute between Ann SHARP, previusly Mrs ONUS in 1837
eg https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2212749 )
I wonder if George SMITH remained at the property in Richmond after Joseph's death, or Ann's remarriage, it's very difficult to know. His Certificate of Freedom has "Windsor" written on the side, so sounds like he was still in the area in 1840. Unfortunately for trying to track him, he was then "free" to go anywhere.