RootsChat.Com

Hi Betty,
I have sent email to you today.  I hope we can both learn more about our common West ancestors through sharing what we know about our own families.

Liz

These are my ancestors.

My gg-grandmother was Jane West, dau of William and Mary (Bath) West who m. William Kelk at Burgh-le-Marsh, LIN, 1837. She emigrated to Australia as a widow as did all her four children in 1860s.

Jane's sister Caroline m. Richard Doughty and she (as a widow) and her family also came to Australia.

Another (older) sister, Mary, m. George Greenwell and that family all came to Australia.

I looked for decades for information about my West ancestors but like my cousins descended from the other West sisters in Australia oral history had it that they were daughters of the Earl de la Warr - with apparent evidence to support that fact.  Fortunately my g-grandfather left an autobiography in which he referred to his uncle West, a brassfounder of Whitechapel. That put me on the right track.

I found this interesting paraghaph at http://www.stgite.org.uk/media/backchurchlane.html#4

The West family had worked locally as brass (and copper) founders since the early 19th century; William West, who married Mary Bath in 1805, lived at 30 Haydon Square, Minories. Family baptisms (including four children together on one occasion), weddings and funerals were at St Mary Whitchael, Holy Trinity Minories or St Botolph Aldgate. His eldest son William Francis (1807-63) lived and worked at 58 Backchurch Lane. He married Elizabeth Newman, who bore two sons  and two daughters, and on her death he married Eleanor Newman, a widow from Southwark. In 1837 he subscribed £2,500 (out of a total estimated cost of £1.7m) towards a scheme for a London, Salisbury, Exeter, Plymouth and Falmouth Railway. Detailed plans for this line were drawn up by John Braithwaite in 1845, with various legal wrangles over the prospectus for the 'Direct London and Exeter Railway Company'. Whether or not as a consequence of this, in 1842 he found himself (sued and committed as 'William West the younger') in the Debtors' Prison.

This is an old thread but if Bettalma is still on line I would love to communicate by pm.

Liz
Brisbane, Australia

War Service Records show that Robert also enlisted for WWII and his daughter Minnie (Mrs O'Connor ??) was listed as his next of kin.
Also found an interesting 'In Memoriam' on Trove where both the Dutton and Holgate families had inserted notices.
Obviously some of Robert's siblings also settled in WA - did they all come out together?

I'm looking for the birth/baptism of Mary Porter in Wiltshire about 1796, possibly at Winsley.

I know she married James Rudman READ at Winsley on 26 July 1818.

Mary died in 1841 during the family's voyage to Australia.

Any information or suggestions where I should look would be most appreciated.

A cousin told me that my ancestors are recorded in the 1841 census for the Parish of Trowbridge  (town of Halve ) She didn't give me any more details so I would appreciate it if someone could please advise me of the birthplaces, relationship and ages of the household members.

Family name is READ: Husb: James Rudman, Wife: Mary (Porter) and there may have been up to 7 children recorded.

James and Mary READ emigrated to Australia in 1842 but Mary and two children died on the voyage.

Many thanks

Liz
Queensland, Australia