Hi Helen and Myra, Helen, we know almost nothing about Nicholas and Robert, apart from whom they married and (most of) their children, and where the Jeffreys are buried. My next move will be to contact Bendigo genie groups. Eaglehawk, where they lived, is now a suburb of Bendigo. It's 100 miles from where I live in Melbourne, so a trip up there would be worthwhile. I don't know if the brothers returned to Northumberland, but I hope they shared their wealth with their family, especially their widowed mother.
Myra, I have just been on to that wonderful website, and had such fun. I saw not only the directory entries but a couple of Jeffrey entries in the school records, and I had a long look at the lovely old photographs. Thank you both again. Regards, Irene