Convict or Free?

[judb]

Is this your chap?

Free BMD birth shows
Benjamin PURSS Mar 1839, reg West Derby, vol20 page 841

The Ancestry criminal register only shows convictions for a William PURSS 1858, Nottinghamshire and another William PURSS July 1872 Surrey.

I think I see him, Born in County, age 2,  with Mary PURSS, 30, Independent, Not Born in County, at Grove St Liverpool in 1841.  Can't see either of them in 1851 but the name could easily have been mistrnscribed. 

And a VERY long shot..............
Looking at the National Library digitised newspaper site are many mentions of an Edward PURSS as a ship owner/captain in the mid 1800s. It is an unusual name but, given that Mary is on her own with Benjamin in 1841, and of independent means perhaps it may be a clue.................
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home

There are a few mentions on Google for"Benjamin PURSS" including some other genealogical information aobut his descendants.



Cheers, Judith

[maidmarianoops]

http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/AF/family_group_record.asp?familyid=4784533&frompage=99

JUST WILD CARDS BUT  STRANGE
DO THESE NAMES MEAN ANYTHING TO YOUR SEARCH
SYLVIA


hello found these 2 children living with a MEEHAM FAMILY
ALSO  OTHER CHILDREN
CLARK 
Charles H PURSE   
Born  1875
 Matilda Alice PURSS   
 Born 28 Feb 1877  Walgett, Nsw, Aus

[majm]

Bit More,

1903 NSW Electoral Roll, seat of HUME, polling place ADELONG - that's near Cootamundra.

Line 744
PURSS, Pertina, Female, domestic duties (no others at that polling place with that surname).

Checking other polling places on that roll, and earlier rolls.

JM

[majm]

Ah ! 

1903 roll, Cootamundra polling place, seat of HUME (1903 includes FEMALES for first time, but enrollment was NOT compulsory)
Line 1188
(DEFINITELY SAYS PURSE, DOES NOT SAY PURSS)
Purse, Benjamin; Male, living at Cucumbla, a labourer. 

No others with similar surname at that polling place.

Still checking

EDIT TO ADD - have not found others with surname PURSS on the roll for the seat of HUME in earlier rolls.  Sorry.

JM

[majm]

BUT, 1878 sighting  of both Edward and Benjamin PURSS on electoral roll in Newtown (suburb in inner west Sydney!

Line 2743 Purss, Benjamin, Campbell St, household, (ie qualification to enrol, suggesting to me he lived in that household)
Line 2744 Purss, Edward, Campbell St, residence (ie suggesting to me, this was his residence, and that Benjamin lived there too). 

Will now try to find them in Sydney in 1870 roll.

JM

[majm]

Ah, 1870 roll, same address, Campbell Street NEWTOWN.

There were property qualifications for voting in NSW in those days. 

Lines 1939 and 1940, PURSS with Benjamin as household and Edward as residence.

Cheers,  hope this helps fill in some gaps.  I have not searched for arrival in NSW for the PURSS family.   

BUT 1869 Sands directory seems to show:

Purss, Benjamin, printer, Campbell st, NEWTOWN

EDIT TO ADD
http://cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/newtownproject/Sands_Directory/sands_directory.html

JM

[krisesjoint]

Great Finds JM 

arriving as unassisted immigrants aboard the ELIZABETH 28 Apr 1860

Captain Edward PURSS Master Mariner
Mrs PURSS
Benj PURSS

Cheers Kris 

[majm]

Well Done Kris,  that gets them from Melbourne to NSW, but can we get them to Melbourne from overseas perhaps around 1853 ish?  I don't have much experience on arrivals to Victoria, but perhaps the following is them arriving in Sept 1853 on the ship LOWESTOFT?  (Online index only)
Benjamin aged 13, Edward aged 45, Edwd Capt, Mary Ann aged 40, Mary Ann Aged 8 ?   

http://proarchives.imagineering.com.au/index_search_results.asp JM

[krisesjoint]

Looks Good JM

Benjamin PURSS is listed at 18 Edward St Pyrmont in 1866

1867 also along with

PURSS Edward - Master Mariner


1868 Benjamin is listed at University Hotel Glebe Rd

Cheers Kris