The correct name is Blishen and all Blishens in Australia are Descendants of William Edward Blishen Born 1823 & Frances Marston about 1825 who came to Australia in 1850-51. William Edward Blishen and Frances Marston were married in Stepney London in 1845. They had 3 children in England Caroline Frances, William John & Thomas George all of whom died before William & Frances Left for Australia. William Had a first marriage to Harriet although I have not been able to track down a marriage record. Harriet died of Peritonitis, Possibly a miscarriage. William Was a Basketmaker and he & Frances lived in Sydney for a few years before moving to Maitland. Their First child born in Australia was Mary Ann born just their arrival in Australia in 1851, they were living in Parramatta Street , Sydney. Sophia was born in 1853 they were living at George St South, Sydney. William and Frances had a total of 14 children. They moved to Maitland in 1854-55 where William Purchased a block of land at Govt auction in High St East Maitland. William & Frances were living in West Maitland at the time. They built a 3 room house and later sold it in 1864, but still lived in High Street.
Their son William John born 1856 married Florence Mary Fenwick at Raymond Terrace, near Maitland in 1878. They had 8 children and resided in High St East Maitland. Their daughter Frances Mary referred to in this thread married William Thomas Martin in 1913 at Kurri Kurri NSW Australia. Florence died in 1915 and William remarried in 1921 to Rhoda Gladys Handel and they had 2 sons. William John was a basket maker like his father till he had a machinery accident and lost an arm, he then became a Postal Contractor with the help of his family and was appointed the first Post Master for Pelaw Main near Kurri Kurri in 1900. William took out a 20 year lease on a cottage in Hebburn st Pelaw Main and this became the 1st Post Office. There is a park in Pelaw Main called the Logs of Knowledge and one of the logs around a statue of a miner is Called the Blishen Log after William John.
Sophia Daughter of William Frances married Joseph Bates in 1871 they had 11 children.
I have almost finished a book on our Blishens and would welcome and contact from other Blishen Descendants, there aren’t many Blishens around. I have traced the family back to 1650 in Horsell Surrey England where I believe they have come from Germany. Several Blishens from Sutton Surrey Eng migrated to Canada and the Blishens in USA are from Germany.
Diane
