BASSETT, CRAY; can't find entry into Australia, help please?

[Rap]

Hi.
  I've managed to piece together the descendants of my gggrandparents William James Bassett who was born in 1827 at St Georges Hannover Square London, and his wife Jane Cray who was born 1832 at Edinburgh, Scotland.  I have been lucky to have found both the Bassett and Cray families back in their homeland, but I have had no luck finding their entry point into Australia.  William states on his death certificate at Dunolly Vic, that had been in the colony for 34 years...which makes him a 22 year old man arriving in the colony in 1850.  Jane is listed on her death certificate as having lived in the colony for 38 years...meaning that she was 19/20 years old when she arrived in 1852.  I can find no hints of either of them being convicts, but there is a family folk-lore story that they met and came across from New Zealand before their marriage on Nov 11 1852.....but I can find no trace of them there either!!
   Can anyone out there with access to different information find any mention of William and Jane?  This is the last frustrating piece of the puzzle....and I've hit a brick wall!!

Many thanks and best wishes
Rap

[cando]

There is this passenger record listing BASSETT - no other identifying details

Mr BASSETT arriving 8 Feb 1850 on the Shamrock from Sydney.  Departed Sydney 1 Feb 1850.

Cando



      

[tropicalj]

before their marriage on Nov 11 1852.....

Was this marriage in Victoria?

I am having trouble locating this marriage in Victoria

Jenn

[Rap]

Thanks Jenn and Cando for taking the time to reply!!
Firstly, yes Jenn, they were married in Melbourne on Nov 14 1852.  This information is written in the front of an old family bible....so I guess that it is fairly correct.  I haven't been able to find any official recording of the marriage either, as it just may miss out on the official date of record, which I think was some time in 1852 when marriages had to be recorded.  The bible just says Melbourne, so it could have taken place anywhere!
  Thanks Cando...I have never seen this listing for a Bassett in 1850, but this looks promising....many thanks for finding it...I'll see what else I can find from there.  We know that at least 3 of the Bassett brothers came to Australia at some time.....William James, Joseph and James....Joseph and James are buried together at the Tarnagulla Cem Vic...and William at Dunolly.  There may be another brother who came to Aust, Samuel, however I cannot find him here of his family....but family records speak of 'Sam'...and there are no others that I know of!

Many thanks to you both, and best wishes.
Rap

[cando]

Hi Rap

Civil registrations commenced in Victoria on 1 July 1853 so it would appear that your ancestor's marriage may be one of the many parish records that didn't make it to the Registry for transcription.  You are fortunate to have the marriage record in the family bible.  

You are looking at immigration at the time of the gold rush and many arrived in Victoria via South Australia.  Unfortunately many immigrants were just noted as X number of men, women in steerage.

I have a copy of a letter written from England in 1852 which states that the author was unable to procure a passage to Australia because of the numbers emigrating hoping to find gold.  He just wanted to join his parents in South Australia.  I sense from other comments in the letter that passages were available for a price.

There are these two births on the Victorian indexes with Samuel BASSETT as father -  you may have already found these   Might be worth following up.

BASSETT Prudence Ann
Father Samuel  Mother Ann HOKEDAY
At Sandhurst  1855  Reg#8846

BASSETT Daniel
Father Samuel Mother Ann HOCKEDAY
At Sandhurst  1857  Reg#3639

One of the certs should give his place of birth.

And then this death

BASSETT Samuel
Parents unknown
42  Born England   1862  Reg#3308

Cheers
Cando

[Rap]

Thanks Cando....this is great!!  The dates match Samuel's birth of 1819 (particularly the death listing)...and of course the ref. to England.  I have never seen the listing for the births of Prudence and Daniel before (many thanks!!)..the dates are pretty good, and of course the Sandhurst is just perfect, as I know that the family lived and stayed around that area.  I'll see what else I can find on these two children!
   Yes, I feared as much re entry into Australia around the 1850's may well have been just a 'numbers counting exercise'...sure does make matters frustrating when I can find so much else on the family.  I have been able to find descendants of most of the brothers who came to Australia....which has been 2 years in the process....but well worth the effort.  Samuel, although he is listed as being buried at Tarnagulla as well, has been the only elusive one, as I have found nothing on him....I even felt that perhaps he was just an unrelated Bassett from the same area, as there was another Bassett familyl living there in the 1850's.
   I have tracked down and found Jane Cray's grave...it's unmarked, so I would love to win tattslotto just to place headstones on all of the unmarked graves we have in the family!
Many thanks for your help Cando....it's much appreciated!
Best wishes
Rap

[cando]

Death

BASSETT Prudence Ann
Father Samuel  Mother Ann UNKNOWN
1 years   1855  Reg#2075

I can't see anything for Daniel in the indexes other than his birth.  Can't see a death for Ann either. 

When funds permit, it would be worthwhile purchasing Samuel's death certificate as there may have been earlier children of the marriage.

I think it is sad to find unmarked graves of one's ancestors.  Fortunately most of my ancestors' graves are marked but I have a small wish list

Cheers
Cando

[Rap]

Hi Cando,
    I did have a look around last night too, and found the death of little Prudence...so sad that so few children made it past those first few years.
 I could find nothing at all about Daniel, not even in the early Electoral Rolls, which may suggest that he perhaps didn't live long either...but bdm has no death for him.  I haven't been able to find any records to identify the Hokeday name here in Australia either....will look into that one a little more I think!
    Yes, I will take your advice and download the death certif. of Samuel and see if it offers any more information about his family...with a bit of luck, it may identify him as the Samuel buried at Tarnagulla, and then I will know for sure that at least 3 of the brothers are reunited in death.  There is a family story that one of them was killed when their hut burnt to the ground.  Samuel was only 42 years of age at the time of death...and I am now thinking that it may have been Samuel who was involved in the fire. 
I certainly have more to find with the Bassett story, and I thankyou so much for your help and contribution Cando!
Best wishes
Rap

[ennael]

there is a birth   possibility registered  in NSW:

V18541089 40/1854 
BASSETT  Prudence  A 
Father Samuel
Mother  Ann

no Registration/Church  district noted.

 http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/familyHistory/familyHistory.htm

Leanne