Thanks everyone - all very confusing - I know that Williams first wife Elizabeth died in 1898 so he was free to marry his housekeeper!!! I am keen to try and find decendants of William who are still in England. One of Williams brothers (Isaac) came to Australia in 1849 and another Thomas came in the 1850's. Williams older sister Rebecca was also coming but died at Southhampton while waiting to leave. The only other sibling we know about for William was a sister called Mary Ann who also stayed in England (we think). We know vitually nothing about William's parents supposed to have been Isaac Foster and Sarah Goodman who we think maarried in Lincolshire. Yes the Aussie death certificates do give good information but often in the outback many deaths were not registered and often the person supplying the information had no idea what they were on about!!! People also often lied to cover up that they came from transported convicts. I came from 4!!!!! Ken