Philip Henry AYDON

[Rosannel]

Hi nmg1
I tried replying to your message but not sure if it was sent. I'm descended through the same line as you, but I'm not doing any family history research at present - just saw this site when trying to get Aydon info for a rellie - and decided to add in what I know. I do have recent images of Eagle Hawk Gully if you'd like to give me an email address to send them to (I received your message ok just couldn't seem to reply).
 
To descendants of Frederick - I'm not surprised at the theatre involvement - it seems to have been a family thing. Back in the 70s I met some of Philip Henry's granddaughters and they had been involved in vaudeville in Nelson when young. Frederick did work for the Victorian railways (1881-1895) after he returned to Melbourne from Nelson (1881 aboard the Te Anau), before he became involved in theatre.

I'm afraid this is the limit of my knowledge on Philip Henry, except what is listed on other sites regarding his birth, and his father and grandfather, the 2 Isaacs. I only discovered the above when spending time in Melbourne a few years ago.

[cando]

Since this thread I have helped 'someone' either offline or on another family history forum....possibly about James Benjamin BRADSHAW.  I've read this thread again and this is what I have in some scrawled notes. I've attempted to make it 'readable' Whoever I was helping had a couple of certificates.

AYDEN Archibald b. 1856 MELBOURNE #11359
Father: Henry
Mother: Annie SMITH

Merlin

James BRADSHAW was the informant on Archibald's birth certificate.  He stated that Henry was a storekeeper.  Birth was Ballarat Street, Melbourne not Ballarat. 
The question was raised was James BRADSHAW the father.  The person I was helping thought so.

BRADSHAW Rosa Emily
Father James Benjamin  Mother Agnes Rosa Annie SMITH
At North Melbourne  1859  Reg#857

Cando

Birth 1858.  Agnes Rosie Annie BRADSHAW nee SMITH was the informant on Rosa's birth certificate - 24 born Birmingham,two children living, married Bendigo Goldfields 1854.  The father was James Benjamin BRADSHAW, gold assayer, 30 years born South Africa.

Tuesday 13 September 1853.
CHRISTENINGS
In St.George's Cathedral in this City by the Very Rev the Dean of Cape Town,
Sept 9
A daughter of Mr. James Benjamin BRADSHAW, baptised Hannah Elizabeth Mary.

DEATHS
July 11 Hannah Eliza Mary, daughter of Mr. James Benjamin BRADSHAW, aged 13
months

I have no other information.  The above suggests to me that Philip Henry and Agnes parted ways quite early in their marriage and Agnes moved in with James Benjamin BRADSHAW and Archibald and Rosa were his children.

Cando

[cando]

Looking at recent information....

Archibald was born in Ballarat, and Frederick in Acoca, so the family must have moved from one Victorian goldfield to the next during the 1850s.

Rosannel

Archibald was born in Melbourne and Frederick in Avoca so they moved from Avoca to Melbourne unless Agnes had left him and as she was occupying the same residence/premises in Ballarat Road, Melbourne as James BRADSHAW in 1856.

AYDEN Archibald b. 1856 MELBOURNE #11359
Father: Henry
Mother: Annie SMITH

Merlin

And who was Katie's ROSCOW's father?   Mentioned born Melbourne c1871 but there is no birth registration.  Possibly Agnes had more than two partners.

Cando

[Rosannel]

Thank you Cando - the info I had was Ballarat ?, Melbourne and I thought this was just the way it was written. But Ballarat Street certainly explains the anomaly, and Archibald always gave his birthplace as Melbourne.  I do have Henry's occupation as a miner on my version of the certificate.

Perhaps, as you mentioned, Agnes had already left him. As a descendent of Archibald, born with the surname Aydon, and told the Aydon family stories when young, it comes as a complete shock to think he may not have been Henry's son.

[cando]

I had typed up the following post and the red warning message appeared as I posted...I can see you have posted a reply....yes I can understand your shock but why on earth would James BRADSHAW inform the registrar of Archibald's birth and name Philip Henry as Henry and Agnes Rosa Ann SMITH as Annie. I can only post the information as was given to me.  I do not have the certificates.  There won't be versions of certificates.  Perhaps have another look at your copy...it should have Ballarat Street, Melbourne and informant James BRADSHAW. 

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0uax/
Timaru Herald  24 Nov 1882 - mention of a James Benjamin BRADSHAW.

Now I realise I am repeating information I posted previously....but just found the Master and Mates Certificate and putting things in chronological order

1841 Census HO107/54/4
Living at Warrington, Warrington, West Derby Lancs.
AYDON Isaac  35  Not born county
AYDON Maria  41  School mistress  Born county
AYDON Mary 17  Not born county
AYDON Philip  15  Not born county
AYDON James 13  Not born county

Perhaps Philip H AYDON was at sea between the 1841 and 1851 census

UK and Ireland, Masters and Mates Certificates, 1850-1927
AYDON Philip Henry
Estimated Age 25
Born   15 Sep 1826
Place    Wakefield, Yorkshire
Issued 28 Mar 1851
Issue Port London
Certificate Number 55.052

The certificates states he has been an ?app seaman and mate for 9 years in the British Merchant Service in the foreign trade.

If this is the correct Philip then he possibly arrived Australia as ship's crew.

1851 Census  HO107/2203/654/8
Living at Paragon Place, Grappenhall, Warrington
ROBINSON May  Head  Widow 89  House proprietor  Born Lancashire, Warrington
AYDON Maria A  Dau  Married  50  School mistress      Born Lancashire, Warrington
AYDON Isaac  Son in law Married  48   Born Yorkshire, Wakefield
AYDON Mary  Grandaughter  Unmarried  28   At Home   Born Yorkshire, Wakefield
TWISS Lydia  Sister  68  House proprietor   Born Lancashire, Warrington

and next door
 
EDLESTON Richard  Head Unmarried  60  Gentleman  Born Lancashire, Warrington
EDLESTON Rachel  Sister Unmarried  50  Housekeeper Born Lancashire, Warrington

Deaths Mar 1859   
AYDON Isaac  Warrington 8c/104


Did he return to England before or following the birth of Archibald and Rosa or were there two gentleman of the same name born the same place

1861 Census  RG9/2797/65/74
Living at 74 Church Place Grappenhall, Warrington Lan
AYDON Philip H  Head  Widow  34 years  Gentleman  Born Wakefield, Yorkshire

and next door

EDLESTON Rachel Head  63 Unmarried   Born Warrington, Lancashire
AYDON Maria A  Vistor  Widow  60 years   Born Warrington, Lancashire

1871 RG10/3908/9/9
Living at 9 Church Place, Latchford, Warrington Lan
AYDON Maria A  Head  Widow 70 years  School mistress  Born Warrington, Lancashire
and servant Mary GRAHAM.

Deaths Mar 1879
AYDON Maria Ann  78 years  Kensington  1a/113

Did Philip consider himself a widower because his wife had left him?

Cando

[Rosannel]

Cando, I didn't explain myself very well previously. My 'version' was something I'd typed up c25 yrs ago from a photocopy of Archibald's birth cert. I've hardly looked in my genealogy boxes in the intervening years, but last night I ferreted around and found the photocopy. And yes, with the help of a magnifying glass it is Ballarat Street (looks more like Shub), Jms B Bradshaw, occupier, is the informant a month later when Archibald's birth is registered. Henry is definitely recorded as a miner (whoever provided you with info about him being described as storekeeper on it (above) gave you incorrect info.) Notwithstanding, Henry doesn't appear to have been around.

I can see there might be reasons for James not acknowledging Archibald as his son - he was married, or they were keeping up appearances (if this was an issue in Melbourne at that time). But James certainly was happy to acknowledge paternity in 1859. Based on this, for the moment at least, I will still assume the cert. to be correct and Henry was the father.

Thank you for the info regarding Philip Henry's career as a sailor; this was completely new to me and explains a lot of things (it must be him surely as everything matches up). As does the 1861 census. It's interesting that he's listed as a gentleman - did he do well from his father's will? I doubt if he made money from gold mining. He couldn't have been too well off to be back working in Oz by the 1870s. I wonder if he returned to England after he retired and that's why we can't find a death cert.
It's difficult to make sense of this couple - Agnes sounds like she was a tough cookie, but I guess she was just trying to survive the best she could.

I also have a photocopy of the marriage cert. for 1853. Somewhere above I saw Agnes' mother's name as Emily Rington. On this cert. it says Emily Ringrose.

[cando]

I have looked my scrawled notes again.   PHA was noted as a storekeeper on a document.  I just have birth cert noted.  Could it be Frederick's?  You would have to check as I don't have any certs just info.  Wonder who was the informant?  Not at all unusual for a birth to be registered a month after the event.   Wonder who was the informant on the BRADSHAW birth ?

If Katie RUSCOW was born Melbourne then there is no registration.

Occupation 'gentleman' on the census in that era could also be unemployed.  I wouldn't read too much into it.

When I have a spare moment I will have another look at the directories.   

I also wonder if Mr Henry Aydon who was noted as a railway apprentice in South Australia is the same Henry AYDON employed by the Victorian Railways ie not your Philip Henry AYDON? 

Just some random thoughts to consider

Cando

[Rosannel]

Thank you for that info. I've realised after seeing a Mr and Mrs Aydon arriving in Hobart in 1862 that there seem to be other Aydon families in Australia. Next time I'm in Melbourne I'll try and check out the Henry Aydon from Victoria railways just in case, as you mention, he isn't our one.

[cando]

As does the 1861 census. It's interesting that he's listed as a gentleman - did he do well from his father's will? I doubt if he made money from gold mining. He couldn't have been too well off to be back working in Oz by the 1870s. I wonder if he returned to England after he retired and that's why we can't find a death cert.
It's difficult to make sense of this couple - Agnes sounds like she was a tough cookie, but I guess she was just trying to survive the best she could.

Wills and Probate Index
1859 
AYDON Isaac  28 June
The Will of Isaac Aydon of Latchford in the county of Chester Gentleman deceased who died 25 Feb 1859 at Latchford aforesaid was proved at Chester by the oath of Maria Ann Aydon of Latchford aforesaid Wid the Relict and sole Executrix.  Effects under £300.

I now wonder if HPA had possibly returned to England prior to the birth of Archibald and Rosa Emily BRADSHAW?  Perhaps HPA was asked to come home...?father's illness . 
Isaac did not have an occupation on the 1841 or 1851 census and both he and Maria had moved in with her mother. I think that it is most odd that James B BRADSHAW was the informant on Archibald's birth certificate. 

Why didn't Agnes register Alexander's birth even if her husband was gone?

Did Agnes register Rosa Emily's birth?  Was James BRADSHAW actually the father or just named by her?  Who was the informant on Rosa's death certificate?

Why did HPA call himself a widower on the 1861 census?  I think this is an important point because he wasn't a widower so what other information did he give that wasn't accurate.

You can search for his death in England here however he doesn't show on any census after 1861.
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl

More questions than answers.

Cando