James and Lucy BURKE 1870s

[judb]

Neil, what is the mention of them in Newcastle, NSW?

NSW BMD index shows a  number of births in NSW, the names of which correspond with those listed in the death notice.  The births are registered in Redfern, Newcastle, Goulburn so the mention you found may well be the correct couple.

These births indicate that they possibly entered Australia into Sydney.

PROV  holds Administration papers for the estates of both James and Lucy but are not public. His occupation is listed as an engineer, and they were residing in North Melbourne- as shown in the death notice.
http://prov.vic.gov.au/index_search?searchid=54

Judith

[lyn22]

Thank you all so much for taking your time to help me it is much appreciated you have found me some great info James was born 02/02/1851 Coventry and died 25 /08/ 1901 at North Melbourne Lucy was born on 15/11/1850 at Coventry died 28/09/1900 at North Melbourne. They arrived in New South Wales in the mid 1870s but I am after the name of the ship they had six children all born in N.S.W .

[Neil Todd]

Well strangely enough, I think they arrived in Melbourne. Went to NSW, did not settle but seem to have chased work all over. Had all their children. Then went back to Melbourne and died there.

Now to get the Ship's name. 

They dont seem to be on assisted or unassisted passenger lists?

Neil

[lyn22]

That sounds interesting I haven't thought about them starting off in Melbourne I know another family member wrote a small book called Dominick and Peter Burke County Mayo to Coventry which I haven't got but I remember something in it about the Navy UK I think James may have been in the Navy could he have come to Australia on a Navy ship. Thanks for taking the time to help much appreciated

[lyn22]

Sorry I did not mention the Navy before but I just had a memory of it

[majm]

Hi

Both Lucy and James dcs should note 'how long in the Colonies' so perhaps James was the informant on Lucy's and I would suggest checking that dc will give clear info to deduce their arrival year and Colony.

Cheers JM

[Neil Todd]

I was thinking that they did not start having children until 1877 so went looking for why.

I have found a James Burke arrived New Zealand 3rd march 1875 via ship India
he was single gives his place of birth as Cork Ireland and age as 23. The ship departed November 1874 and landed at Auckland. His occupation was given as a Currier.

This is from family search.
Digital Folder Number: 4412880  
Image Number: 00013

Now I dont know if it is even the right James but may explain why we cannot find him on Australian passenger lists.

Neil

[judb]

His employment according to the PROV wills index was 'engineer'.  This can mean anything from a train driver up to a much more sophisticated position. It would be interesting to know what kind of engineer he was.

Finding how long they had been in Oz from death certificates amy prove problematic as, if my memory is correct (possibly not  ), the question asked is "How long in the colony?" which means sometimes that the answer only relates to the colony in which the death took place and discounts time spent in other colonies.  As his death was after Federation the information may be more useful.

Do we have a marriage for them?

Judith

[majm]

Hi there,

I read that Lucy's death was in 1900, and that James was 1901.  I am assuming that James was the informant or at least the source for the informant named on Lucy's d.c. and I hope that James would know his and her year/s of arrival in the Colonies. 

On several NSW d.c.s and on a couple of Qld dcs that relate to my own forebears, I have found that the informants must have been asked specific questions re each of the colonies.... eg on a 1893 d.c. (NSW) it gives me "2 years Victoria, 31 years Qld, 17 months NSW".

The online index for Vic deaths gives:  1900,  Lucy Burke, Hotham Vic, aged 49, dau of Thos Jos DYKE and Hanorah SMALLWOOD, Registration number: 9456

So the informant for Lucy's death knew not just Lucy's maiden name but also her mother's maiden name. 

Cheers,  JM