ORIGINS: William Harry (Billy) SIMPSON, c.1848-1902

[NJ Holmes]

Hello

I have traced my family tree back to the SIMPSON family in Melbourne, Australia, but I would like to know where they came from before that. This gentleman is my great-great grandfather:

William Harry SIMPSON
Born: About 1848, Melbourne, VIC
Married: 6 Jul 1874, Christchurch, New Zealand to Harriett Ann TALLOTT
Died: 26 Oct 1902, View Hill, Oxford, Canterbury, New Zealand

He was a jockey and rode in the first ever Melbourne Cup in 1861, coming second on a horse called Mormon. He was known as Billy or Bill Simpson in the articles I read, none of which referred to his family, frustratingly.

The only other information I have is from his engagement notice in a Christchurch newspaper, which referred to him as the son of W.A. Simpson, Melbourne.

His children, all born in NZ:

Walter Herbert
Miriam Louisa
Annie Harriet
Lydia Alice
Eliza Jane
Harry Andrew
Ada Ellen (my great-grandmother)
Olive Edith Mary
Gertrude Eva Emily
Charles Edward
Effie Mary

I found a Baptism in Melbourne from Jan 1849, for William SIMPSON (no Harry), but the parents were John and Jane, which doesn't correspond to the newspaper article re his engagement.

Any assistance appreciated.

[Dundee]

Are you sure that he was the jockey SIMPSON?  There are quite a lot of articles and obits about the celebrated jockey W. H. (Billy) SIMPSON, but he was from South Australia and died there in 1873 aged 32.

Debra 

[giblet]

I agree with Debra. Also if your fella was born around 1848 he would have only been 13 when riding in the Melbourne cup in 1861.

[Dundee]

Hi DadLoco,

I am not overly familiar with NZ BDMs but I believe the birth certificates of William's children should record his birthplace and his death certificate should also name his parents and state how long he had been in NZ if this was known to the informant.  Do you have either of these documents?

Debra 

[NJ Holmes]

Hi all

Thanks for your replies. I did not know that 'the' jockey W H Simpson had died in Australia in 1873. I guess this means he's not my W H Simpson. Although mine was a jockey.

I do have documents for him, but they do not record his parents' names, which is why I only quoted the newspaper notice for his engagement. This is the only source I have for his father being W A Simpson. This is what I have:

Marriage certificate for William Harry SIMPSON and Harriett Ann TALLOTT
Date: 6 Jul 1874
Groom's age: 25
Groom's occupation: Jockey
(Note: At this point, NZ marriage certificates did not record names of parents)

Birth certificate for Ada/Aida Ellen SIMPSON
Date: 17 Aug 1884
Father: William Harry SIMPSON
Occupation: Bushman
Age: 37
Birthplace: Victoria

Death certificate for William Harry SIMPSON
Date: 26 Oct 1902
Age: 54
Parents: Unknown
Birthplace: Melbourne, Victoria
How long in New Zealand: 38 years
Informant: Walter Herbert SIMPSON, son of deceased

[cherokee]

Hi DadLoco, The only William SIMPSON that may be your man that I can see on my records is this one -
 SIMPSON William - Father John - Mother Jane - Male - Birth Place Melbourne year 1849 - reg No 26268 Church of England Parish St Peters Melbourne finche 383
Good luck
Cherokee

[majm]

Hi there,

Have you considered asking the good folk over on the NZ Board for some help ... perhaps a look up for an Intention to Marry record for your jockey ? I wonder if parents names or clues may be on the ITM...   ...  I do know that the ecclesiastical laws most likely required the clergy to record the names of the parents, so perhaps you could enquire of the Church Archivist as I would expect the denomination to be mentioned on the mc.   (according to the rites of .......)   However, I am not sure if ITMs go back to the 1870s, but I know the NZ RChatters are absolutely fantastic at helping on RChat threads.  They have helped me with my NZ enquiries.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?board=299.0

Cheers,  JM

[majm]

Forgot to mention   Sorry...

1849,  Vic was still part of NSW so there could be baptismal records on NSW BDM for your Chap.   

http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/bdm_fh.html

Cheers,  JM

[jorose]

NZ-based William Harry appears to be simply "Harry" in some records, for example in this memorial for son Harry Andrew:
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TS19010604.2.24

Using middle names seems to be a thing with this family - there are some mentions in papers past of a "Bert Simpson" in the Boer War from the View Hill area who I think may be eldest son Walter Herbert.  His military records are on Archway (next of kin - Harry Simpson).