SS Militiades

[jan4776]

Hi Kris

Julia was my Great Grandmother, who was widowed in 1899. She must have been a strong woman to leave our shores at her age and go half way around the world , never to see the rest of her sons and their families in Kingston again. Her eldest son, Charles Blunden had left the Navy early in the 1900s in Sydney and we believe she moved out to be with him and his new family.

I don't have much information on the Parkers but we were told that they migrated to Australia. We don't know if it was before or after Julia & the girls.  Mary (known as Polly) Blunden married Albert Parker and had a son Albert. Now Albert was E.A. Parker and strangely enough on Julia's death certificate, the death was notified by E.A. Parker, (but it stated no relation - would a son-in law be classed as no relation or is this just a coincidence?). Julia died in Croydon NSW 1933 and E A Parker also lived in that town.  I can't seem to find Albert & family in the 1911 England census, which either indicates that they had already left the UK or I've missed them. Do you know of a census for the Croydon areas that I could view for around that time ?

Thanks

Jan

[krisesjoint]

Hi Jan,

I am sorry there are no surviving census records for Australia. I am trying the electoral Rolls but Parker is so common I am not having any luck. I can find no record of them in the NSW BMD records. No sign of a Polly/Margaret PARKER dying to 1978 with a mother listed as Julia

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

If E A Parker if the son in law one would think the death certificate would say so, but he wasn't blood so maybe it was him. Sorry I just can't say.

It looks like Julia was living with her son in 1930.

1930 Electoral Roll

BLUNDEN Julia - Eunonia, Ryde St Epping Home Duties
BLUNDEN Charles - Eunonia, Ryde St Epping Salesman
BLUNDEN Alice Charlotte - Eunonia, Ryde St Epping Home Duties

I also note this one

BLUNDEN Mabel May Alice -Wyreepi, Melrose St Epping Waitress

1836 Electoral Roll

BLUNDEN Charles - 60 Wyralla Ave Epping Salesman
BLUNDEN Alice Charlotte - 60 Wyralla Ave Epping Home Duties



E A PARKER Croydon

There is an Ernest Alfred PARKER, a lab, Living at 69 Webb St Croydon in 1930 also at address is Amelia Ann PARKER. I presume she is the wife as in 1936 at the same address is also Ernest Gordon PARKER a Clerk

There is an Albert PARKER a crabber textile in Croydon Park in 1936 wife Blanch

Cheers Kris 

[jan4776]

Hi Kris

Thank you so much for this information. The trouble is, and as so often happens; it throws up more questions than answers. I have a copy of Julia's death certificate and it states that she died at 19 Grovesnor Street Croydon and the informant is indeed the EA Parker of 69 Webb Street Croydon that you found.  Looking at Google map, Webb Street is just around the corner from Grovesnor Street.  There is even two names who witnessed the burial, a J Williams and K or R Turner. But where was Charles & Alice Blunden, we know they are living in Epping 3 years later, but it is strange that they were not the witnesses at her burial. I also found Epping on the Google map and it is about 9 miles from Croydon and Croydon looks like a suburb of Sydney. Didn't know they were all so close.
Julia was buried in the Methodist Cemetery at Rookwood, which is a mystery to me as she was married in St Andrews Church of England, Ham, Kingston Surrey.
Albert Parker was born about 1881, which would have made him about 49 in 1930 and Mary (Polly) was born in 1887 and would have been about 43. I don't know, one day I'll come across them.
Anyway, I do appreciate all your help.
Kind regards
Jan

[judb]

Hello Jan

The witnesses may well have been from the undertakers.

Cheers, Judith

[krisesjoint]

Hi Jan,

Looking back at Kingston I see an Albert aged 20 in 1901. When I look at the Births I find an Albert Henry T Dec 1/4 1880 Kingston 2a 317. He is the son of Charles and Emily. He always appears as simply Albert in the census. Where did the initial E come from re E Albert PARKER?

Just looking at electoral Rolls and I do note in 1836

PARKER Albert Henry Thomas 4 Dunlop St Painter
also at address
PARKER Mary Ann Home Duties

Now the interesting thing here is I don't see them together in 1930 but look at this

PARKER Albert Henry Thomas Wyreept, Melrose St Epping Painter............Now look back at the address for Mabel May Alice BLUNDEN in 1930 

now the address does look like Wyreepi for Mabel and Wyreept for Albert but there can't be that much of a coincidence. 

Is Mabel Charles daughter or Julia's from the ship?

I also found a second listing in 1930

BLUNDEN Julia 67 Mona St, Auburn - Home Duties
also at address
BLUNDEN Mabel Alice May - Waitress

There is a Mary Ann PARKER listed at Francis St Epping Home Duties no other Parkers at the address

I also note

PAKER Albert Henry Thomas Wyreema Melrose St, Painter (Yes PAKER is not a typo)

All very strange - wonder why he is listed so many times

At least we now may have his full name. Nothing definate re his death - one possible without parents listed but look at this 

PARKER Mary Ann father Charles mother Julia  District Ryde 41839/1968

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

It was a hard battle but I think we have them

Cheers Kris 

[jan4776]

Hi Kris

Thanks for giving me this information. At least I know that they did go to Australia even if I can't find their passage.

They certainly seemed to move around a lot, although they seemed to stay in the same surrounding areas. Mabel was the daughter of Charles (died 1899) and Julia. The Charles who left the navy in Sydney was Mabel's brother and son of Charles (died 1899) & Julia. There are so many Charles in my family that even I get confused.

I was given the name E A Parker by another relative and didn't think to question it as I am so used to the family using their second names. Polly was Mary Ann and Mabel was Alice, (lesson here for me to check facts).  However, I do believe they had a son called Albert , I wonder if one of them is he and maybe the Albert Parker living with Mabel was in fact her nephew, (better than the alternative).

Appreciate all you have done

Best wishes

Jan

Thank you also Judith, would this normally be the case that the undertakers sign as witnesses for the burial. I don't think we have this over here on the death certificates.

[judb]

Hi Jan

I haven't come across death certs with witnesses to the burial/cremation, just going on the fact the listed informant is often the funeral director, especially as you move into the present. 

I tend not to bother buying UK death certs as they have so little useful information - no parents, spouse, marreid state or children, no place of burial, no place of residence, informant might give some information but might be a nurse so no help there.  I don't know if modern UK ones are different.

Cheers, Judith