A ten year mystery that needs solving....

[Merry]

I've just remembered this mystery regarding my 3xg-uncle, George Burchill and his family and wondered if there's any further info online to help resolve it? I've deliberately not looked for anything today!!

Here's the notes I made in 2004 (comments from today in italics)

re George Burchill bap 6 Sept 1835 at Mangotsfield, Gloucestershire, the son of Isaac Webley Burchill and his wife Elizabeth nee Jefferies. Last seen in the UK on the 1851 census aged 15 with his parents.

George emigrated to Australia before 1882, when he is mentioned in a letter (I don't know if this is in a letter I have here, or not. I will have a look whenI've finished this post.)

George is supposed to have died whilst on a visit to the UK to see his brother Henry (Henry Burchill bap 1840 Mangotsfield and lived at Islington 1871,81 and 1891 and Finsbury in 1901. Died Nov 1909 Hornsey) I have trawled the GRO indexes, but cannot find a very likely death reg for George.

There are a few possible records with mis-spellings:
George BURCHELL 1886 Q4 Calne 5a 39 aged 54
George BURCHELL 1889 Q1 Bath 5c 416 aged 55
George BURCHELL 1896 Q3 Bromley 2a 257 aged 64

George's wife is supposed to have died during the return journey to Australia and was buried at sea. I don't know her name.

My cousin in Oz says in an email June 2004:

We also have a story about a Jane Owen who changed her name from Burchill to Owen. No one remembers why! Jane Owen signed her name on the back of her photograph which she sent to my grandfather's brother. It states "To Dear William With his cousin's best wishes. E J Owen May 1906." ('Dear William' is William Burchill b 1878 Gympie, Queensland, Australia, George's nephew) I have searched without success for this lady. Could Jane Owen be the daughter of George and possibly changed her name because she was reared by another family?

Apparently, George's brother James Burchill, father of 'Dear William' emigrated in May 1865 on a ship called Lightning. I wondered if George went with James? I have never investigated James's emigration.

[Merry]

The ref to George in a letter is this:

My 2xg-grandfather, Charles Burchill, wrote to his brother James in Australia from his home at Staplehill nr Bristol in 1882. The PS at the end of the letter just says "Do you know how George is getting on?"

And I just spotted another undated letter which says "When you write again tell me if you hear anything of George"

[kiterunner]

I'm having a look at the Australian newspapers on Trove at the moment and not found anything that is definitely your George yet - there seem to have been loads of George Burchills, and then of course there are all the other possible spellings, but just came across this and need to save it in case it should turn out to be the right person:

Launceston Examiner Fri 8 Dec 1882
UNSOUND MIND - The man who was reported to the police on Wednesday by Dr Thompson as being of unsound mind was arrested yesterday at 6:30 a.m. on the wharf by Sergeant D McAuliffe, and taken to the watch-house. The unfortunate fellow stated that his name was George Burchill, and that he had arrived recently from the North-East Coast; he also said that since his arrival in Launceston he had been drinking heavily, and was now suffering the effects of his folly. When found by the constable Burchill was only partially dressed, being without his coat and boots; he was also wet and must have been in the river, so that it is very fortunate that the constable succeeded in securing him, or a fatal accident might have been the result. Burchill was brought up at the Police Court yesterday morning, and charged with being of unsound mind, and was remanded for a week, before the expiration of which time it is thought he will have recovered from the effects of his debauchery.

[kiterunner]

Well, here's something concrete about James to start with:

Australia Death Index (ancestry): Jas Burchill died 1890 Williamstown, Victoria, age 60, father Isaac, mother Elizth Jeffries.

Maybe there will be a death notice for him on Trove with information about his relatives...

[kiterunner]

Hmm, the Argus (Melbourne, Victoria) dated 12 Sep 1890 says that probate was granted on the will of James Burchill, £2,445, on the motion of Mr Williams. And the Argus 8 Aug 1890 has an advert: NOTICE is hereby given, that after the expiration of 14 days from the publication hereof application will be made to the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria, in the Probate jurisdiction, that PROBATE of the WILL of JAMES BURCHILL, late of Newport, in the said colony, may be granted to Emily Burchill, of Newport aforesaid, widow of the said deceased, the executrix therein named. Dated this 8th day of August, 1890.
J K OGILVIE SMITH, 318 Collins-street, Melbourne, and Melbourne-road, Williamstown, proctor for the executrix.

[Langley Vale Sue]

Do you know George's occupation?
I have found two listings for a George Burchill on the Victoria Assisted & Unassisted passenger lists on Ancestry. One is May 1854 and he is a blacksmith(?) aged 21 sailing from Liverpool. The other is aged 25 and a miner sailing in June 1858 aboard 'The Young America'.

ETA - Sorry these are listed as Birchall

[kiterunner]

Queensland BDM lists the following children for James Burchill and Emily Freeman:
James 1870
Fanny Freeman 1872
George 1874
Elizabeth 1875
Thomas Pringle 1877
William 1878
Emily 1882.

James Burchill and Emily Freeman married in Bath (England) in 1864.

[kiterunner]

So, Jas and Emily Burchill emigrated to Victoria Aug 1865 with a 7 year old child, on the Lightning. But George isn't with them on the passenger list.

[kiterunner]

There is info on Emily's will in "Table Talk" dated 8 May 1891, page 6 (on Trove) but it doesn't help with finding George.

[Mary from Italy]

A George Burchill aged 19 travelled from Victoria to Hobart, Tasmania in 1854:

http://prov.vic.gov.au/search_result...rds=25&x=0&y=0