Professor George Parker (1829?-1871), champion swordsman of Australia

[SteveKNS]

George Parker (ex-Life Guards, 2nd regiment) was a famous swordsman in Australia during the 1850s and 1860s, and he performed at many towns and cities in Victoria, NSW, and Tasmania using the stage name of "Professor Parker". He also spent a few years touring NZ from 1863-67 with his wife, the popular serio-comic singer and actress, Mary Ann "Annie" Beaumont, before they returned to Sydney in October 1867. George's career was tragically cut short when he had a fatal accident on 15th Feb 1871 at Walhalla, Victoria, where he was thrown off his horse - see inquest report in the 25th Feb 1871 isue of The Empire (page 2, column 3 "The Fatal Accident to Professor Parker"): http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/63116304?

There's a huge number of news articles and advertisements on Trove for both George and Annie, and I've started to collate these in a Trove list: http://trove.nla.gov.au/list?id=59098 But I haven't been able to track down their British origins. George was said to be about 42 years old when he died at Walhalla, and he is thought to have arrived in Australia sometime in early 1853; he featured prominently in the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, and gave numerous swordsmanship demonstrations at Savile House, Leicester Square during 1851. I haven't been able to track George down at any of the Life Guards barracks in the 1851 census, and he doesn't even seem to feature in census returns for that year elsewhere in the UK. And I have even less information on Annie.

It would be great if anyone can help with the following:-

- Confirmation of George Parker's military career (the 2nd Life Guards references just come from newspaper ads or articles)

- Any details of George and Annie's family history before they arrived in Australia - I'm not sure when Annie arrived in Australia, but the first news reference I've found for her is in 1863 at Ballarat.

- Confirmation of where George was buried - I assume he was buried in Walhalla cemetery, but I can't find any details for this nor can I find a news report of a funeral.

- Any details of what happened to Annie Beaumont after George's death - the last reference that I can find is in 1876 when she was performing in Dunedin, NZ (she apparently returned to NZ in late 1873 or early 1874).

Many thanks,

Steve

[Neil Todd]

I would get a copy of his DC which can be paid via plastic and downloaded immediately. This is available at: http://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/home/family+history/search+your+family+history/

It is currently offline but should be back up soon.

All information is only as good as the Informants knowledge so it may need to be checked. But it should give age, birthplace, parents, spouse, children, how long in Colony and where buried and by whom as well as doctor and injuries.

Neil

[SteveKNS]

Thanks for the link, Neil - not used the Victoria BDM service before, but it worked well. The death certificate shows that George was buried in Toongabbie, Gipps Land on 16th Feb 1871 - the minister was Henry Fowler, and the undertaker was William Henry Ostler (who was the informant of the death, and also the Walhalla mailman).

George's cause of death was stated as "broken neck caused by fall from a horse" and the place of death was "Walhalla Road, near Thompson River, Gipps Land". William Henry Ostler's address was given as "Walhalla Road, Gipps Land". The death certificate also shows that George was 42 years old when he died and that his profession was "swordsman".

Unfortunately, no information about George's British origins is shown on the certificate, other than that he was born in England. "Unknown" is stated for "name and surname of father and mother" and "how long in the Australian Colonies". "Unknown" was also the answer for most questions under "If deceased was married" - it does say that he was married, but it's strange that Annie Beaumont was not listed as his wife as she was present at his death, and at the inquest.

I'll see if I can find any more info about his Toongabbie burial.

[cando]

There is also an inquest file at the Pubic Records Office of Victoria

Inquest Index
PARKER George
Place Walhalla
1871  Ref#164
Cause Fall From Horse

http://prov.vic.gov.au/provguide-8

Cando

[cando]

I'll see if I can find any more info about his Toongabbie burial.

http://toongabbie.vic.au/cemetery-history

Initially, burials in Toongabbie had been made in close proximity to the town in the early years of its existence; however, they were later performed on higher ground towards the south-west edge of the town on what officially became the Toongabbie cemetery in November 1873. Upon surveying of the site, the surveyor George Jones noticed graves on the rise immediately to the south with eight graves already existing.
As the cemetery was not gazetted until late 1873, any previous marked sites erected with wooden monuments or fences have long since been destroyed due to fire or vandals. Records of burials exist only from the late 1880s:

Cando

[sparrett]

 the last reference that I can find is in 1876 when she was performing in Dunedin, NZ



Catweazle


1896 is the last NZ reference I see.

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=WC18960613.2.8&srpos=1&e=--1896---1896--10--1----2annie+beaumont--

However,  I do note after that, there are numerous newspaper references to a Madame BEAUMONT, a very highly acknowledged  theatre costume designer.
An example- Madame Beaumont assists in costumes for production in Melbourne in 1902

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/145707327
 
Have you considered this person as a possibility for Miss Annie BEAUMONT?

Sue

[SteveKNS]

There is also an inquest file at the Pubic Records Office of Victoria

Many thanks, Cando - that's a great find and very helpful - I have just downloaded the inquest report and this includes witness statements as well. It will take a little while to digest but I'll post any additional findings later.

Thanks also for the pointer for the Toongabbie cemetery - it looks as if I'm out of luck with that one. It's still a bit of a puzzle why George was taken to Toongabbie for burial, though - the inquest report says he died 300 yards from the Junction Hotel in Walhalla, so a burial in the Walhalla cemetery would have been less distance to travel.

[SteveKNS]

1896 is the last NZ reference I see.

Many thanks, Sue - I'd missed the 1896 PP article, so it's good to see that Annie was still performing then. My guess is that she was born between 1825 and 1845, so maybe the move into costume design conicided with a desire to slow down a bit after 40+ years on the stage. I'll follow this up - thanks again for the tip.

Steve

[Flattybasher9]

Have you seen this

https://www.flickr.com/photos/statelibraryofnsw/7778430478/in/gallery-93424150@N05-72157632825409378/

Regards

Malky