Hi Monica and Gadget,
Thank you both very much for going to that trouble. I hadn't actually thought to check the IGI again after finding out Emery came from Scotland, as i hadn't been able to find him on a broad search before.
Unfortunately, after putting up my request, i spent all afternoon going through shipping passenger lists to SA trying to find him, and have had no luck so far at all. If i can find him, then i will try to find out more about his journey and origins if possible. I have previously tried other states shipping just in case he came to SA from another state.
Although there is only the single name Emery on his death certificate, and on his marriage record, (and also on the birth records of his children) I guess that he could have been ........ Emery, and used his second name. I thought with such an uncommon name he would be a lot easier to find.
In one record (in SA) it was spelt as Emory and his surname is written as "Youngs" on his death certificate, though that is definitely incorrect.
All that the death certificate says, apart from the death, residence and undertaker details, were that he was age 76 (on Oct 21st 1908, when he died), labourer, born Invernesshire Sotland, in Oz for 55 years (so estimate he came out 1853, give or take a year). And that he had the 13 children out here (whose details I have - was hoping to track down some of their descendants and hopefully find out more about him, but no luck there either yet. Some of his grandsons in other branches also include the name Emery as a second name)
I wonder if his mother's name may have been MacDonald if you found an Emery MacDonald born 1832 Inverness. perhaps she was an unmarried mum?
Do you happen to have any other details of that family? How big was Invernesshire back then?
Thank you very much,
cheers,
Barb