John Baker arrival in Australia about 1870

[kdsoph]

I have finally figured out how to attach files which I should have done in the beginning  so sorry. I have attached his Marriage cert so you can see what I have been working on.

I think its the fact that I cannot confirm his birth, birth date and parents which is making this all the more tricky. If I knew his age and where he came from then tying the Mariners records to him would be easier.

I have spent many hours trying to figure this out and to complicate matters more his parent's names were,... wait for it... John and Mary Baker (nee Reed, Reid, Read)!
I finally settled on the possibility that his parents were John and Mary Baker of Marldon, Devon. The reason being that this is the only Mary Reed I could find living around Devon married to a John Baker.
The issue this causes is that their son John was born in 1852 and my John's death cert would have him born in 1848. Could his death cert Age at Death be wrong?
His Marriage cert says he was 32 at time of marriage and that changes his birth date to 1854.

So I have 3 possible birth dates:

1. 1848 from his death cert (could be wrong as the informant was his son-in-law)
2. 1854 from his marriage cert (could be wrong because he fibbed as he was a LOT older than his bride who needed special permission to marry him from her father due to he age). He could have also been going from his Baptism date.
NB: John also says his father's occupation was Smelter whereas on his death cert it says Farmer.
3. 1852 from the most likely birth and Baptism in Marldon Devon because of his mother's maiden name, Reed (he spelt it Reid on his marriage cert). This John was Baptised along with all of his siblings in 1854.

I will endeavour to investigate all the links you have sent me as soon as possible.

Hoping you can shed some light and show me where I could have gone wrong.

 
Thank you again so much

KimD.[/b]

[majm]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/5962493426/sizes/l  re Commonage and Waratah. 

JM

[majm]

What an interesting registration.  The couple were not married by a clergyman, instead they married at the (district) Registrar's office, by Frederick W LOCHHEAD, the Deputy Registrar.

JM

[kdsoph]

Hi JM.

What an interesting registration.  The couple were not married by a clergyman, instead they married at the (district) Registrar's office, by Frederick W LOCHHEAD, the Deputy Registrar.

JM

I know! They were an interesting couple by all accounts. 
To begin with, it may have been a "shotgun" wedding as their 1st child, Jessie (Mary Ann), was born in 1887 but I don't know the month so I can't substantiate this. Jessie died in Newcastle when she was only 6 (I have no idea how or why) but 5 months later Mary Ann gave birth to her youngest son and last child, George, in SA. So her death may have sent the family south.

John and Mary Ann had 5 children in total including my great grandmother, Lena Fordham (nee Baker) who I was terrified of.

When Lena passed away we found a photo album with no names attached to anyone but one woman had her face scratched out with a pen. This image had the name Blanch written on it. So for all my life the family thought John's wife's name was Blanch until I started on Ancestry and discovered this was her surname. The reason for the obliteration from the history books was that Mary Ann Baker (Blanch) ran off, literally, with the milkman leaving her daughter Lena to care for her father in his old age.

I don't know where Mary Ann went to when she left but she was buried with her husband and the funeral left from her son's house so somewhere along the line she got back with her children.

John, on the other hand, is really my mystery as I can't find his origins.

The photo you sent has me completely excited and baffled;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/5962493426/sizes/l  re Commonage and Waratah. 

JM

I had worked out that John worked for the Wallaroo Copper Co. (SA)  from his daughter's death which occurred when they were living at Kalsina Flat, Waratah. He was a smelter by trade and his 2nd youngest son's (Arthur also a blacksmith) nick name was "Walla" so it stands to reason I have this right.
My consternation about this image is that it shows a Chas. Baker.  I don't know who this is. A coincidence of surname?

Thank you again

Kim D.

[majm]

 

Wallaroo Copper Co was just down the road on 'other side' to Chas BAKER !  could be a co-incidence of course with the surname. 

JM

[kdsoph]

I know. 

If I have the right family for John back in Marldon Devon he did not have a brother named Charles.
We know Charles is not his father or any of John's sons who were; John James, Arthur Samuel and George Frank Baker.
If I could figure out exactly who his family was Charles could have been an uncle perhaps or if I am wrong about the Marldon birth then Charles could have been his brother?! 

Geez

[cupoflife]

25/4/1887 was the birth date for this Mary Ann BAKER
30367/1887 BAKER, Mary A. ; Father-John; Mother-Mary A. ; Newcastle

[sparrett]

If the Charles BAKER you are chatting about as a possible relation to John is the man Charles Byron BAKER of Waratah, building contractor, then he is not a brother.

This man married in NSW  (and again later in life)
1132/1895
BAKER Charles B
CAMERON Jessie E
HAMILTON
 

The link given by JM mentions the Mr CAMERON of Hamilton in regard to the Commonage.

The couple had at least two children.

Marriage notice 1895 suggests Charles was born London
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/133346781

Here is his death
BAKER Charles Byron
29797/1951
Charles & Faith
HAMILTON

An Obituary. 
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/140336366

I am not at present able to make  link between John and Charles, other than a surname.

Sue

[kdsoph]

cupoflife

25/4/1887 was the birth date for this Mary Ann BAKER
30367/1887 BAKER, Mary A. ; Father-John; Mother-Mary A. ; Newcastle

As a matter of fact it is! I didn't know the exact date but did have the 30367 so this is their daughter, Mary Ann "Jessie" Baker's birth.

Than You