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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: Jamunjie on Friday 29 June 07 13:16 BST (UK)
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I am trying to track down the birth records of Robert John Clark who was born in England in 1831, we think.
He was a half-caste Indigenous Australian who lived in Tasmania with his wife Eliza Pritchard(maiden name) and their 12 children.
For him to be born in England, either his mother or father would have to have been Indigenous Australian.
Would also like to track down the names and details of his parents if possible.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jamunjie
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Hi Jamungie
Welcome to RC
I see that the family are on Tas Archives Family links. Do you have the marriage or death certificates, it may say where Robert was born. Also, it could be on one of the children's birth certificates as well.
Trying to find him in England would be quite difficult as there are a lot of Robert Clark/Clarkes born around that time, so you would really need to know where to start looking.
Cazay
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Hi Jamugie,
I also have Robert John Clark in my family tree via his wife Eliza Pritchard, she is my Great Great Grandfather John Pritchard's older sister. I know he is buried in one of the Southport Cemeteries. Have a photo of the headstone. Interested if you do manage to find Robert Clark's parents
sae
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http://eheritage.statelibrary.tas.gov.au/ has a mention of his headstone, says 'Died in 1898 aged 73yrs'. So already we have some variation in his age...
What was Robert's occupation?
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I see his marriage in 1860 which says he was 29
but only 6 children 1873 to 1883 so the other were not registered or perhaps born elsewhere
Jenn
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Hi Tropicalj,
Robert and Eliza were married on the 31/5/1860, same day as Eliza
s sister Ann Pritchard and Agabus Bowden. Eliza and Robert did have 13 children, some registered under Clerk. Robert is buried with his youngest son Gordon Benjamin Clark who died aged 21 years. Don't know his occupation will have to check his marriage certificate
sae
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I am trying to track down the birth records of Robert John Clark who was born in England in 1831, we think.
He was a half-caste Indigenous Australian who lived in Tasmania with his wife Eliza Pritchard(maiden name) and their 12 children.
For him to be born in England, either his mother or father would have to have been Indigenous Australian.
Would also like to track down the names and details of his parents if possible.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jamunjie
Hi Jamunjie,
I am also a decendant of Robert John Clark and his wife Eliza Pritchard (they were my ggg grandparents). I was just wondering if you managed to track down who Roberts parents were as I'm having trouble also.
Thanks :)
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G'day there,
After recently going through my family tree, and finding out we are related to Robert John Clark of Southport TAS. Just wondering if you've found out any more about his parents and aboriginality, as this has been said about him in our family.
Cheers
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Just found this information which might fill in some gaps or create more questions!
https://www.orphanschool.org.au/showorphan.php?orphan_ID=945 (https://www.orphanschool.org.au/showorphan.php?orphan_ID=945)
Mother noted as Ann WOOLMORE, a widow. This surname would be from her second marriage. Assuming this is the same lady, her death notice from Trove (The Mercury, Hobart, Mon. 24th March, 1884) states:
'WOOLMORE - On Sunday, 23rd instant, at the residence of her son-in-law, Captain Myers, No 37, Macquarie-street, Ann Woolmore, in the 80th year of her age.'
The following link shows an image of Ann's burial record, confirming age, address and that she was born in England.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9NW-YPKT?i=135&cc=1935075 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9NW-YPKT?i=135&cc=1935075)
Regards,
Andrea
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Good find! :)
I assume the leap has been made to Robert being Aboriginal is based on the word 'half-caste' being written in his old records somewhere.
However, if Robert was born in England c1830 and his mother was also born in England, it is not only unlikely but near impossible.
My thinking is that his unknown father had a dark complexion - possibly African or Caribbean (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/empire_seapower/black_britons_01.shtml). Given the prejudice at the time in Tasmania and the fact that assumptions about Aboriginality were made simply on skin colour, it is not difficult to imagine how he might then have been so labelled in documents.
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Just found this information which might fill in some gaps or create more questions!
https://www.orphanschool.org.au/showorphan.php?orphan_ID=945 (https://www.orphanschool.org.au/showorphan.php?orphan_ID=945)
Mother noted as Ann WOOLMORE, a widow. This surname would be from her second marriage. Assuming this is the same lady, her death notice from Trove (The Mercury, Hobart, Mon. 24th March, 1884) states:
'WOOLMORE - On Sunday, 23rd instant, at the residence of her son-in-law, Captain Myers, No 37, Macquarie-street, Ann Woolmore, in the 80th year of her age.'
The following link shows an image of Ann's burial record, confirming age, address and that she was born in England.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9NW-YPKT?i=135&cc=1935075 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9NW-YPKT?i=135&cc=1935075)
Regards,
Andrea
Am I having a senior moment? :-\
How is he an orphan if his mother didn’t die until 1884?
Jamjar
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Orphan schools were for destitute children as well as orphans. Essentially it means his mother could not provide for him. :( They were part of the welfare system.
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Thanks, mollipops. :)
Jamjar
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Just found this information which might fill in some gaps or create more questions!
https://www.orphanschool.org.au/showorphan.php?orphan_ID=945 (https://www.orphanschool.org.au/showorphan.php?orphan_ID=945)
Mother noted as Ann WOOLMORE, a widow. This surname would be from her second marriage. Assuming this is the same lady, her death notice from Trove (The Mercury, Hobart, Mon. 24th March, 1884) states:
'WOOLMORE - On Sunday, 23rd instant, at the residence of her son-in-law, Captain Myers, No 37, Macquarie-street, Ann Woolmore, in the 80th year of her age.'
The following link shows an image of Ann's burial record, confirming age, address and that she was born in England.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9NW-YPKT?i=135&cc=1935075 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9NW-YPKT?i=135&cc=1935075)
Regards,
Andrea
The 6 July 1838 marriage registration shows Ann Clark as a spinster marrying Francis Woolmore a bachelor (convict per John 2nd).
So you are looking for an illegitimate birth with mother Clark.
I don’t know if these records can be linked: https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD36-1-3p9j2k
Jamjar
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Where have you got the half-caste reference from.
I agree with Mollimops and it’s highly unlikely there is an aboriginality connection.
Jamjar
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If it the correct child in the orphanage and mother, then he was born earlier than previously stated:
‘4yrs
Date admitted: 5 Aug 1833 ‘
Thus birth 1829ish.
Jamjar
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The Grave of our Robert John Clark of Southport (buried with his youngest Son)
States that Robert was born in 1825
Birth year doesn't match the child in Queen’s Orphanage, which was about 1829 (aged 4 in 1933)
Also the Queen’s Orphanage Child was released back to his Mother, so therefore should be in records later in life who the Mother is unlike our Robert John Clark.