RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: RebeccaNZ on Sunday 29 July 12 05:08 BST (UK)
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I am trying to find out more about John Spriggs, all I know about him is that he married Elizabeth BIDWELL (sometimes spelt Bedwell) in 1855, Victoria.
They had a daugther - Jane Bedwell-Spriggs, born 1858, Cliff End, Victoria.
Elizabeth Spriggs died 1875, Oladdie, South Australia. I think that the family must have moved to South Australia or at least Elizabeth and daughter Jane did.
I am trying to figure out where John Spriggs came from and when and where he died.
Rebecca :)
Edited to add: I have heard through family that he came from Bristol, Somerset and was born abt 1820. I'm not sure if that is true or not.
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Hi Rebecca,
A John SPRIGGS & Elizabeth BIDWELL/ BEDWELL had the following children born in South Australia…..
Thomas Low born 22 Jun 1862 at Stirling
Ref = Ade A 20/404
Harriet Rosetta born 27 August 1866 at New Glenelg
Ref = Ade 46/91
Angelina born 13th April 1869 at Glenelg
Ref = Ade 72/354
Elizabeth Bedwell born 12th Feb 1875 at Oladdie
Ref = Fro 147/480
William Edward born 24 October 1872 at Bowden
Ref = Hin 115/194
Dee :)
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Theres a John SPRIGGS aged 83 of Glen Osmond who died in Adelaide on 5 August 1897.
No relative listed.
Ref = Ade H 245/37
Dee :)
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Maybe a couple more births in Victoria
SPRIGGS M 1855 Woodstock Reg#9550
SPRIGGS Jane Bedwell Cliffe End Reg#11329
SPRIGGS Caroline 1860 Viol Reg#5287
All with Father: John Mother: Elizabeth Bedwell/Bidwell
A possible death in SA
SPRIGGS John 1897
Reg#245/37 District: Adelaide
and this burial
SPRIGGS John Age 83 ( so born c1814)
Date of death: 6/8/1897
West Terrace Cemetery Road 5 East
Row V1E Site 33
Raylen
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Thankyou Dee and Raylen :) That is really helpful, I have a death date now.
Where would I be able to find out where he came from and where he was born? I don't think that he was born in Australia.
:)
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There's nothing in BISA for John Spriggs. :-\
If there had been, that may have told you where he came from.
Did you get a copy of his marriage certificate? If not, that may help.
Dee :)
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Elizabeth Spriggs death notice
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0p6s/
No mention of any children but indicates her husband was still alive.
Raylen
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The marriage in Victoria
SPRIGGS John
BIDWELL Elizabeth
1855
Reg# 736
Does not note the place of birth for either.
Raylen
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A John Spriggs is in a Gaol in Somerset in 1841. Obviously this does not show any other family nor where born. He is not around in 1851. In 1841 he was aged 25 so born C1816.
Neil
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In case you need to purchase the certificate - you need the reg number.
SPRIGGS John
BIDWELL Elizabeth
1855 Reg#736
As Dee mentioned, this certificate would help you.
Victorian certs have excellent information and the marriage certificate would give you his age, his place of birth, his parents names including his mother's maiden name and his father's occupation.
https://online.justice.vic.gov.au/bdm/index-search?action=purchaseImage
There are two convicts John SPRIGGS b. Bristol. One was born c1817. Any family stories of him being a convict to NSW. Hope this link works to the NSW archives website.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0p6t/
Cando
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Taking a guess at a family there is one close by.
Brimbles Buildings at Bridgwater Somerset
John Spriggs Head 1781 wife Jane 1786, daughter jane 1820, Son William 1818, son James 1825, and Richard 1828.
There is also staying with them a Thomas Popmore right age for FILaw born 1770.
Neil
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Thanks Neil, cando, Raylen and Dee :)
I have not heard that he was a convict but it is quite possible that he was. I had also noticed the convict records on ancestry.com but I wasn't sure if it was him or not. It seems like there are a few John Spriggs around Somerset and Bristol.
I think that the marriage certificate is going to help :)
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As Cando said, you can get an image of the certificate online, much cheaper than ordering a paper copy. :)
Dee :)
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Apologies Raylen and Neil for duplicating info...I am too slow typing :P
Raylen the places of birth of the bride and groom are not shown on the Vic marriage indexes in the 1850's.
Cando
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I didn't mean he was a transported convict only that in 1841 he was in a Gaol and House of correction in Somerset. It does give his birthplace as Somerset when I rechecked. Also His name fits perfectly along with Siblings and parents and birth year. This may not be right one though as you say there are a few.
Just fitted nicely. he could have reoffended and then been transported though.
Neil..... whadya mean Cando ???
;D ;D ;D ;D
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I didn't mean he was a transported convict only that in 1841 he was in a Gaol and House of correction in Somerset. It does give his birthplace as Somerset when I rechecked. Also His name fits perfectly along with Siblings and parents and birth year. This may not be right one though as you say there are a few.
Just fitted nicely. he could have reoffended and then been transported though.
Neil..... whadya mean Cando ???
;D ;D ;D ;D
Yeah, it does fit. I know what you mean. There are also convict records for a John Spriggs born around the same time and same place on ancestry - it could have been him.
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As Cando said, you can get an image of the certificate online, much cheaper than ordering a paper copy. :)
Dee :)
Do you know how much it is to get the cert online?
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I think it is $18.50 AUD unless it's gone up since I last ordered one. That's about half or less than getting a paper one....and you get it instantly. Actually you get a whole page of certificates.....yours and others! ;D ;D
ADDED....sorry Rebecca.....seems the images have gone up to $20 AUD since I last ordered. :(
Dee :)
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$26. funny dollars NZ.. ;D ;D ;D
Neil
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$26. funny dollars NZ.. ;D ;D ;D
Neil
Yeah, that's more expensive than ordering from GRO and it's only the image. I will order the cert though :)
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An image of the cert can be purchased online and immediately downloaded :)
https://online.justice.vic.gov.au/bdm/index-search?action=purchaseImage
Cando
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I should have added...why would you purchase the cert when you can have an image of the original page in the register :)
Cando
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I should have added...why would you purchase the cert when you can have an image of the original page in the register :)
Cando
I finally got around to downloading the image. It doesn't give his parents names though, just a place of birth which is Bristol.
Does anyone know how I would be able to find out for certain if he was a convict. I have looked up the image for a John Spriggs - born 1817, Bristol, trial 1837, he got his freedom 1845. Occupation: Potter. Did people have tattoo's back then - it looks like he did in the comments section. Weird.
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Tattoos appear in lots of physical descriptions of convicts, Rebecca.
Also, quite a lot of convicts moved on to South Australia once they obtained their freedom, so John Spriggs may have been one of those. Proving it may be more difficult however.
This doesn't help answer your questions about John, but have you seen the following? It just gives you a tiny glimpse into wife Elizabeth's life.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0pgv/
Dee :)
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Tattoos appear in lots of physical descriptions of convicts, Rebecca.
Also, quite a lot of convicts moved on to South Australia once they obtained their freedom, so John Spriggs may have been one of those. Proving it may be more difficult however.
This doesn't help answer your questions about John, but have you seen the following? It just gives you a tiny glimpse into wife Elizabeth's life.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0pgv/
Dee :)
I didn't know that people had tattoo's back then.
Thankyou for the link, it does give insight into her life and also gives and occupation for John - a fisherman so that may prove to be helpful. There are two convicts called John Spriggs born around 1818 in Somerset, one was a potter and the other one a sweep, both got their freedom around the same time. He could be either one, I wish that I could figure it out.
Thankyou :)
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NSW State Records have John SPRIGGS tried Bristol Quarter sessions.
Departed on the ship Lord Lyndoch 2 April 1838.
Rhonda
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Rebecca, I wouldn't put too much focus on the fact that John is recorded as a fisherman in that article. He may have had to try to make a living any way he could. He certainly wouldn't have been a fisherman once they moved to Oladdie.
Dee :)
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NSW State Records have John SPRIGGS tried Bristol Quarter sessions.
Departed on the ship Lord Lyndoch 2 April 1838.
Rhonda
Thanks, I have seen that :) I can't be sure whether it is him or not, but since I can't find another arrival for him I am beginning to think it's very likely to be him. The thing is that there are two John Spriggs, who arrived as convicts both born around the same time, around the same place. Very confusing ???
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Hi
I came across these entries as I was trying to find out anything about my great grandfather Arthur Spriggs who was born around 1876 at Oladdie Station. He never knew his parents as he was abandoned and there is no record of his birth... Do you think there might be some connection? It wasn't a big place and it's not a common name....
Thank you
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Hi
I came across these entries as I was trying to find out anything about my great grandfather Arthur Spriggs who was born around 1876 at Oladdie Station. He never knew his parents as he was abandoned and there is no record of his birth... Do you think there might be some connection? It wasn't a big place and it's not a common name....
Thank you
There is a possibility that Arthur's father was John Spriggs. John's wife Elizabeth died 1875, Oladdie, so she wont be his mother. Their youngest child was also born in 1875 Oladdie. John Sprigg's died in 1897 so it's possible Arthur was an illegitimate son. Their oldest children were born in the 1850's & 1860's so there could also be some connection there too. Without having a birth record it would be hard to tell where the connection was. What happened to him after he was abandoned, do you know why he was abandoned? Do you have any family stories or anything like that?
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Hi Rebbecca
I have this John Spriggs in my family tree.
England Census 1841
Bidwell East Peckham Kent Thomas 40 Basket m, Jane 40, John 13, Elizabeth 13, Alfred 8 and Elizabeth Maitland 75. (Is this Janes mother?)
England Census 1851
Bidwell East Peckham Kent Thomas 55 Basket Maker Blind, Jane 54 Blind.
Elizabeth christened 2 May 1830 East Peckham Kent England Father Thomas Bedwell Mother Jane Source Batch c165411 18103-1844 1469437IT5 Film none
Same source lists Edward christened 27 May 1821, Mary Ann christened 27 Oct 1822, Thomas christened 5 Sep 1824, Jane christened 25 Jun 1826, Betsey (not Elizabeth) christened 2 May 1830 and Alfred christened 26 May 1833
John Spriggs, batchalor, born Bristol, England Carrier age 35 present address Olrig (parents William Spriggs, Seaman and Sarah Chilcott) married Elizabeth Bidwell, Spinster, born East Peckham, Kent, age 24 present address Olrig (Parents Thomas Bidwell, Basket maker and Jane Henley both blind) on 6 March 1886 at Olrig, Sydney Rd in the house of Mr Wilkie. THey declared that they were members of the Church of England. Married according to the forms of the free Presbyterian Church. John signed with his mark and Elizabeth signed her name. Witness P John Wilkie and J.M. MacLaurin, Minister Adam Cairns. Olrig, Kinlochewe near Donnybrook on the Sydney Road.This detail is from an unregistered copy of the marriage register. The information about Elizabeth's parents is from the 1841/51 England Census above.
Married 1855 Victoria
Children start Vic 1855 moving thru to SA ending in SA 1875
Haven,t found how he got to Aus yet
Bob
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It appears a John SPRIGGS had a market stall in Adelaide in June 1855 before he went to the 'diggings' in VIC.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/207025516
Rhonda
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Rhonda
Thank you. A very interesting article. I think that there are two men here, the one I list was married in Victoria in 1855 as was the birth of their first child born in 1855 in Victoria
There were other Spriggs families in SA in this period
Bob