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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: Lorraine Katherine on Monday 08 July 19 22:09 BST (UK)
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Hello Rootschat
Please can you help
Ralph Pearson married Eliza Seib in 1884, New South Wales, Australia
Ralph Pearson died 3 August 1920, Queensland, Australia
Father's name John Pearson
Mother's name Elizabeth Shelton
Born 1849, London
His home in Australia was called 'Notting Dale' an area in Kensington & Chelsea, London, England
Unable to find any English records for Ralph and his family, please help with this mystery
If not a convict, could he be making up these facts about himself to escape some other wrong doing?
Thank you for your help
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Any documents to show when he arrived in Australia?
His 1884 marriage cert shows he was a bachelor. No marriage on freebmd for named parents
There is a criminal registers entry for a John Ralph Pearson - manslaughter 1876 but appears to have been acquitted
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Any info. on his occ?
Annie
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Marriage cert shows him as a labourer and same occ shown for father John. Cert also shows birthplace as London England
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Thanks Carole!
A tree on Anc has a Ralph J Shelton b c1849 Shepherd's Bush parents John & Elizabeth (Croucher)
He's a married Labourer in 1871 PoB given as Hammersmith
Ralph not a common name i.e. possibly worth keeping in mind if something crops up?
Annie
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May I mention that transporting convicts to NSW effectively ceased 1840.
His QLD death cert should show how long he had been in the colonies.
JM.
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The 1884 marriage registered Glen Innes, NSW .... what info on that certificate for Ralph's then age, place of birth, usual address, and names of witnesses, and denomination and name of Rev'd.
JM
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Hi,
The 1892 Queensland Post Office Directory has a Ralph PEARSON as a selector at Biarra, Queensland.
1900 Queensland State Electoral Roll
Electoral District of Burnett
NANANGO DIVISION.
Ralph PEARSON, 46, farmer, portion 33v, Coolambunia Parish, qualified for the Electoral Roll on 27th Feb 1895 as a freeholder.
Note, his age of 46 would have been his age in 1895 when he qualified to go on the the Nanango Electoral Roll.
Gerry
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The 1884 marriage registered Glen Innes, NSW .... what info on that certificate for Ralph's then age, place of birth, usual address, and names of witnesses, and denomination and name of Rev'd.
JM
1884 Marriage
Ralph is 35
Place of birth London
Place of residence Deepwater
Rites of the Wesleyan Church
Witnesses George Jekyll and Ellen Jekyll
Minister Charles Edward Butler (think)
Thanks
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:D :D
Yes, and now I have found an image of a certified copy of the NSW marriage registration. 1884/004793. Certified 6 May 2014.
671
8th May, 1884, Deepwater
Ralph PEARSON, Bachelor, London, England and Eliza SEIB, Spinster, Ipswich, Queensland
(were) Married in the District of Glen Innes, According to the rites of the Wesleyan Church.
Ralph’s Usual Occupation was Laborer, he was aged 35, and his usual place of residence was Deepwater. His father was John PEARSON, Labourer and his mother was Elizabeth ----- (a horizontal line indicating her maiden name was not recorded).
Eliza’s Usual Occupation was Domestic, she was aged 25, and her usual place of residence was Deepwater. Her father was John Adam SEIB, Carpenter, and her mother was Margaret ----- (maiden name not recorded).
The witnesses were George Jekyll and Ellen JEKYLL and the Reverend was Charles Edward BUTLER. The particulars in Columns 5,7,9,10 were received from the Church Register no. 1686 and added to the NSW BDM registration 8 February 1946. Two senior NSW BDM officials certified that addition to that registration.
JM
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1884, there was no requirement for the clergy to record if either of the parents of the bride or groom were already deceased.
I see that there were two births registered to the couple in NSW, one in 1885, Tenterfield district and one in 1886, Queanbeyan ....
I will see if I have any local history info around either Pearson or Seib.
Have you searched the NSW Archives for arrival of Ralph?
https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/collections-and-research/guides-and-indexes/immigration-shipping-guide - with live links to many resources.
JM
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Resumption of Biarra land in Qld in 1889.
Qld Government Gazette 1889 - sorry, I cannot figure out the page number or exact date for this.
Book of Reference of Road through selection 5961 and Agricultural Farm No. 794, Ipswich District, Intended to be Proclaimed as a Public Road, County of Cavendish, Parish of Biarra...
Ref no. 1 .... (it is for Selection 5961, John NOONAN, Freehold)
Ref no. 2,
Description of Road : Westerly along and within the entire south boundary of portion 49v.
No. of Portion : 49v
No. of Selection : A.F. 794
How Held : Agricultural Farm 1884 Act
Reputed Owner : Ralph Pearson
Bearings 270o 0'
Lengths : 32 (Chs. - Chains) 30 (Links)
Breadth of Road : 100 Links
Area : 3 A (Acres) 1 R (Rood) 0 P (Perch)
Remarks : 4 acres 3 roods reserved for road purposes.
JM
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I'm sure you've found him
1871 English Census
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=uki1871&indiv=try&h=11939713
Ralph Shelton is living with his spouse Mrs S Shelton at 181 Portland Road
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol37/pp340-355
Portland Road is in Notting Hill, Notting Dale
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Road,_Notting_Hill
Ralph is a labourer
Mrs S Shelton is a charwoman
Ralph born Hammersmith and Mrs S Shelton born Hammersmith are sharing home with other families, including other Sheltons
Unable to find a 1869 /1870 /1871 marriage for Ralph and Mrs S Shelton unless a common law marriage
Unable to find Ralph and Mrs S Shelton / children in the 1881 census - did Mrs S Shelton die, did their children die?
Ralph obviously wanted to remember his time here calling his Australia home Notting Dale, so doesn't seem likely he abandoned his wife (and children)?
Did he change his name to be able to forget unhappy memories/trauma or an unreported criminal offence
https://www.silchesterestate.org.uk/about-us/notting-dale-history/
https://www.theundergroundmap.com/wp/notting-hill-in-bygone-days-kensington-park/
Charles Booth Survey
https://booth.lse.ac.uk/map/16/-0.2101/51.5098/100/0?marker=524308.0,180503.0
Poor end of Portland Road
Portland Road was built to segregate the classes in Kensington
In Norwood near Crystal Palace, London an actual wall was built in Victorian times to divide the lower working class and higher middle class, H G Wells lived nearby in Bromley, Kent at that time so suggested to H G Wells Society it could have given him idea for his story The Time Machine where the classes are divided and become different species - wish I could find the articles considered very shameful now and that local history being 'buried'.
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Queensland Govt Gazette 1890 page 650
Crown Lands Acts 1884 to 1889 Ipswich District … Agricultural Farms (notice the register No. and the Portion No and of course, the Parish). Likely Ralph, Eliza and the children were there by 1 Jan 1888.
Register No. 794: PEARSON, Ralph,
Portion No. 49
Parish or Resumption : Biarra
Commencement of Term : 1-1-88 (1 January 1888)
Area : 160 A, 0 R, O P. so 160 Acres.
Year : 3rd
Rent : £2 /0 /0
Survey Fees & c : £1/16/5 (one pound, 16 shillings and five pence).
Red Post Question : What Queensland document gives you 'Notting Dale' :)
JM
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A baptism for John Ralph Shilton, at Hammersmith, 19 Jan 1849, son of John and Elizabeth.
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Queensland Govt Gazette 1890 page 650
Crown Lands Acts 1884 to 1889 Ipswich District … Agricultural Farms (notice the register No. and the Portion No and of course, the Parish). Likely Ralph, Eliza and the children were there by 1 Jan 1888.
Register No. 794: PEARSON, Ralph,
Portion No. 49
Parish or Resumption : Biarra
Commencement of Term : 1-1-88 (1 January 1888)
Area : 160 A, 0 R, O P. so 160 Acres.
Year : 3rd
Rent : £2 /0 /0
Survey Fees & c : £1/16/5 (one pound, 16 shillings and five pence).
Red Post Question : What Queensland document gives you 'Notting Dale' :)
JM
There is no 'document' that mentions Notting Dale - was literally the house name, just as my address is Little House
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Found it!
John Ralph Shelton married Sarah Coleman in 1868 Kensington
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A baptism for John Ralph Shilton, at Hammersmith, 19 Jan 1849, son of John and Elizabeth.
:) that's a possible :) but we do need to remember that the information on a Queensland d.c. is only as reliable as the informant's own knowledge. Ralph PEARSON died 1920. It is likely his wife would be the informant. She was the executrix of the deceased estate. Her name in the Probate notice was Eva PEARSON, aka Eliza PEARSON
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/20417082 Brisbane Courier, 21 August 1920.
Are we sure that this is our OP's Ralph? Coolabunia is a fair way from Ipswich....
JM
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Q....
Red Post Question : What Queensland document gives you 'Notting Dale' :)
JM
There is no 'document' that mentions Notting Dale - was literally the house name, just as my address is Little House
My NSW ancestors addresses on various official documents, circa 1880s through to mid 1950s including on NSW b.c.s frequently included the 'house name' but not the house number, :)
JM
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:D
Queensland Electoral Roll
1908, Wide Bay, Nanango
Eliza Eva PEARSON, Nottingdale, Coolabunia, house duties
Ralph PEARSON, Nottingdale, Coolabunia, farmer
William Robert PEARSON, Nottingdale, Coolabunia, home duties
JM
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Queensland Electoral Roll
1903, Coolabunia – Wide Bay
Eliza Eva PEARSON, Nottingdale, house duties Oops, edit, it reads 'domestic duties' :-[ sorry.
Rolf PEARSON, Nottingdale, farmer
Watch the spelling of Ralph … clearly printed as ‘Rolf’ on this particular roll. Females became eligible to enrol to vote shortly after Federation.
JM
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Do you have the 1920 d.c. for Ralph?
JM
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Q....
Red Post Question : What Queensland document gives you 'Notting Dale' :)
JM
There is no 'document' that mentions Notting Dale - was literally the house name, just as my address is Little House
My NSW ancestors addresses on various official documents, circa 1880s through to mid 1950s including on NSW b.c.s frequently included the 'house name' but not the house number, :)
JM
Homely :)
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Night all, thanks again, amazing!
Why Pearson? Family maiden name ?
Sometimes only the TARDIS will do!
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Q....
Red Post Question : What Queensland document gives you 'Notting Dale' :)
JM
There is no 'document' that mentions Notting Dale - was literally the house name, just as my address is Little House
My NSW ancestors addresses on various official documents, circa 1880s through to mid 1950s including on NSW b.c.s frequently included the 'house name' but not the house number, :)
JM
Homely :)
Homely ... what an unusual word ... I think you may find it was the usual practice, not just of my ancestors, but for the non metropolitan districts in regional Qld and in regional NSW until perhaps the mid 1950s .... I have just been speaking with one of my elderly rellies, on the phone, errr ... he is closer to 110 than to 100 years of age. Many of the farms etc in and around Bundaberg, Goodnight Scrubs, Mt Perry, etc Qld, were known by their farm name until very recently, and some did not change over to the 'new' system until this century.
Re PEARSON, there still is nothing prohibiting any person from becoming known by any name, provided they were not seeking to deceive or defraud.... He may well have become known as Ralph PEARSON prior to coming to Australia. It will be easier to check closer once we have learnt what information is on his d.c. re 'how long in the colonies'....
JM
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There is a criminal registers entry for a John Ralph Pearson - manslaughter 1876 but appears to have been acquitted
Not sure if this was overlooked earlier?
Annie
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This arrival to Brisbane has the right birth date
Name-John SHELTON
Age25 (Birth Year 1849 )
Ship Ramsey
Port of Departure London, England
Port of Arrival Brisbane
Arrival Date 9 Jun 1874
Sue
ADDING
The only thing extra shown on the digitised record for this arrival, is that John was single.
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Q....
Red Post Question : What Queensland document gives you 'Notting Dale' :)
JM
There is no 'document' that mentions Notting Dale - was literally the house name, just as my address is Little House
My NSW ancestors addresses on various official documents, circa 1880s through to mid 1950s including on NSW b.c.s frequently included the 'house name' but not the house number, :)
JM
Homely :)
Homely ... what an unusual word ... I think you may find it was the usual practice, not just of my ancestors, but for the non metropolitan districts in regional Qld and in regional NSW until perhaps the mid 1950s .... I have just been speaking with one of my elderly rellies, on the phone, errr ... he is closer to 110 than to 100 years of age. Many of the farms etc in and around Bundaberg, Goodnight Scrubs, Mt Perry, etc Qld, were known by their farm name until very recently, and some did not change over to the 'new' system until this century.
Re PEARSON, there still is nothing prohibiting any person from becoming known by any name, provided they were not seeking to deceive or defraud.... He may well have become known as Ralph PEARSON prior to coming to Australia. It will be easier to check closer once we have learnt what information is on his d.c. re 'how long in the colonies'....
JM
By using significant farm names, rather than insignificant farm numbers, the families have left behind useful heritage, in this case made all the difference in finding Ralph
Will see if death certificate is available
Thank you
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This arrival to Brisbane has the right birth date
Name-John SHELTON
Age25 (Birth Year 1849 )
Ship Ramsey
Port of Departure London, England
Port of Arrival Brisbane
Arrival Date 9 Jun 1874
Sue
ADDING
The only thing extra shown on the digitised record for this arrival, is that John was single.
Thank you that's the next piece of the puzzle, unable to find a death certificate for first wife Sarah Shelton (nee Coleman) in 1871 to 1874 or her left behind with children in 1881, to see if he was starting a new life as a single man or not
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Miles away from London....but....there is a marriage for a John Sheldon to Elizabeth Pearson in Derbyshire in 1832....
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Thanks Carole!
A tree on Anc has a Ralph J Shelton b c1849 Shepherd's Bush parents John & Elizabeth (Croucher)
He's a married Labourer in 1871 PoB given as Hammersmith
Ralph not a common name i.e. possibly worth keeping in mind if something crops up?
Annie
Please are you able to send a link to the family tree
Thank you
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Miles away from London....but....there is a marriage for a John Sheldon to Elizabeth Pearson in Derbyshire in 1832....
Thank you
That is such a good match for Ralph changing his name later, how could they have met in Derbyshire
So the Elizabeth Croucher is not the mother then
1841 Census
John is born in Middlesex
Elizabeth is born in Middlesex
1851 Census
John is born in Wantage, Berkshire
Elizabeth is born in Cobham, Surrey
1861 Census
John is born in Englefield, Berkshire
Elizabeth is born in Cobham, Surrey
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Thanks Carole!
A tree on Anc has a Ralph J Shelton b c1849 Shepherd's Bush parents John & Elizabeth (Croucher)
He's a married Labourer in 1871 PoB given as Hammersmith
Ralph not a common name i.e. possibly worth keeping in mind if something crops up?
Annie
Please are you able to send a link to the family tree
Thank you
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/21019175/family?cfpid=1023983233&selnode=1
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Ralph 1920 death certificate states that he lived in Australian states “between 40 and 50 years Queensland and New South Wales”.
Thanks
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Please are you able to send a link to the family tree
Tree - https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/21019175/person/1023983242/facts
1841 John Shelton
Hammersmith HO107/690 Book 3/ 39 p 8
1851 John Shiltson
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=uki1851&indiv=try&h=2143333
HO107/1470/347 p 27
Marriage? Date fits for birth of 1st child but some distance away (difficult to be sure)?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:2:77XR-XSJ1?i=18&cc=1911752
I've done the searches i.e. posting some finds which may in turn be of use to others if not this particular query...
These are rather confusing...a long shot but worth possible consideration even with the anomalies
1881 - John R Shelton (Widower) Occ. Gas Fitter (not sure it fits with what's known)?
RG11/337/54 p 4
He has a son John M Shelton born c1864 St Pancras, Middlesex https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q279-152H
Born 1863 & Baptised 1865 Father John a Labourer (pre marriage OP found 1868)?...
Baptism? - Mother Amelia (see death below)...Not too convincing but not impossible...
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NYY3-WZ8
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01o0z/
Death? Emily (i.e. Amelia)? SARAH Shelton 1875
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2J2P-5K5
http://www.whatsinaname.net/php/search.php?action=search2&search_name=amelia
The migration found by Sparret was Jun 1874 i.e. brings into question whether he's the same chap given the death of possible wife was over 1 yr later in 1875
The DC would need to be purchased to find out if her hubby John was the informant
I hope this doesn't confuse matters although I have my own doubts on whether they are the same couple
Annie
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1851 CENSUS
Ralph and parents/siblings living in Wood Lane, Hammersmith
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_Lane
1861 CENSUS
Ralph and parents/siblings living in Southbrook Street, Hammersmith
1871 CENSUS
Ralph and wife Sarah living in Portland Road, with older brother Henry in Portland Road
Portland Road is in Notting Hill, NOTTING DALE
This is where Ralph moves from seemingly the pits of hell but maybe a happy marriage and happy family life to want to name his Australian home Nottingdale
John Shelton and Elizabeth Pearson who marry in Derbyshire, such a good fit for Ralph changing his name to Pearson, could they have moved from Derbyshire to London for work - but how did they meet John living in Berkshire and Elizabeth living in Surrey
Thank you Annie for all your suggestions, alot to think about!
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1851 CENSUS
Ralph and parents/siblings living in Wood Lane, Hammersmith
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_Lane
1861 CENSUS
Ralph and parents/siblings living in Southbrook Street, Hammersmith
1871 CENSUS
Ralph and wife Sarah living in Portland Road, with older brother Henry in Portland Road
Portland Road is in Notting Hill, NOTTING DALE
This is where Ralph moves from seemingly the pits of hell but maybe a happy marriage and happy family life to want to name his Australian home Nottingdale
John Shelton and Elizabeth Pearson who marry in Derbyshire, such a good fit for Ralph changing his name to Pearson, could they have moved from Derbyshire to London for work - but how did they meet John living in Berkshire and Elizabeth living in Surrey
Thank you Annie for all your suggestions, alot to think about!
I am possibly duplicating some information from across various posts on this thread. Sorry, but I am trying to find Ralph using ‘Nottingdale’ as his address any earlier than 1903, when he was aged in his 50s… It is possible that that was already the name of the property at Coolabunia when he moved there…. Also, I have not yet found any children for R. SHILTON and S. SHILTON as per the 1871 census…
Re the 1871 Census sighting 181 Portland Road, Kensington, several households. Two are perhaps of interest.
The image I have sighted has
R. SHILTON, head, married, 26, labourer, born Hammersmith.
S. SHILTON, wife, 24, Charwoman, born Hammersmith
And on the next page, and at same address:
Henry SHELTON, head, married, 35, labourer, born Hammersmith
Jane SHELTON, wife, 33, Charwoman, born Marylebone
Henry SHELTON, son, 4, born Kensington
Ellen SHELTON, daughter, 2, born Kensington
A submitted tree has Henry marrying Ellen in 1860, and their eldest daughter, (Jane L SHELTON) in 1871 was with her Grand Parents William and Catherine VAN, at 9 Latimer Rd Mews, Kensington
In 1901 Jane L SHELTON was aged 36, a Servant, and her birthplace was recorded as Notting Hill. In 1911, Jane Lucy SHELTON, aged 46, a Servant, was recorded as born Kensington.
1871 - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2XMB-894
1881 - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK65-36CB
1891 - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:3TGF-VN2
1901 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X968-1G6
Here is birth and baptism John Ralph SHILTON https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N1X3-9C9
Here is civil birth registration for John Ralfe SHILTON, it is from GRO, 1849, Vol 3, page 359. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2N49-TTM
Here is Ralph I SHELTON, in the family group, including a brother, Henry aged 14.
1851 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SG6R-PQ8
Here is Ralph SHELTER aged 12, in family group…
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7KL-WWY
JM
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May well be a red herring .... however,
Newspaper article Leeds Mercury June 7, 1878 mentions a Sarah SHELTON.
Local Divorce Cases ….. CLARK V CLARK This was the petition of the wife for dissolution of the marriage by reason of the cruelty and adultery of her husband. ….. The adultery charged was with a young woman of the name Shelton ….. …… …… In November 1877, …. Some information about a girl …. Confront her husband. He denied that he was the father of her child, but Shelton said that he was …. - - Sarah Shelton, formerly in the service of the petitioner, said that in April 1877, she had a child, the father of whom was the respondent. She obtained an affiliation order against him and he was ordered to pay for its support. …
JM
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There is a criminal registers entry for a John Ralph Pearson - manslaughter 1876 but appears to have been acquitted
Not sure if this was overlooked earlier?
Annie
This was in the Old Bailey, 1 May 1876, the remarks show 'Bill ignored, Not in Custody'
JM
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This arrival to Brisbane has the right birth date
Name-John SHELTON
Age25 (Birth Year 1849 )
Ship Ramsey
Port of Departure London, England
Port of Arrival Brisbane
Arrival Date 9 Jun 1874
Sue
ADDING
The only thing extra shown on the digitised record for this arrival, is that John was single.
Thank you all for your further posts
Does John enter Australia as Ralph/Rolfe Pearson rather than John Shelton/Shilton with these findings in later 1870's?
Mother's maiden on FindMyPast is Crowcher
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Hi all I am Ralph's great granddaughter from Australia and appreciate everyone's help with trying to solve our family brick wall. I have 2 questions. Ralph could read & write quite well & a family story has it that he had to walk past an apple orchard to get to school. Is it possible to check school admission records? Also another family story handed down recalled from his grandson was that he was a stowaway. Is their records on stowaways. Thanks in anticipation. Linda
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Hi Linda,
I cannot add much to help you in regard to the school question, but I do note that the 12 year old Ralph in 1861 is an errand boy, not a scholar.
I am speaking of the family where the wife of John SHELTON, labourer, is Elizabeth nee CROWCHER.
Sue