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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: Jean Price on Saturday 27 February 21 02:50 GMT (UK)
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Good afternoon all,
I have John Francis born in 1864 to Owen Francis and Mary O'Rourke. The abbreviation is BUNK, but my handy list https://bdmabbreviations.steveparker.id.au/ (https://bdmabbreviations.steveparker.id.au/) does not have it. Can anyone help please.
Jean
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somewhere near Ballarat?
Bunkers Hill near Ballarat might be a good fit.
I notice there are other children born to this couple in Ballarat and Sago Hill, near Ballarat.
Was the father a miner?
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Thank you Neale,
I knew I was being lazy, and that i should check up on other children. John Francis married one of my family and died 6 days later - there were no children to this marriage - so I have not gone any further.
If the father was a miner he must have made some money because there is a magnificent headstone for the family in Whangaratta.
Jean
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Nothing shows on this site either:
https://fanningfamilyhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/eBook-Placenames-Abbreviations-13-June-2011.pdf
Both Steve Parker and the fanning history site show:
Burk = Burkes Flat
The letters 'n' and 'r' are so alike perhaps it was poorly transcribed? :-\
Just a thought!
Burkes Flat seems to be (very) roughly halfway between Bendigo and St Arnaud.
Judith
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Ancestry's Australian Birth Index says Buninyong:
1864 #19597
John Francis
Place: Buninyong,
Parents: Owen Francis, Mary Orourke
Judith
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I would suggest it is Bunkers Hill.
Owen FRANCIS mentioned in this newspaper item in 1863 applying for vacant ground
at Bunkers Hill.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72511558
Edit: My CD resource shows event was at BUNK.
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Thank you everyone for your input.
However I have to admit that I am still puzzled.
I think I will throw a dart
Regards
Jean
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Doesn't help with finding John's birth but his father's obituaries are interesting - you probably have them already. It looks as though Owen and Mary Ann were in the Ballarat area for the births of most of their children so I'd think Bunkers Hill, as already mentioned, is probably John's birth-place.
The image of John's birth registration MAY have better information if you wished to purchase it.
Father's obits:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/199682853
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10599407
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/100593494/10828321
I note that Owen's birthplace is given as Manchester in this obit while it's shown as Llechylched, Anglesey, Wales in some of the on-line trees which probably need checking.
Judith
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Thank you Judb
Interesting to see that the reports say he made a lot of money - I'm sure you can tell from a headstone how much money a family has - and the Francis one is a beauty
Jean
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The will of Owen Francis, d 1904 is digitised. His estate was worth about 3733 pounds, 3000 of which was the value of his property Killlawarra near Wangaratta.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/wills-and-probates
Judith
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Photos of memorials at Wangaratta cemetery for Owen and Mary Ann, and their children: John, Elizabeth (Hammond) and Daniel here:
https://billiongraves.com/grave/Owen-Francis/10748215
Judith
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Thank you again judb,
As I suspected, a wealthy man.
Jean
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Hi Jean.
It's a long shot, but you could try Linton Historical Society:
https://www.lintonhistory.org.au/
Linton is about 20km from Bunkers Hill and there was a lot of gold mining going on around there. My great-great grandfather was a gold miner just near Linton in the 1860s. If gold miners were anything like the Durham coal miners (which he was before emigrating) then they would have moved around quite frequently. Owen might have worked in the area.
The Linton people are very helpful.
Good luck!
Peter
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Thank you for that tip, Peter.
Jean