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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: goldie61 on Friday 23 April 21 23:33 BST (UK)
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Lewis Langdon Halls was born in 1800 in Devon.
His wife was Eliza Chant.
In the 1851 Census they live in Exeter. He is an ‘assistant grocer’.
They had some 10 children, including William Langdon, (1824), Lewis Langdon (1832) , John Barratt, (1827), Alfred. (1829), George Charles, (1838), Samuel (1837), and Albert. (1840).
In 1851 only these were still living at home; John B; Helen (aged 16); Samuel; George Charles and Albert.
William Langdon Halls died in 1905, having spent times in and out of mental institutions in Devon during his life.
In 1856, John Barratt Halls is on the electoral roll in Ballarat, Victoria, and in July 1857 there is a record of John Barratt Halls marrying in Ballarat. He is a ‘storekeeper, late of Exeter, Devonshire’
He died in 1864, Victoria.
Eliza ( Chant) Halls died 1872 in Ballarat.
George Charles Halls and Lewis Langdon Halls junior died 1875 in New South Wales.
Albert Halls had a son Lewis John Halls in 1879 in Ballarat.
Lewis Langdon Halls senior died in Ballarat 1888, ‘aged 88’ .
Can anybody find them emigrating to Australia, presumably sometime between 1851 and 1861?
In an article in 1863 on Trove. John Barratt Halls says he has been in Ballarat for 7 years. So he must have left England between 1851 and 1856.
I don’t know how many of them emigrated to Australia - apart from the deaths I’ve found above, or if they all came together or not. I have had no success at trying to find them on passenger lists etc.
Any help greatly appreciated
Thank you
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The son named George was actually George Chant HALLS rather than George Charles HALLS.
Here is a marriage announcement
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/112890596
He died and is buried in Ballarat
Records show he as an inmate of the Benevolent Asylum aged 81 years and his death date was 28/3/1919. He is buried at the Ballarat New Cemetery.
Lewis L. HALLS is recorded under the spelling Louis and was also a resident of the Benevolent Asylum. Aged 88. He is buried at the Old Cemetery.
Others are interred Ballarat too.
This caught my eye when you mentioned the occupation of grocer in the family.
Lewis HALL (sic) grocer 1851 in Melbourne
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4779275
Perhaps, if this this is family member, he came ahead of others.
Sue
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Some good snippets there, Sue. I've looked for any other mentions of this family but there seems to be sparse information out there - and searching turns up lots of "Hall" entries on TROVE etc but not much for 'Halls".
I suspect that there would have been some poor transcriptions/mis-spellings along the way also.
Judith
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Some good snippets there, Sue. I've looked for any other mentions of this family but there seems to be sparse information out there - and searching turns up lots of "Hall" entries on TROVE etc but not much for 'Halls".
I suspect that there would have been some poor transcriptions/mis-spellings along the way also.
Judith
Thanks to you both.
Some more interesting snippets about their lives in Australia.
I just wish I could find ONE record of them all actually emigrating! :)
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I just wish I could find ONE record of them all actually emigrating!
Me too, goldie61
This family is quite elusive considering there were quite a few of them and that they appear to have run shops/businesses, and may have been reasonably well-known in the Ballarat area.
The immigration shipping lists held by the Victorian government begin in 1852 so I suppose there's a possibility that they arrived before those records began. The other avenue which may give a clue is to buy the image of Eliza's death certificate.
You may already know all this so I apologise for the repetition if you do. Victorian BMD records are very informative (so long as the informant is knowledgeable/truthful. This is the information asked for:
Deaths
Date and place of death;
name and surname;
occupation of the deceased;
sex and age;
cause of death, duration of illness, medical attendant by whom certified and when he last saw deceased;
name and surname of parents (if known) including mother's maiden surname
signature, description and address of the person who gave the information;
signature of deputy registrar, date and where registered,
when and where buried,
undertaker whom certified, name and religion of Minister, or names of witnesses of burial;
place of birth of the deceased and how long he or she resided in the Australian colonies or states (stating which),
name of spouse, place of marriage, age at marriage;
names and ages of children of the deceased.
Looking at the index entry for Eliza, the informant knew her parents' and spouse's names so it would seem likely that the informant might also know how long Eliza had been in Australia/Victoria. The index entry for Lewis shows less information - not uncommon for those who die in an institution.
John Barratt Hall's index entry seems to be complete also and his death is nearer the probable date of immigration.
Images of Victorian historical bmd records can be purchased for $AU20 and the3 image is emailed to you directly.
https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history
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Thanks judb for that information.
I suppose it's possible they came in late 1851. They are still in the UK 1851 Census - taken at the end of March that year.
Interesting they were both in a 'Benevolent Asylum'. I wonder if this was more like a place where old people could go if they had nowhere else - not necessarily in need of mental health care.
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Yes, a Benevolent Asylum was a place for the sick and needy so it's likely that there was no-one able to care for them - somewhat similar to care homes today.
https://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/research/ballarat-benevolent-asylum
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66334646
Judith
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Hi goldie
Just this one possibility?
A Lewis and Elizabeth HALLS arrived in VIC Sep 1857 on the ship White Star.
Both were recorded with their age as 45 which I doubt is correct.
It may be that others in the family arrived earlier in another State before travelling overland to Ballarat.
Essie
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Excellent find, Essie.
As you've said the shipping record gives ages of 45 for both Lewis and 'Eliz'th', gives his occupation as 'farmer', but it's not uncommon for shipping records to be incorrect. Ship departed Liverpool.
Very odd though - over the weekend I have used Ancestry search and PROV Shopping records more than once but both said no record found. Today when I put 'Lewis Halls' into Ancestry lo and behold up comes the link to the shipping record! ??? ::) :o
Judith
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Hi Judith,
I agree that it did not appear on a regular Ancestry search in the last couple of days.
I note also in the digitised image that this couple was contracted to land in Adelaide.
Sue
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Information re the voyage of the White Star, left Liverpool June 23, 1857.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154832616
White Star carried: saloon passengers : Mr. and Mrs. Bradley, Mr. and Mrs. Eason, Mrs. Haigh, Mrs. Summers and child, Miss White, Mrs. Humphries, Messrs. Coppinger (2), Blair, Brown, Dr. Asslln ; and six hundred and fifty in the intermediate and steerage. H. T. Wilson and Co., agents.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/7138243
Judith
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Sue - I'm not sure whether the destinations in that last column refer only to the passengers along that particular line, so the notation "Adelaide" refers only to 'Wm Barratt'.
Judith
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Yes, a Benevolent Asylum was a place for the sick and needy so it's likely that there was no-one able to care for them - somewhat similar to care homes today.
https://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/research/ballarat-benevolent-asylum
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66334646
Judith
Thanks for these links Judith.
The website for the Ballarat Benevolent asylum was great!
They are transcribing the admission registers, and hurray! Lewis is there.
Age: tick. Occupation: tick. Place of birth: tick. Names of parents: tick. No of children: tick (10!). And there's a column for 'arrived in colony' - 1856. Got ya!
I also found a death notice on Trove for one of his sons (Albert Hall - honestly) in 1915, which says he had been a colonist for 60 years - so again about 1855.
I couldn't find an entry in the Ballarat Asylum lists for the other Halls member George in 1919.
Perhaps they haven't got up to that date yet.
I love it when the pieces of he jigsaw finally start to fit together! :)
Thanks for your help.
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Hi goldie
Just this one possibility?
A Lewis and Elizabeth HALLS arrived in VIC Sep 1857 on the ship White Star.
Both were recorded with their age as 45 which I doubt is correct.
It may be that others in the family arrived earlier in another State before travelling overland to Ballarat.
Essie
Well how weird, but exciting, Essie.
I wonder why this record suddenly decided to show up.
In the absence of any other possibilities, it does look as if this may well be them.
Lewis says 1856 on his admission to the Ballarat Asylum, (or at least, the person who gave the information did), but this was nearly 30 years later, and one year different is close enough to be negligible.
Their ages are about 10 years out. I wonder if he felt it would look better if they were a bit younger?
Mid 50s was possibly a bit old to be adventuring to the other side of the world in the 1850s!
Thanks for your help.
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I would suggest that in order to qualify for govt assistance in your immigration from England to Australia, you should be 'young and useful'
An ancestor of mine was a medical practitioner and, to meet the criteria for himself and family, became a clerk ten years younger! ;)
Anyhow, great that it has all come together in the end for you.
Sue
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I would suggest that in order to qualify for govt assistance in your immigration from England to Australia, you should be 'young and useful'
An ancestor of mine was a medical practitioner and, to meet the criteria for himself and family, became a clerk ten years younger! ;)
Anyhow, great that it has all come together in the end for you.
Sue
Well that's interesting Sue.
Perhaps he also thought it would be a good idea to be a 'farmer', rather than a grocer!
Although I suspect that someone who ran the grocery store in Ballarat during the gold rush, was probably better off than many of the miners!