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PART TWO

Another interesting thing about the male is that when the local librarian actually got the original copy of the ships records, she found the record showed initials for the male. The weren't GH...but J or F ( hard to read) Hartley...I wondered if that could be George's brother...he was an insurance clerk at one time...perhaps he was also involved in the Nicholson business arena, or, if this is my family, if he was not directly a part of the Nicholson business situation, perhaps George had indeed dies and he was taking care of Clara and any children....It certainly doesn't explain his presence in Australia, let alone Adelaide of all places...although the capital city of Adelaide, it was a backwater in those times, to say the least.

Also, their nationalities were all listed as "Colonists"..interesting given George and his siblings were all born in the UK....Clara was born in Oz so that makes sense...then again, I've been advised not to pay to close attention to the scribblings of whomever wrote down the passenger details as assumptions and errors are quite common in these records. The mystery is convoluted and hard to unravel, which is a shame for the family really, because Clara, amongst the  hundreds of people in this huge Nicholson family that I've been able to locate and identify, is the most important of them all. the only one I haven't been able to get much information about and the last but most vital missing link in the chain.. Even to know where and when she died would be something..but no luck.

Although the family here is the main priority, there is also the not so small matter of finalising the historical record for the Australian National University, where that Concert Grand Piano mentioned earlier is now housed. The project led to the discovery of that piano being the only one of it's kind in the world. It now has a Federal Government Heritage order on it and they kicked in $60K, along with another $20 from Pioneer Australia, to save it from certain destruction. I did all the research for it and that research now forms part of the curriculum for the School of Music's Historical Informed Musical Instruments course. Nicholson  Co's business and family history also form a major part of the course, and James Nicholson's contribution to the founding of the music industry in this country as we know it today was a major reason for the government approving the funding grant. The heritage order was made without any request on my behalf because of the importance of the Nicholson family in Australia and just how deep his influence and contributions were to not only business, but socially. He was one of the most prolific philanthropists and benefactors of our early days of our national development. A very well connected man, domestically and internationally and a real mover and shaker to say the least....o, there is a great deal riding, on a personal family level and also the academic level, on a successful outcome to this story...Moving on.........

I can't find the passenger records for her travel to the UK pre marriage and therefore don't know how long she was in the country before marrying George. She isn't on  any earlier UK census records either, including the 1891c. then again, I was looking mainly in the Yorkshire area and didn't bother checking the London area. Given the wealth and prominence of the Nicholson family it's possible she was based there initially. Still, they married in the Bradford Cathedral and the address for her on the marriage certificate was 18 Spring Gardens Bradford. The council was very helpful. The had her father's name listed as owner on an electoral roll for that house pre the wedding. The house is still standing. I found it on Google Earth..that was very interesting. It's what we call a terrace house..not far from the CBD it appears. Anyway, that's about all I have up to now. If there is any light you could shed on things, no matter how insignificant it may seem to you, I'd be very grateful. You never know if some little tidbit about another family member could lead you closer to things in the end. If that could lead me to any information on when and where she and George are buried, when she died, and especially if there were any children or possible living great grandchildren etc...then it will have been worth the work....

Thank you once again for getting in touch. I really appreciate it and I know the family here will too!! Right now we're all in a bit of shock with these massive floods. One of the Nicholson family who I am in constant contact with, have a very large farm just south of the Queensland border downstream of the flow. I was speaking with her yesterday and things are quite grim, so any good news is most welcome.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Best wishes
Helen

Hello there you wonderful person!!! Thank you.

Details.

George Henry Hartley.
b: 1853 Horton Bradford
Father: George Henry
Mother: Sarah Robertshaw

Spouse: Clara Louisa Hartley nee Nicholson
b: 1864 Carlton Melbourne Australia
Father. James Charles Wilson Nicholson b: 1837 Bradford
Mother: Diana Rushworth b: 1838 Bradford

Marriage: 6th July 1893 Bradford Parish Church

No knowlege if there were any children, but it would be the absolute best thing if I could discover if they had any and even better if I could locate any descendants.

This research is for the family here in Australia who had no knowledge of their heritage or links to their family history from the UK until I started this project 7 years ago. It was related to a historic concert grant piano that Clara's father had custom made in Germany for the Melbourne International Exhibition here in 1880. It had belonged to a friend of mine and this all started when he wanted to sell it..To cut a long story short, it led me to the Nicholson family here and in the UK, who knew zilch. Clara and her husband and any possible descendants are the last missing links...They would be thrilled to know even the smalles detail...like when she died and where she is buried....

I have a fair bit of info up to and including the wedding, including marr cert and a copy of a newspaper article covering the society wedding. Clara was the daughter of the well known Nicholson organ building family. After the wedding they have vanished off the face of the earth, save a mention of Clara in her father's obit here in Australia, but no mention of George. Clara's parents came here in 1859 and founded a business empire related to the musical instruments and publishing business. They were a household name here, as were his family back in the UK.

George was a Merchant Shipping Clerk/Agent. He was also a well known Basso  I think that means singer) One of his brothers was Edward Robertshaw Hartley, the well known socialist politician and apparently a one time mayor of Bradford. I have all George's family history but no luck locating him or Clara through that path so far.

Finding the correct death record has been difficult as it's a common name, but the Wharfedale location pops up most frequently in my searches. I've been at this for the last 7 years...they are the last missing link in a long project.

There is no record of them on the 1901c...I don't have access to the 1911c at the moment...I simply can't afford the membership fees for the usual sites at the moment.

I have no idea where they lived after the wedding, when and where either of them died. I do believe they travelled a lot as she worked for her father for years before her marriage (she was 29 at that time).

Given the nature of George's profession, it would not suprise me if he handled all the international shipping matters for Clara's father, who purchased all the stock for his 4 very large stores here in every state in Australia from all over the world.

As coincidence would have it I watched a British show on TV last night called "Coast" and this particular episode was concentrated on the coastline near Wharfedale. Given George's profession it would make sense that he might live near where he needed to work....a port perhaps?

If there is anything else I can do to help please let me know. Thank you again for being willing to lend a hand. I am very grateful.

Many thanks
Helen
Melbourne
Australia

Hi Darren
Can you send me some further info re your Nicholson line please? Are they connected in any way to the organ building family which who originated in Rochdale and were also in Bradford and are still in Worcester? I'm researching this family and have a William in there around this time. I'll check the Family Tree and see what I can find for you, but a little more info would be helpful.

Hi all
Would anyone out there be able to help me with passenger records?  I'm hoping that if the records are there for my personpeople that they contain some further information, in particular a residence in the UK, or any other info that's not on records here in OZ.

Looking for any record of travel between UK and mainly Sydney, Melbourne, but also Brisbane & Adelaide between 1895-1913 for:

Clara L Hartley - usually showing as Mrs Hartley or C Hartley or unknown female.
B: 1864 Melbourne Australia

George Henry Hartley
B: 1853 Horton Bradford

Any children if existing.

I know she travelled here in 1907 to see her dying father..he died whilst she was in transit. She was originally booked to disembark in Sydney but disembarked in Melbourne. Vessel was "GEELONG" Arrived Melbourne late September.

I know this is a big ask but I really need the help and would be so grateful.

Thankyou
Helen
Melbourne