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I suspect there is something wrong with my tree. I'll start with my great great grandfather George Alfred Smith 1856-1936. A bit of luck here because 1881 census he his his father living with him and he died the same year. George James Smith 1819-1881, cordwainer from East Knoyle Wiltshire found his way to London. Here he married Elizabeth Mason in 1842. I have found some banns for 1839 without parental information. I think they were null because the bride was under age, Family search gave her parents as James Hawes Mason 1799-1860 and Elizabeth Walton. James Hawes being a cordwainer or bootcloser seemed I was on track. His father was James Mason 1767-1839, his mother Mary Ann Hawes. His father Robert Mason 1730-1824. This is where I get suspicious  Robert Mason has 9 children. One of these was Robert Mason 1757-1849 who went to America and fought for the rebels earning the nickname 'The Patriot'.  American contacts and trees I have seen have his mother as Elizabeth Dudley, I cannot find a marriage of a Robert Mason to a Dudley. I have a marriage 1749 to Elizabeth Lee. My ancestor James Mason b. 1767 and the Robert 1757 were both baptised  St. Mary Whitechapel, Parents Robert and Elizabeth of Rosemary Lane, Sarah Mason 1755 in Rosemary Lane, Other children, William Mason, b. 1750 of Robert & Elizabeth Mills Yard. Elizabeth Mason 1759, Robert & Elizabeth -----Yard. John Mason b. 1761 of Robert & Elizabeth, White's Yard. Ann Dudley Mason b,1762. Whites Yard'. Charlotte Mason b. 1765, White's Yard. Charles Mason 1770 Whites Yard. Could it be that there are two different families here ? Where the Americans get Elizabeth Dudley from I don't know. Maybe some clue in Ann Dudley Mason.

     I like a bit of mystery and speculation. My father's 2nd cousin (presumed) appears in 1891 English census, aged 9, Hackney, London, b. South Africa. Presumed I say because I think the first 'Bathams' in S.Africa were Christopher William Batham 1838-1882, his wife Elizabeth 1840-1883 and sons William Batham 1868-1946 and Frederick Batham 1869-1951.
So, in 1883 young Charles G. was an orphan. His brothers too busy to care for him shipped him back to England where his grandfather Christopher W. Batham 1816-1904 lived in Stonebridge N.W. London. Somehow young Charles G. was put into Leopold House, Hackney, East London, a Dr Barnado's home. 1896 Charles G. left for S. Africa, joined the army and fought in the Boer Wars. Then on 18 May 1908 he married Alice Annie Tate.
         Alice Annie Tate 1881-1961 ?  Again presumed to be the same one, born in Hackney E. London. Did she and Charles G. meet ?, at school perhaps ? Now, one more oddity 1891 census show Alice Annie living in Willesden N.W. London, not far from Charles G's grandfather. Did they meet (again) there ? I can find no record of her going to S. Africa. She visited England in 1950 for some reason
     
       Another point of interest.  There seems to be no record of  C. W. Batham 1838-1882 and family leaving England. He was a military man, fought in the Crimea and Indian Mutiny and was discharged. Did he enlist for the Zulu War of 1879 ? He died there aged 44.
       
       https://www.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=roy1939&view=0&pid=11007&randi=648807126
     

 My new friend perused my family tree on ancestry.com and asked me to look into hers. Mine was mostly English and records abound. Australian records I find very difficult to access.  Start with Removed  Bertram b.1961 South Australia. Her father was Mostyn Kingsley Bertram b. 1941 Adelaide. All I have found for him is the electoral roll 1968 Coolbellup, W.A. Her mother was Patricia Mary Briggs (?) b. 1945(?) married 1960. From the chatroom I have got parents of Mostyn as Kenneth and Doris Bertram.  I suspect that somewhere along the line Mostyn and Kingsley were surnames of ancestors. Help needed from someone with expertise  to make a start.

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http://roy1939.tribalpages.com...........Hannah Diprose 1827- ? b. Yalding, Kent married 1850 to Thomas Shoebridge, 1827-1892. Also b. Yalding. Two daughters, Harriett Shoebridge b.1850 Yalding and Louisa Ellen Shoebridge b. 1868 Clapham, Surrey, who seems to disappear. Harriett married 1874 Robert Cheeseman and produced, Fred 1874, William 1877, Lily Louisa 1879, Charles 1882, Henry 1884, Violet 1886, Daisy 1888, Edith 1889.  After 1871 I don't find Thomas or Hannah in census, but following up on the children (with difficulty) I find Edith in Sussex 1901 granddaughhter of Hannah Hope  ? widow. Thomas Shoebridge died 1892 as far as I can see and no marriage of Hannah to any Hope.  To add further confusion Louisa Ellen Shoebridge turns up there as Louisa Hope and another child for Harriett and Robert.  Did they just abandon the name Shoebridge ?

James Quinnell b. 1794, Peckham, Kent, England, married Eleanor Barham 1st Jan 1816. Daughter Eleanor was born on the 7th Jan. Five other children follow, James, Eliza, Amelia, George and Mary Ann b. 1832. The family then disappears from England and next I know is James died 26 Oct 1863  Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia. Eleanor died 16 Dec 1869 Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. No indication of when or why they left England.
      Eleanor had a son John Barham b. 1809 His father may or may not be James Quinnell so I don't know if John accompanied them to NSW.  No record of him in England apart from his baptism 1810 Nettlestead, Kent, England. This is possibly him,   Name: John Barham Birth Year: abt 1809 Age: 48 Arrival Date: 25 May 1857 Vessel Name: Golconda. With Sarah (no marriage) Joseph, Susannah, Samuel and Matilda.
 Can anyone throw some light on this ?    Roy