Seamen Deserters - Victoria

[Rochdalian]

Would anybody who is going to the PROV be able to do a look up for me.  I'm looking for a bloke who arrived in Victoria prior to 1884 and could have been born about 1855.  Having searched high and low now I think my last shot is that he jumped ship.  I've looked at the PROV catlogue and I think the following are the relevant indexes.

VPRS 2144
VPRS 558
VPRS 945

This is the bloke:
Frederick William Kenny (marriage cert says born Fairwater, Germany - also assumed birth is based on ages given at marriage and death).

I have no idea how onerous this may be so I don't mind if people tell me

Cheers

Bob

[ChristineR]

What did his death certificate say as to how long he had been in Australia? did it mention more than one State?

Have you searched South Australian shipping?  Large numbers of German emigrants arrived under various schemes to SA, and a lot ended up in Victoria.

Christine 

[Rochdalian]

Hi Christine
The death cert says nothing unfortunately, he died at Mildura Base Hospital and the informant was the undertaker.  Therefore no knowledge of birthplace, how long in Australia or any kin.  He was married and had six kids, one of which was my wife's grandmother.   I have tried unsuccessfully to find descendants over the years but it is unlikely they would know anything as his wife was committed in 1898 and never released and he deserted the kids and went to live an itinerant life along the Murray.  The kids were raised by various siblings of the mother.

Is there a way of searching SA shipping on line?
Thanks

Bob   

[ChristineR]

If you look at the notices for South Australian links at the 'home' page for this section - Emigrants to Australia - I am sure that there will be links to shipping information.  There are lots of ships lists already indexed, after 1855 for SA.  Have you searched the NSW on line indexes?

Have you tried to get details of his hospital file - in case his ship of arrival is recorded?  Strange that it was the undertaker doing the informing - the hospital would have been responsible for the registration.  Often they cannot be bothered looking up information for the death certifcate from their files, and one finds they do hold the information taken on admission of the patient - such as age, birthplace, ship of arrival, when arrived, next of kin, etc.

Christine

[Rochdalian]

Hi Christine, thanks for the tips particularly the hospital one. I will pursue that one. Yes I've checked the NSW databases and had a look at some of the SA immigrant lists.  All to no avail.

Thanks again

Bob

[fabkenney]

Hey Bob,
Im not sure im answering your question but what I can tell you is that Frederick William Kenny is my great grandfather. My grand father is William Bert Kenny who i believe would be the brother of your wifes grandmother. I know very little about the history of my Kenny side of the family so started looking. All I know is that my grandfather established himself in Western Australia at some point. He was a steam engine driver so was driving engines at saw mills in the south west of WA. My father and his siblings spent their lives all around the area. Mainly Walpole and denmark but also nannup and greenbushes. When my father and his twin sister were born, his father (william) was 65 years olf i believe so I obviously never got to meet him and my father doesnt know a great deal about him and the history. Two of my fathers older brothers served on multiple continents in WW2 and have extensive war records. Other then that, i know nothing....maybe you can enlighten me??
Ive tried attach the only photo ive ever seen of my grandfather, but for some reason, it just keeps giving me an error.

[Rochdalian]

Hi
Yes you are correct your grandfather is the brother of Julia Bertha Kenny aka Bertha Marie Kenny my wifes grandmother. According to stories told by my late wife her nan liked to change her name, don't know why. I've just looked at my tree, it's been about 10 years or more since I looked at the Kenny line and see that I have seven children for your grandfather with his first wife Sophia Mary Stroud and then just one, William George Kenny, born to his second wife Mabel Jean Asplin - no twins! I've obviously missed something.
I can let you have what info I have, and you can correct it, but the best way is by email which also means you can send the photo. If you would care to contact me on this address  raenbob(at)optusnet.com.au  then we can take it from there.
I think it's amazing that after 16 years this thread has become active again, RootsChat is amazing.
Cheers
Bob