I have just joined rootschat. I am a descendant of Frederick William Burgoyne who arrived in Australia in 1858. His parents were Frederick BURGOYNE and Mary COURTIS/CURTIS. Frederick William Burgoyne was born 14 July 1843 in Plymouth, Devon, England. I listened to many recollections from my grandmother who was his granddaughter. The following was an obituary printed in a local newspaper;
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/266610150?searchTerm=Frederick%20burgoyne#The Elmore Standard, Saturday 23rd June 1917
ANOTHER PIONEER PASSES.
MR. F. W. BURGOYNE.
The news of the passing of another
old district resident in the person of
Mr Frederick William Burgoyne, of
Michie st., Elmore, will be received
with regret by a large circle of friends
The deceased gentleman was a man
of many parts, and despite the fact
that he was for some years the victim
of failing health took a keen interest
in district public matters. Besides
being engaged in various official
capacities during his residence at
Runnymede when local Parliamen-
tary contests were on the tapis, the
late Mr Burgoyne was a trustee of
the Mt. Pleasant Creek Church, then
belonging to the Bible Christian
connection, and he also took
a keen interest in the destinies
of the Elmore A. and P. Association,
and held the position of Vice-president
for several terms.
The late Mr Burgoyne was born
at Plymouth, County Devon, England,
in 1843, and had consequently
reached the fine old age of 74 years.
He arrived in Melbourne in the year
1858, and followed various callings
form shipping clerk to miner. After
a spell of the gold fever deceased
answered to the lure of the land, se-
lecting at Runnymede in 1871. Then
the call of the gold quest became too
strong for him to resist, hence he
again pursued the phantom Fortune
at the Mt. Brown diggings, in New
South Wales, after which he was
engaged on Government contracts
in the back blocks of the sister State,
and in Queensland where he did fine
pioneering work in the days when
the world was wide ! Owing to ill-
health deceased returned to Victoria,
and to Runnymede where he again
made his home, and added to his
versatility by establishing the wellknown
" Magna Charta" vineyard
and orchard. Here he and his
family resided for some years. The
disposal of his interests at Runny-
mede was decided on owing to a
breakdown in health, whereupon a
year's residence at Echuca resulted,
after which deceased resided at El-
more till his demise which took place
at his residence on Tuesday, 20th
inst., at 4.20 p.m.
The late Mr Burgoyne was a well-
read and respected citizen. He was
engaged for a number of years as
valuer and rate collector in the
Waranga Shire where he stood
sponsor for a number of the first
valuations. As a Free Mason, he
took a keen interest in the craft as
member of St. John's Lodge, Rochester.
Like other patriotic families of the
district, the Burgoyne family is well
represented at the front, three sons
of the deceased gentleman being in
khaki, two of whom are now serving
in the Heavy Field Artillery at the
front.
Much sympathy is expressed for
the relatives in their sad loss. A
widow and seven sons and one
daughter, as follows, lament the loss
of a kind husband and parent, viz.:
—Messrs Charles Burgoyne (Wil-
liamstown), Fred (Avenel), Harry
(Omeo), Lionel (Elmore, a new re-
cruit for active service at the front),
Thomas (Police Station, Raywood),
Walter and Roy (at the front), and
Miss Burgoyne (Raywood).
‘Tis thus the ranks of our district
pioneers are being depleted by the
grim, relentless Reaper, till few of
the district stouthearted men and
women who sought fortune and a
home amidst the wilds and discom-
forts of the virgin bush and oldtime
wide, wild ways remain. But the
old indomitable pride of race and
relentlessness of purpose still survive
in their kith and kin, as witness the
bravehearts of their fibre who have
answered to the Empire's call and
are now in the sacrifices incidental
to the awful fighting now in progress
on the battlefields of Europe. Who
dares say that they have lived in
vain—-the sires and mothers of Aus-
ralia’s gallants who have minted
Australia's fame, and are "doing
their bit" to put the world on a sure,
sound basis of peace again ?
The funeral to the Runnymede
Cemetery on Thursday afternoon
was largely attended. The service
at the grave was read by the Rev.
H. W. R. Topp, assisted by Mr. F.
L- Wyman. The pall-bearers were
Messrs. C., L., and T. Burgoyne,
and Mr. S. Andrews. Messrs.
Humphris Bros, carried out the
funeral arrangements.
My name is Diane and I hope to visit Plymouth (and other ancestral homes) in the next few years.
