Rugby Chisolm RANSON/RANSOM/RANSOME* Completed*

[alison2763]

Hello,
I am looking for information about Rugby Chisolm RANSON b abt 1800? his wife Hannah and daughter Mary Angel RANSON.
What I know:
Mary Angel Ranson  her death certificate { aged 71 in 1896} in New South Wales Australia states that she was born in Sussex 22.5.1825.
Mary immigrated to Australia approx 58 years before her death : 1838
Her parents were Rugby Chisolm RANSON -Occupation Surgeon and Hannah unknown surname.

I can't find anything about Rugby and Hannah in Australia so presume Mary Angel came out by herself { although very young, she may have been accompanied by someone}.
She married Thomas CHANDLER in Sydney in 28.2.1841. They may have emigrated together as I can't find details of immigration for him either.

What I am looking for:
Mary angel RANSON's birth and immigration.
Rugby and Hannah's births, marriage and deaths.
Any mention of Rugby and Hannah on the Census'
Any siblings.
Thomas CHANDLER's birth 3.3.1816 Hastings Sussex - parents Richard CHANDLER and Mary EDWARDS
Any information on Richard and Mary CHANDLER

Many thanks in anticipation.
Alison
Australia

[Eyesee]

Alison

From the Sussex Marriage Index
Hastings All Saints, East Sussex, 5 Jan 1803
Richard CHANDLER
Mary EDWARDS
 
No sign of Rugby RANSON on the SMI

Ian C

[alison2763]

Thank you Ian,
What is the SMI ? Modified: Oh of course it's the Sussex Marriage Index !

If Rugby RANSON was a Surgeon { have found fibs on certificates before} would he have been registered somewhere?
Is there anywhere I can look for Mary Angel RANSON's birth in Sussex 22.5.1825 ?

Regards
Alison

[Roy G]

Have you thought about Rugby (Digby?) being an army or navy surgeon?

Another reason for minors as young as Mary being sent without family to the colonies would either be for a petty criminal offence or being cleared from a Sussex workhouse as a potential bride to stop crims that had done their time returning.
(sorry about that)

I also note that you have done some research on the Australian Rootschat site, but have been unable to contact Joy & Harvey Lewis of Melbourne who share your interest.  It is a longshot, but there is a Joy Lewis who has submitted some Historical research on behalf of the Gdaypubs chain in Melbourne.  It is a long shot, but that may be her.

Roy G

[alison2763]

Gday Roy,
Thanks for your suggestions.
I will try searching with Digby as the name as I haven't found any Rugby's anywhere.
If her father was a Surgeon would she have been in a workhouse??
I haven't been able to find Mary on any convict registers but I will look again.
I know that female convicts were almost lined up when they came here and officers had first pick for wives followed by convicts that had served their time so it is a possibility.
I am finding it a bit strange that with fairly unusual names, I can't find a mention of them anywhere. It would not be the first time I have found fibs/ fantasies on Certificates though.
I will try to make contact with joy Lewis. Just have to find Gdaypubs. I live in Victoria and haven't heard of them.
Regards
Alison

[Roy G]

Hi
From what I can see, your Mary's background is most interesting.  If her father was a 'surgeon of any standing' I would have expected her origins to have been in a major Sussex town, rather than minor one. Brighton, Lewes, Horsham, East Grinstead and Chichester come to mind.  Gut feeling however draws me towards two Sussex rural villages called Catsfield and Crowhurst  just outside Hastings, neither of which I would have expected a practising Surgeon to live.  Hence my thoughts that he could have been with the army or navy and perhaps some conflict or plague resulted in Mary being orphaned and being placed in Battle Workhouse that served that area.

An alternative suggestion comes from the dual use of names, for there is also a possibility that she was the base born child of a Rugby Chisholm & Hannah Ransom for your research indicates she had no family about her for support.  Lastly have you ever considered that she was just an over romantic juvenile runaway?

I reccomend you have a look on Genes Reunited for the several people who have an interest in the Mary Ransoms (various spellings) from Catsfield or Crowhurst also born around 1825, or try to find them on the 1841 Sussex censuses.  If nothing else, that would help eliminate those particular Marys from your field of research.
Roy G

[alison2763]

Hi Roy G,
Thanks for the input.
From Mary's death certificate it says that she was already in Australia by 1838. I have not been able to find Rugby or Hannah on any Census, or BMD for that matter.
I think 13 was a bit young to be a romantic runaway... Then again she may have lied about her age. I got her birth date from another researcher who was researching the family that was connected too the Chandlers who came from Hastings { as Ian confirmed Thomas' parents marriage in Hastings}. I have never found any siblings in Australia either 
What is a base born child ?
I will look on Genes as you suggested.
regards
Alison

[Roy G]

Base born = child of unmarried parents

I know Mary was in Oz by 1838, but suggested you looked at the 1841 Sussex census to ELIMINATE some of the other Mary Ransoms that were around at that time.

For further elimination, you can also try FreeBMD to see if any of those Marys also married in the Sussex area.  I did a search on FreeBMD for Rugby, and tried to find his death or a subsequent marriage, but drew a blank there too.  The implication has to be he was either dead by 1837 or resided outside the UK.

By the way, the Gdaypubs chain I found on the Internet (after all I live in central Europe) and Joy Lewis submitted additional material to the history of some of their establishments being researched by another Lewis that I took to be her daughter.  Its another Google job for you.
Roy G

[aniph]

I actually checked all the Hannah Ranson and variants on the 1841 census and who they were living with. Also tried Chisolm and Chisholm as a surname with any first name.

No luck whatsoever.

Annie