James Thornton

[neerod]

I would welcome any information regarding James Thornton born in Leeds West Yorkshire in 1822, parents David Thornton and Mary Milner. He married Sarah Ann Mallinson Swaine in 1847 in Leeds and had five children. He went to Australia in the 1850s and probably never returned but started a family there.
Any help would be appreciated.
neerod

[majm]

Hi there,

Do you know which Colony your elusive chap came to?   There were several ...... New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia.....  Don't overlook the possibility he may have gone to New Zealand....

You say he married in 1847, and had five children .....  Did he abandon that marriage, or did all seven migrate?  Are you suggesting the five children were born in the Colonies? 

Cheers,  JM

[neerod]

Hello there
James Thornton seems to have abandoned his family in Leeds. I seem to think it was the Gold Rush that tempted him but he never returned to England. I think Sydney is a possibility. His wife and family lived in Leeds and Bradford West Yorkshire all their lives.
neerod

[majm]

Hi there,

Some questions if I may

  When and where was the youngest of the five children born?
  What was his occupation as per 1851 UK census?

I am asking these questions to get some info as to when he left the UK, and the info that he would have been required to provide to Emmigration Authorities if coming to NSW as an Assisted Passenger.   You have given us his parents names, and his birth place/year.


   Why do you think he came to Australia and started a family here?  Do you have any oral history that suggests this may have occurred ?


Cheers,  JM

[neerod]

Hello there
Thanks for your prompt reply.
All I have is word of mouth and rumour. He was born in Gomersal, Leeds, West Yorkshire. He married in Leeds and his youngest child was born in 1854, The last British Census in which he appeared was 1851. He resided in Ballarat Victoria where he died in 1908. I understand he 'married' twice in Australia and had family. A lot I have is assumption but would love to know the truth and if he was an ancestor of my half cousin.
Regards
neerod

[~MERLIN~]

He resided in Ballarat Victoria where he died in 1908.

The James THORNTON who died 1908 at Ballarat isn't yours.
Where did you get your information from?

Death:

THORNTON Jas age 84yrs d. 1908 BALLT E #12475
Father: Thornton Jas
Mother: Sarah GILLARD

Burial:

Ballarat Cemetery 23/10/1908. Occupation - STONEMASON.

http://ballaratcemeteries.com.au/php/details.php?id=50521
http://ballaratcemeteries.com.au/php/sitesummary.php?id=43415

[neerod]

Thanks Merlin. My James Thornton was also a Stonemason in England. His parents were David Thornton and Mary Milner. It seems to be quite a mystery. His name does not appear on any Census after 1851 and I cannot find a Death here. Perhaps I will solve it eventually.
neerod

[~MERLIN~]

There are only two other possible deaths in Victoria that could fit your James age bracket:

THORNTON James age 35yrs d. 1856 #2680
Parents: UNKNOWN

THORNTON James age 58yrs d. 1885 HOTH W #1843
Parents: UNKNOWN

Many gold diggers arrived didn't strike it lucky & moved on to other towns, states of AUS or NZ. Some even returned home again.

We don't have a central death registry they are individual for each state of Australia.
Most of the other states are available online if you look on the resources board here:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/board,399.0.html

[cupoflife]

Hi Neerod,

Is this a possibility?

PROV has a James THORNTON age 41 arriving as an unassisted passenger to Victoria  May 1863 on ship ROXBURGH CASTLE.
http://bitly.com/TDnPek

cheers
cupoflife