Illegitimate child - Charles Lennox Butler

[mcfrankel]

I am trying to track birth information for Robert Hastings Smith.  I have an approx. date of birth of 1841. Robert migrated to Australia in 1863 approx, though I believe he went to New Zealand first. Robert ended up in a home for the poor in Australia.  In the records of the asylum it states that Robert is the son of the Hon.  Charles Lennox Butler and that he received a pension from Meads Solicitors until about 1885.  If anyone can help or point me in a direction as the name Robert Smith is very common and I am a bit stuck.

[whiteout7]

I can place a 'Robert Hastings Smith' in New Zealand, in Auckland on 19 November 1863. There was a court case where he accused a man of hitting him three times in the face. The man claimed Robert had been throwing cloths at him in the street, threatening to take his life and singing bad songs under his window. Robert was residing at the Newton Hotel. The man was fined 10 shillings.

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=DSC18631119.2.12&srpos=2&e=-------10--1----0%22+Robert+Hastings+Smith%22--

And there is another court case mentioned 29 August 1864 in the Supreme court for 'Robert Hastings Smith' but it does not say for what. Case was held over until 13 September but protection refused.

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH18640829.2.15&srpos=1&e=-------10--1----0%22+Robert+Hastings+Smith%22--

 

[whiteout7]

And in Australia 1883
"Robert Hastings Smith, residing on the Wybong, near Muswellbrook, had an altercation with a man named George Moss otherwise Steary, when Smith produced a pistol loaded with slugs and shot Steary in the lower part of the belly near the groin" Reading on it he was aquitted of this crime and claimed Mr Moss was in love with his wife and would not leave the property.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/908540?searchTerm=%22Robert%20Hastings%20Smith%22&searchLimits=

And in Australia 1885
IF I do not hear of or from my WIFE (who left her home on the 9th of May last) within one month from this date, I intend getting married again. ROBERT HASTINGS SMITH, West Maitland.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13586805?searchTerm=%22Robert%20Hastings%20Smith%22&searchLimits=sortby=dateDesc

[whiteout7]

A bit more digging around shows a Robert Smith arriving on 'The Gertrude' Sailing Brig? Departing London, 30 Oct 1862 arriving Auckland, New Zealand, 11 Feb 1863. 97 days at Sea. (Non-conformist Special Settlers)

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=DSC18630228.2.69.8&srpos=4&e=-------10--1----0%22Robert+Smith%22+the+gertrude--

Albertland Index
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-39373-10507-46?cc=2212661

He appears to be the only Robert Smith that fits you timeline arriving in NZ

Passengers were to make their own way to Albertland?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albertland

Have you heard of remittance men? In New Zealand we had men sent here by their fathers, with money paid to them to stay out here. They were often 2nd or 3rd sons, that were trouble at home or had nothing to inherit .....

[mcfrankel]

Thanks for the information from New Zealand I will have a look at this information it looks like him though.  I didn't even think to look for old New Zealand papers.  Robert seemed to have some interesting times.  I have a lot of information from Trove from old Newspapers.  Robert often went back to England and left the farm to be managed by George Moss aka Sterry.  George became romantic with Robert's wife and then Robert shot his wife's lover George Moss aka Sterry.  She left Robert and went off to Sydney.  Robert was acquitted of the charge and then Robert was left with four of the children and when the money stopped coming he gave them up and they were boarded out and one child went into service. 

[jomcd967]

New South Wales Gaol Entrance and Description Books, Maitland, Nov 1883:
Robert Hastings Smith, arrived per Nemmo in 1863, born England, C of E, 39, med build, 4'11", fresh complexion, brown hair, blue eyes, read & write, deformed humped back and chest.

Plenty on supposed father Charles Lennox Butler, seriously loaded, died in 1885 (when the allowance stopped!)

A private tree that appears to have lots on your guy, would be worth contacting.

Jo 

[mcfrankel]

Hi Jo, sorry I am only new to this I have being trying to trace a ship called Nemmo but I think I have being going in the wrong direction ie from England to Australia.  Which tree did you see?  Thanks whiteout, I think the term remittance man seems to fit Robert's situation.

[whiteout7]

The Hon. Charles Lennox Butler, of Coton House, Churchover Rugby was High Sheriff of Warwickshire (1862). So would It make sense if Robert Hastings Smith was born in Warwickshire?

Possibly even Rugby?
ROBERT SMITH born 1839 in Rugby, Warwickshire
England & Wales births 1837-2006
(No mothers name mentioned, to early in IGI but he would be in the 1841, 1851 census with her  maybe?)

Here is a Robert Smith born 1840 in rugby, working as a servant at Kennilworth aged 21, 1861 census
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7GG-3K4

This man could be a good possible for your 'Robert Hastings Smith' (except I just found him in the 1841 census at Rugby Father John Smith, Mother Ann Smith)

(( Hon Charles Lennox Butler did indeed die on 5 March 1885 at age 71, according to the peerage))

[mcfrankel]

Yes I have looked at the record in the 1861 census....and haven't made it a firm match yet.  I think Charles Butler didn't settle in Rugby until later in life from memory and travelled with the military in his earlier years so I have been a bit shy of placing a place of birth at Warwickshire.  I appreciate with this.