Hi, I wonder if someone could assist us on this query please. First of all just giving you background information. We have searched for some years for Albert Leonard New (Bertie) who was born in Newbury, Berkshire England in 1883. For various reasons, born out of wedlock, unhappy childhood, whatever, he was brought up by his Grandparents in Newbury. He married in 1904 to Fanny Elizabeth Townsend Wheeler, and had one son Roy Leslie Townsend New born around 1905/1906. His Grandparents John & Ellen New died in 1906 and 1911. His wife was ill and spent an amount of time in the Lunatic Asylum in Choseley, where she died in 1914. 1911 Census, Albert aged 28 years was living with his Aunt & Uncle John & Fanny New, his son Roy living with another family. Albert's Aunt & Uncle John & Fanny New migrated to Australia, shortly after the census was taken.
Since 1911 census, family members have never been able to find what happened to Albert New, but it has been ascertained that his son Roy New went to Canada as a Home Child, returning to Britain around 1920 and he married later living in London with family.
So we have been trying to ascertain the possibility of Albert Leonard New maybe changing his surname to Brown and making his way to Australia, where various other of the New family members had also migrated in 1911 through to 1913 and settled in Bankstown. The surname Brown came up, as he may have been living with his sister Elizabeth who was married to a Brown, after his Aunt and Uncle left for Australia. John & Fanny New arrived in 1912 on board the Norseman.
We have found an Albert Leonard Brown who migrated to Australia in 1912, correct age, would have been about 29 years, arriving in Sydney. The timing seemed appropriate, as he probably wanted to make a new life for himself, we think his marriage had completely disintegrated anyway, and there was no records on him being present with his wife when she died in 1914.
We are struggling to find this person, various addresses, with such a common surname. One Albert Leonard Brown, we found in Revesby, in 1954 census, where he was a Hire Car Proprietor. The family lived nearby in Bankstown, Georges Hall, Milperra area. This prompted my mind, as Albert's Uncle John New, was a Limousine Driver for a period of time up on the Blue Mountains at Blackheath. Thinking that maybe he could have followed a similar occupation. However maybe we are grasping at straws, thinking this. Trying to find a marriage has been difficult.
If we could find what happened to Albert Leonard Brown after his arrival in Sydney in those early years, we could maybe find his trail. We are looking for him maybe going to Western Australia, e.g. Broome. Having a DNA match with a family over there in Derby W.A. has prompted us further to search on this missing person.
So if anyone could give me a hint or two, or trace any records, would really appreciate that.
Thanking you. Regards Jan
