James Walker Revd. 1794–1854. has no parents!

[kdsoph]

Hi There,

I am at the hair-tearing stage looking for the parents of the Right Reverend James Walker M.A. I know a lot about this man except the true identity of his parents. Was he a blacksmith's son or born to illiterate farmers or?

This is a little of what I know of him;

He was born 1793-94

educated at Oxford University, became a Deacon in 1818.
In 1819 he became a Priest and Master of Arts of New College Oxford,
he had been Chaplain of New College Oxford and Rector of Paddington Somerset England (there is no such place).

Married 22nd of December 1824 Eynsham, Oxford, England to Fanny Billingsley
      she was the daughter of John and Frances Billingsley and was Christened at Eynsham Oxford,
      England 18th August 1799.
They had ten children in 15 years with their births registered in Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire.

Immigrated to Australia 1841 onboard the Arabian.
spent 2 years living in George Town, Tasmania and became interested in Botany

became headmaster of the Kings School in Parramatta 1843 and Minister of Marsfield, All Saints Church, Parramatta 1847. He also became a Botanist of note.

Reverend of St. Lukes, Liverpool NSW Australia

age 59 Died at Liverpool N.S.W. October 27th, 1854. at Moores Theological College in Elizabeth Street, Liverpool.
He was buried in Liverpool Cemetery.

______________________________________________________________

but...I don't know who his parents were!!!

I have explored many options, given him many siblings, looked for his marriage cert, Will, baptism but ...no document I can find will give me a definitive answer on which couple had the dubious honour of being the parents of James.

I am on Ancestry.com.au but I have also Googled him, Found a Grave for him, Troved him, and Family Searched him.

what I have come up with are 2 possibilities and I don't like either.

1. from Oxford Univesity - he was the son of Richard Walker and Elizabeth (nee ?)  of Epwell Oxford
2. From other trees on Ancestry, he was the son of Robert Walker and Sarah (nee Wrench)  of Weston South, Oxford.

______________________________________________________________________

I also found "the Index of Oxford Diocese Marriage Bonds and Affidavits, 1661-1850" but there is no mention of a Richard and Elizabeth, Robert and Sarah or a James and Fanny for that matter!


is anyone able to point me in another direction or have any information they are able to donate before I am completely bald, please?

Kind Regards
Kim

[bbart]

educated at Oxford University, became a Deacon in 1818.
In 1819 he became a Priest and Master of Arts of New College Oxford,
he had been Chaplain of New College Oxford and Rector of Paddington Somerset England (there is no such place).

Can I ask where you found that information? 
So far, I can only find him being referred to as a "clerk", BUT did you notice on the baptism for his son, Billingsley Edmonds Walker in 1827, that the officiating minister was a J. Walker?  Did he baptize all the children?  I'm wondering if that is perhaps his father?

[kdsoph]

Oh gosh bbart! thank you for replying!


He is listed in many places
I first found him on the The Cable Clerical Index (CCI) Australian Anglican clergy.

WALKER, JAMES
born 1795
died 27 Oct 1854
Liverpool NSW buried cemetery S Luke Liverpool
son of Robert WALKER of Oxford
married 23 Dec 1824 Fanny BILLINGSLEY died 16 Sep 1887 age 88,
daughter of John BILLINGSLEY of Ensham
Education
1812 New College Oxford
1816 BA Oxford
1819 MA 27 Sep
1818 deacon Lincoln
19 Dec 1819 priest Oxford
Positions
1813 chorister Magdalen college oxford
1813-­‐1818 lay clerk Magdalen
1818-­‐1823 chaplain Magdalen college Oxford
n d Charlton Kings diocese Gloucester
21 Sep 1826 curate Withington co Somerset diocese Bath&Wells
04 Jan 1833-­‐1841 incumbent Raddington co Somerset
10 Mar 1841 sailed ARABIAN for Australia, supported SPG (Society for the Propagation of the Gospel) colonial office chaplain to Van Diemens Land
22 Sep 1841exhibited letters testimonial (31Dec1840) from Gloucester&Bristol to Australia
1841-­‐1842 incumbent GeorgeTown Tasmania
01Apr1843-­‐1848took oaths, minister Marsfield NSW to reside at The King’s School diocese Australia
1843-­‐1847 head master The King’s SchoolParramatta
01 Jan 1848-­‐1852 incumbent S Luke Liverpool diocese Sydney
Other botanist
memorial S Luke Liverpool NSW


I then found some notes written by a descendant who begins a long Bio with this paragraph;

The son of Richard and Elizabeth Walker of Epwell, Oxford, educated at Oxford University James Walker, became a Deacon in 1818. In 1819 he became a Priest and Master of Arts of New College Oxford, he had been Chaplain of New College Oxford and Rector of Paddington Somerset England.
Married 22nd of December 1824 Eynsham, Oxford, England to Fanny Billingsley she was the daughter of John and Frances Billingsley and was Christened at Eynsham Oxford, England 18th August 1799.

__________________________________________________________________
I think he did baptise some of his children. they were all born in Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire. At least one child was baptised by Fanny's father, John Billingsley there.

[bbart]

Re: The baptism for daughter Fanny Hannah Waldo Walker in 1825. 
All the other baptism on her page, and many pages before and after are by Rob Williams.
The exception is for Fanny, who's father is shown as a clerk, but in the column for who performed the baptism, it says "entered by J. Walker, baptised by Revnd. J. Walker".  So is Fanny's father, the clerk to that church, and the baptism was done by HIS father?

In 1840, Phillip Billingsley Walker is being baptized  (father James was again a clerk), by J. Walker, Rector of Raddington instead of the Edward Walmesley doing all the other baptisms on the surrounding pages.  I can't see him putting occupation as clerk if he is the same person doing the baptism as a Rector?

[bbart]

Sorry, I posted what I had written before reading your update!

The way he looks like a separate person of the J. Walker doing the baptisms is bothering me.
Do you have the names of all the children?  I think we need to look at each baptism to see who officiated in the hopes of a clue!

[kdsoph]

This is a summary of all of James' and Fanny's children

1. Fanny Hannah Waldo Walker 1825–?
assum. died in infancy

2. Billingsley Edmonds Walker D.A.C.G 1827–1852.
Deputy Assistant Commissary General - West Indies. died age 25

3. James Charles Walker 1829–1896
stock and station agent

4. Samuel Billingsley Walker 1831–1916.
gold mine, Croydon QLD
 
5. Robert Cooper WALKER 1833–1897.
Sydney Municipal Library principal librarian

6. Fanny Elizabeth Walker 1834–1879.
never married

7. Llyssye Walker Morris Cooper1835–1920.
married twice; m.1 age 68 m.2 age 76

8. Frederick Walker 1837–1864
d. age 26 typhoid

9. Col. Philip Billingsley Walker V.D 1840–1900
Chief Electrical Engineer Telegraph Department

8. Richard Cornelius Critchett Walker CMG Esq 1841–1903
Principal Under Secretary NSW

[bbart]

Going back to Phillip's baptism again.... it is clearly written as "Raddington" (which I think your notes have as Paddington).  Looking at google maps, it is quite a distance to be living in Charlton Kings and working in Raddington (unless there is another Raddington).

Thanks for the posting all the names; I shall troll the newspapers for clues and will let you know if I find anything!  (Due to time zone differences, it won't be for a bit yet!  It's late here!)

[kdsoph]

I am so grateful,

While you were sleeping I also found that I lied. I am so sorry. I have come undone finding baptisms for 7. Llyssye Walker 1835–1920 so it must have been in Somerset somewhere.

I just put the Raddington thing together. James moved from Charlton Kings to;

21 Sep 1826 curate Withington co Somerset diocese Bath&Wells
04 Jan 1833-­‐1841 incumbent Raddington co Somerset

the next son 8. Frederick was baptised by his grandfather again JRF Billingsley who was Curate in Bourton-on-the-Water and Clapton. but...

Child no. 9. Philip Billingsley was baptised back at Charlton Kings by his father J. Walker Rector of Raddington.

The last child was born at sea.

Thank you so much
KIm

[bbart]

Not sleeping yet!  I got caught up chasing a Rev. Richard Walker around the newspapers.  In 1840 he was the
Chaplain of New College Oxford.  I can't tell whether it is just because Walker was a common name in the area, or whether it was a relative.  It jumped out though, as James was in the position years earlier.

This sounds like a highly "successful" family though, so somewhere there will be a clue!  Don't exclude Wales and Scotland in the hunt!