An Australian mystery

[matthewj64]

I understand that Find My Past Australia has the 1946 Electoral Rolls for Victoria.

JM

No Bernard Bourke on the 1946 Maribyrnong Electoral Roll, and Find My Past doesn't provide for street searches, which Ancestry does.

M

[majm]

BCOF British Commonwealth Occupational Forces 1945-1952  Japan .... So R&R would likely involve RN ships taking Army personnel to ports with the realm of the British Empire....

JM

[Jamjar]

I’ve looked on google maps, the address currently seems to be a private residence, although I’m not sure that the property dates back to 1947.

No, not a house built in the the 40s.

Jamjar

[Jamjar]

There's this person in a will dated 1946

'...and Bernard John Bourke of 6 Ryan street Footscray laborer the executors....will dated...1946...'

1947 'Advertising', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 2 October, p. 15. , viewed 01 Jun 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22511258

Looks like she and Bernard were related:

15320/1875 BOURKE Honora Ellen mother Margaret KITTSON father BOURKE Michael born DONALD

20355/1947 BAKER Honora Ellen mother Margaret KITSON father BOURKE Michael born WITCHIPOOL died DONALD aged 72

I think this is him:

3618/1979 BOURKE Bernard John mother Nora Honora BAKER father BOURKE Bernard John born Donald died Bacchus Marsh aged 76.

However: 8270/1903 BOURKE Bernard Vincent Dalt mother BOURKE Norah Ellen at BENDIGO

Marriage: 959/1924 BAKER Albert to BOURKE Hanora Ellen

Buried at Donald Cemetery, VIC : BAKER Albert Thomas, Honora Ellen

Possible death:

16633/1946 BAKER Albert Thomas mother Mary Ann VAN-EVERY father BAKER John born GLEN PATRICK VIA ELMHURST died DONALD aged 67

Jamjar

[Jamjar]

Bernard John Bourke is at a different address in 1949, and Ancestry doesn't seem to have electoral rolls between 1943 and 1949, so it may not have been him there in 1947.

M

Would he be there with an Agnes, Matthew?

In 1932, there was a J. Grubb at the address.

Jamjar

[matthewj64]

Bernard John Bourke is at a different address in 1949, and Ancestry doesn't seem to have electoral rolls between 1943 and 1949, so it may not have been him there in 1947.

M

Would he be there with an Agnes, Matthew?

In 1932, there was a J. Grubb at the address.

Jamjar

1949 electoral roll for Gellibrand > Footscray South
Bourke, Bernard John, 44 Albert st, labourer
Bourke, Agnes Blanche Ellen, 66 Napier st, home duties
the only Bourkes in this roll

1954 electoral roll for Gellibrand > Footscray South
Bourke, Bernard John, 44 Albert st, labourer
(no Agnes)

1968 Ballarat > Bacchus Marsh
Bourke, Bernard John, 3 King st, labourer
Bourke, Agnes Blanche E, 3 King st, home duties
Bourke, P... J..., 3 King st, waitress
(quick look only, possibly other years)

Death notice for Agnes Blanche wife of Bernard John (Dec)
https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/tributes/notice/death-notices/bourke-agnes-blanche/3448996/

M

[Jamjar]

Thank you, M.

15551/1947 BOURKE Bernard John to LANG Agnes

Jamjar

[Lisajb]

That’s a real puzzle Lisa. My father was also born in 1931 - he was too young to be in WW2. 

Is there a date of publication in the bible?

Do you have any family in Australia? It makes sense for it to perhaps to have been a gift from family. If, to your knowledge, your father did not go to Australia, could other family have done so and brought it back for him? Possibly during WW2? 

Is the address or date written in your father’s handwriting?

Ancestors yes -  were transported, some went by their own choice.

Handwriting - hard to say, possibly not.

[Lisajb]

Here are some pictures of the bible.  Its a fifth edition, pocket size, first printed 1929, with reprints in 1932, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1941 and 1943