Peter Edward Lester

[KimLester]

Hello, I am searching for where Peter Edward Lester was born and when.
On his tomb stone in South Australia it says he died 15 Sept 1925 aged 89 years which suggests he was born circa 1836. Was he born in Australia, the UK or Europe??
In an article from westralian worker newspaper 1925, it says "As a youth he was one of the defenders of the Eureka stockade, and was one of two who assisted to carry Peter Lalor out of the danger zone.."  But I cant find mention of him elsewhere in realtion to the Eureka stockade.
He married Matilda Jane Woodbridge in April 1873 in South Australia, and had a number of children one of which was my great grandfather Journalist Peter Henry Lester.
Anyone have any information or can point me in the right direction please?

[trish1120]

Welcome to Rootschat.

If I was you purchasing his Marriage and Death Certs would be my first step to finding his origin.

Trish

[trish1120]

Was he possibly born Germany?

Name Peter Lester
Age   33
Birth Year   abt 1836
Certificate Date   26 Apr. 1869
Naturalisation Place   Victoria, Australia
Native Place   Bremen, North Germany

Index of Marriage has his Father as John, actual cert may show more.

[CaroleW]

A tree on Ancestry has his birthplace as Germany - father John.  You may want to consider contacting the tree owner to establish where that info came from

Snap Trish

[wilcoxon]

What was his occupation. 

[KimLester]

>Trish, thanks for the welcome. You are right the best source is lkely to be docs such as birth and death certs.
>Trish and Carole, I did find a Naturalisation certificate from Victoria Australia dated 26 April 1869 for a Peter Lester from Bremen North Germany. This may or may not be him. I also found someone claiming that he was born in Middesex England, in the following:
"Overseas Arrivals to South Australia - late 1853 - Adelaide Hills - LocalWiki"
SHIP WILLIAM STEWART -  passengers from Southampton 14/7/1853
WOODBRIDGE, Matilda Jane (//c1849-23/9/1922) m 14/4/1873, Peter Edward LESTER (//c1836-//) Born London, Middlesex, England. To SA 1871 overland. French polisher; Adelaide, Norwood, Westbourne Park.
I have seen a tree in ancestory.com stating his birthlace was Germany but there does not appear to be a source attached.
>wilcoxon  I belive he was a French polisher

[maddys52]

Welcome to RootsChat

There are a few mentions on trove of Peter Edward LESTER. This one from 1889 says he was born in Australia:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/47061770
(final column, near the middle).

Says he was  a mechanic employed by James MARSHALL and Co, Adelaide.

An obituary:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/58222556

Also an obit of his wife Matilda Jane in 1922
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/58034391
(She was from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk - love how they have put "Bury Street Edmunds"!)

[KimLester]

Thank you maddys52. I had skimmed through TROVE looking for anything on Peter Edward Lester but didnt think of looking for anything on his wife Matilda Jane. Its a challenge when you find newsprint articles that make statements that you cant verify with public records. I am yet to find an official record of the birth of Peter Edward Lester in Australia, but Im going to keep looking. My next attempt will be to secure the death certificate of Peter Lester in the hope that that might have details of his birthplace and date. Cheers Kim

[trish1120]

Any comment KimLester?

Trish