Hi

I am researching my great great grandfather John Byron, born around 1827, in East India to unknown parents, possibly that of John Byron who was an Apothecary in the 3rd Brigade Horse Artillery, East India Company, who died during battle in 1945 in Forezeshah, India, and a Elizabeth McCarty who were both married on 19/11/926 in Ghazeepore, West Bengal, India. My great great grandfather, was possibly sent from India, to stay with family in England, and then whilst still a child was sent to Australia. How and when he arrived in Australia is still unknown.

This inquiry relates to Piece #1335/11, folio 27b, enumeration district 21. ie John Byron of Ward Street, Sheffield North, aged 15 years.

Can anyone please assist with whom this John Byron was residing with at the Ward Street address? I can find one record of he possibly residing with a William and Mary Irish, with their children, George, James and William Jnr. And then another with the Housley family. But none can be confirmed as there is no exact street address.

I am trying to track whether it was this John Byron who was sent to Australia around 1841.

I would appreciate any advice or assistance

Geoff Byron
Australia
Email: geoffbyron@me.com

Hi Geoff

John Byron was definately living with the Irish family in 1841. He listed as being a Mason. It also states that he wasnt born in Yorkshire.

The Housley family are living 'next door'. The 1841 census - being the first census is quite basic and often doesnt record a traditional house/dwelling number. The start of each individual family is denoted by a '/' on the original census record.

Hope this helps.

Denise

Hi Denise

Thank you for your reply, and confirming John Byron was in fact residing with the Irish Family. There were so many John Byron’s around that period and it is hard to work out who is who, This John Byron sound promising as it appears the Irish Family have taken on caring for John Byron, and he was not born in the area. I now just have to work out if he departed England around 1841, on route to Australia. John being a Mason has cast doubt in my mind though, as John Byron was a farmer here in Australia.

I wonder if they kept records (names) of children who travelled by ship, to Australia around 1841.

Geoff Byron

Hi Geoff

I think there are limited travel records for 1841.

I've just done a quick check for the Irish family in 1851. They're still living in Ward Street, but definatley no John Byron still living with them.

I've also done a quick search for John Byron still in Sheffield in 1851 but couldn't find anyone. Obviously this John Byron could have returned to the county he was born in (which we dont know), or it could be your John Byron who had been long gone by 1851!

Not much help- but chipping away a bit!

Denise

I can see why the change in occupation makes you doubtful, but I think it's not necessarily a show-stopper. People did change jobs when they went to Australia, because of different opportunities or to be independent or whatever.

One of my relations had to go to Australia in the 1850s because of a couple of mistakes he made (getting caught was the big one). He was a table-knife hafter in Sheffield, and a shepherd in Australia. Likely there weren't many jobs for table-knife hafters in WA at the time.

Fair enough though. masons would have been in more demand but it depends on the local area and what type of building was being done - maybe easier to make a living as a farmer?

Andrew P.

I think the John Byron from Ward Street may have been the son of John of Ebenezer Street who possibly married 1844, Hannah Nadin of North Parade, John is noted in the 1955 census New York as a mason born England, Hannah and family are back in Sheffield in 1861--3483-31, no sign of John.

Hi Pete and Andrew. As I mentioned in my first post, there are a lot of John Byrons’ out there, which has led me to many dead ends. It appears John Byron the mason, might not be our John Byron who migrated to Australia around the late 1830’s to early 1840’s. Our John Byron married a Mary Margaret Hallian in 1850 at Goulburn, NSW, Australia, and was reported to be around 21 years of age when he married. John Byron worked as a station hand in and around Bungendore NSW Australia, and eventually purchased his own farm. The only information that filtered down about him was the fact he was born in India. So Pete, it may very well be that John Byron the mason remained in, and married in England.
.
Andrew, I agree that many would have changed their occupations and/or trade upon reaching Australia. I think most who arrived turned to farming due to the free access to land. So much land. Our John Byron remains a mystery, and surprisingly none of us over here know much about him.
.
Denise, there may be another possibility of a John Byron, in which the 1841 census has a 14 year old John Byron residing at St Mary, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, with a number of Hawkers, James Babcock (35 old), James Crass (20 old), and Mary Brown (20 old). Again, a young John Byron living with other people, not being his parents.
.
Thank you all for your insights. It is very much appreciated.
.
Geoff Byron

Hi Geoff et al,
Geoff, how certain are you of the Sheffield connection..??

There is a JOHN BYRON age 15, on the 1841 census at ALVERSTOKE, Hampshire,(N.W.of Gosport, nr,Portsmouth)
he is residing at Forton Barracks, which according to my limited research was an army barracks until 1848 when the Royal Marine Light Infantry bought it.
However, this John Byron was born in Ireland.
There are also McCarty/McCartey/McCarthy families living in Alverstoke at that time.

Is it possible that John Byron senior, being in the military, sent his son back to an English barracks (possibly near family) which would have had school/family facilities, when rumblings of the sikh disturbances first started in 1839 resulting in the 1845 battle..??
Ref: Free(sign up required) Family Search.

Just a thought to muddy the waters.

HAPPY HUNTING:sleuth_or_spy:

Wow. Thanks for that Wendy. Food for thought. It sounds feasible. We were told he was sent from India, to England, to stay with family. But being sent to a specific barracks in England would make sense. Worth looking into.

Kind regards

Geoff Byron