About Harold

Peregrine

Peregrine

Well-Known Member
The big lad’s great grandfather, Harold, is proving extremely elusive, which is more than a little frustrating.

Harold Birchall married Lucinda Margaret Dinner at the Holy Trinity Church in Marong, Victoria, Australia on 23 Nov 1899. His marriage certificate tells us he was age 33, his birthplace was Canterbury, New Zealand, and that he was an engineer. His parents are given as Edwin Lewis Birchall and Marianne nee Sutherland and his father’s occupation was Government Accountant. A marriage notice tells us his father was deceased and that he had been a Government Auditor.

Harold had two sons Roy Peter Birchall (Peter Roy on birth registration) and Harold Edwin Birchall who were only 7 and 5 respectively when he died on 1 Nov 1908 at his home at 57 Heather Street, South Melbourne of tubercular meningitis which he had had for 3 weeks. His death certificate states he was aged 42 years at time of death, his birthplace was New Zealand and that he had lived in New Zealand for 18 years and in Victoria, Australia for 17 years (or 19?). Also gives parents names as Charles Edwin Birchall and Marion Birchall nee Sutherland.

Harold and Lucinda can be found in the 1903 electoral roll living at 57 Heather Street, South Melbourne and his occupation is again given as engineer. He is buried in Cheltenham cemetery.

That’s it, all I know. There is no birth registration for him in New Zealand. I can’t find either of his parents in New Zealand. And they didn’t die in Victoria either. I have yet to find him on passenger lists between New Zealand and Australia. While in Christchurch this week I went to NZ archives and they could find nothing on them either and we also went to the Christchurch library in Manchester Street which has extensive family history resources, including resources specific to Christchurch and Canterbury. Despite valiant attempts by two librarians to assist us we came up with nothing. Except I can possibly trawl through Superannuation records for public servants and the Government Gazette to look for Edwin. I struggle to find a useful source of passenger lists from NZ to Victoria. I also wonder where Harold was when not in New Zealand and Victoria (missing years on death certificate.)

Hence the family wonders whether he was telling tales.
 
The first lot of settlers didn't arrive in Canterbury until 1850. Do you know if they have an early settlers group for the area, because your man should have been born around 1866? if my math is any good. The area was named Canterbury by the "Canterbury Association" who's idea it was to install upper and middle class citizens to the area from England. The first lot of citizens arrived in Lyttelton in a group of 4 ships. [wikipedia].

I couldn't find your man in any records so far, but will keep digging. National archives might have something.
 
Christchurch City Libraries have a link Canterbury Pilgrims and Early Settlers Association for people whose ancestors settled in Canterbury prior to 31 Oct 1876. I suppose I should try and contact them but will trawl through the shipping information on their web site first. There are no Birchalls on the first four ships though.
 
I have downloaded some newspaper articles. You probably already have them, but I would be happy to send them on to you or attempt to upload them to this site.
 
From Trove- Thu 30 Nov 1899 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/180534928/21091263
scroll half way down.
MR. H. BIRCHALL, TO MISS L. DINNER.
AT Holy Trinitv Church, Marong, on Thursday,
23rd November. Miss Lucinda Dinner, second daughter
of the late Mr. Peter Dinner, of Marong, was married
to Mr. Harold Birchall, son of the late Mr. E. L.
Birchall, Government auditor, Christchurch, New
Zealand, the Rev. E. Scott, incumbent, performing
the ceremony. The bride wore a travelling costume
of French grey cashmere and grey silk, with hat
and gloves to match ; her sister, Miss Harriet
Dinner, who acted as bridesmaid, wore corail pink
and white chiffon ; and Mr. Clark acted as best
man. After the ceremony wedding tea was served
at the Foresters' Hall. Mr. and Mrs. H. Birchall
left for Melbourne by the evening train.

The only travel I've found so far in a quickie search is found here
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903...101,119044402,119143301?cc=1609792&cc=1609792
 
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I just found a death record on Ancestry for Harold Birchall age 42 years in 1908 England, Victoria Parents names are recorded as Chas Edwin Birchall and Ellen Mary. No other information yet - will keep looking
 
There is a prison record for Chas Birchall born about 1876 - Darlinghurst Prison. A brother possibly. I downloaded the record just in case you were interested. I am sorry, that is all that I could find on Ancestry.
 
crazycatlady22 said:
I just found a death record on Ancestry for Harold Birchall age 42 years in 1908 England, Victoria Parents names are recorded as Chas Edwin Birchall and Ellen Mary. No other information yet - will keep looking
Click to expand...
Yes, that is how Ancestry has indexed his death registration and it is a bad transcription. The actual entry states he died at 57 Heather Street, that his father was Charles Edwin Birchall and his mother was Marion Birchall formerly Sutherland. His brother in law, John Thomas Parkinson was the informant and names of Harold's parents differ from those on the marriage certificate, probably in error.
 
There are a lot of Birchalls in Tasmania and I have previously researched some families who have very similar names but discounted them now. There is also a marriage between an Edwin Berchall and Ann Marshall in 1861 at Christ Church in Spitalfields, London that is tempting, particularly as this Edwin's father was a Charles. And I traced a Marion Sutherland and her family's arrival in Australia at one stage. All dismissed and my tree only has what I have documentation for now.
We begin to wonder whether Harold just borrowed names from somewhere to hide a past he wanted to hide.
 
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