I am trying to locate a birth record of William Albert Burton who was born in about 1888, supposedly in Neutral Bay, Sydney. I am also trying to find any record of William Albert’s parents Geoffrey Edward Burton and Marion Allen. They were apparently from England. William Albert Burton married Ethel Maud Mole in Hay in NSW in 1924 and the marriage certificate says both Geoffrey Edward and Marion were deceased then. The marriage certificate lists Geoffrey’s profession as journalist and apparently there was a connection to the now defunct “The Wide World” magazine. I and others have not been able to find any trace of William Albert Burton or his parents (Geoffrey Edward Burton and Marion Allen) using the usual methods. Because of his possible link to The Wide World magazine and also possibly the Iberian Peninsula, I am hoping to obtain advice on where to look for overseas records such as British military records in the 1800s to see what can be found.
1911 census has a Geoffrey Edward Burton born 1889 East Molesey Surrey. Royal Navy at Sea and in Ports Abroad on the 'Forte' Cape of Good Hope Simons Bay 1901 he is a student at Crofton Hampshire 12 years of age born 1889 Molesey 1891 residence East Moseley with father Edward mother Ada and Kenneth, Colin, Eilian, Esmond, Kate the governess and 3 other servants. Father Edward is a tobacco manufacturer. Family Search
Apologies for the confusion, William Albert was born in about 1888. Geoffrey Edward was William's father so would have been born around 1860 but don't know for sure.
I wonder if William Albert's father was actually an Edward G BURTON. Internet Archive site has several different editions of "The World Wide Magazine" available to view and the first edition I looked at (vols 20-22, 1908) featured an article by an Edward BURTON. Vol 3, dated 1899, mentions a "BURTON" in an article about Conganhas in Brazil, so it could perhaps be worth your while searching through the editions available to see if there are any more mentions of a BURTON within them. Looking through English census records, there are a couple of mentions of an Edward G BURTON - I cannot find an with a Geoffrey Edward - with loose connections to newspapers but none that I can see at first glance which states a profession of Journalist. 1871 census of St Mary Islington (RG10/302, folio 55, page 56) shows an Edward G BURTON living with his mother & siblings, he being shown as a Telegraph Messenger, and an 1881 census record in Battersea (RG11/645, folio 72, page 20) which shows Edward G BURTON as an unmarried Lodger, he being shown as an Advertising News Agent. Pretty speculative, but perhaps worth further research on your part. Janet
Having looked on NSW BMDs & not had much luck could it be that he came to NSW as a very young child & latched onto that as birth place? Unable to find marriage or death for is parents either, but a slight difference in spelling can hold things up.
Yes, that is what I am thinking - that perhaps he was born overseas and his parents came by ship to Sydey Harbour and settled in Neutral Bay and they said he was born there. I have a photo of a house in Neutral Bay where William's parents lived circa early 1900s - I have taken it to the Stanton Library in North Sydney but they think the house has probably been demolished. There are certainly no records of William, Geoffrey (Edward) or Marion that I can find in Australia or the UK. The Wide World Magazine lead suggests that they probably travelled a lot but I am not sure how to find where they may have gone.
This could be weird or maybe has nothing to do with the Burtons and the Allens. There is a marriage of a MARIAN Allen to Arthur Kemble in 1885 registered in Sydney Then there is a birth of Ethel Kemble to Arthur and Marian in 1886 registered at St Leonards in 1886. Living in Sydney you will know that St Leonards is all but next to Neutral Bay. In 1910 Ethel appears to marry Ernest B Devine. Ethel Devine died in 1974 and parents named on her death registration are Arthur and Emma Susan. There is no marriage that I can find for Arthur and Emma Susan. So as we cant find a marriage for Geoffrey and Marion my mind leads me to Marion and Geoffrey getting together after the birth of Ethel but heaven only knows if William even got registered. Suspicious minds..... And to add to my suspicions there are no more children to Arthur and MARIAN.
Have you seen this from New South Wales Police Gazette, Wed 4 Dec 1929. Deserting Wives and Families, Service, &c. Ashfield. A warrant has been issued by the Burwood Bench for the arrest of WILLIAM ALBERT BURTON charged with wife desertion. He is 43 years of age’ 5 feet 10 inches high, stout build, dark complexion and hair; wore a dark coat and grey trousers; a motor driver and milk-carter. Complainant, Ethel Maud Burton, 66 Croydon-road, Croydon.
Also this one if from New South Wales Police Gazette, Wed 13 Nov 1929. Under 'Missing Friends'. Missing, since the 4th September, 1929, from his home near Moss Yale,—WILLIAM ALBERT BURTON, 41 years of age, 5 feet 81/2 inches high, broad build, dark complexion, brown hair and eyes, clean shaved, tooth missing from front of lower jaw, scar over one temple; well spoken; a farmer. Information to his wife, Mrs. W. A. Burton, residing at 66 Croydon-road, Croydon.
OK, so now we know he left Croydon and was last seen in Moss Vale where I'm guessing he was farm labouring. Any more sightings?
I found those two articles last night Sis, but I can't find anything else. I was hoping there might be something in a British newspaper, but no luck.
OK. Forget that. The Kembers moved to New Zealand where Marian died in 1894. The same year as their son Richard was born. Richard was KIA in 1916.
Looking further into the Edward G BURTON that I mentioned in post 4 who was described as an Advertising New Agent in the 1881 census of Battersea, I think we can probably eliminate him as the Edward BURTON who contributed to the World Wide Magazine. I couldn't find him in latter census records at first, but I think I have found him in both the 1901 & 1911 census records where he is shown as a married Advertising (News) Agent, a Patient at the London County Lunatic Asylum, Ilford, Essex. Janet
Try as I might to forget this lady, Marian Allen in post #8, I can’t. Perhaps she had William before her marriage to Mr Kember. She is the only lady of that name in that area around that time.
Hi, thank you for the research and providing these leads. I found the Wide World Magazine article by Edward Burton and think this is a likely scenario as they would have been travelling the world and hence the lack of records in Australia. I also have a tip that Geoffrey Edward and Marion Allen may have been married in North Walsingham, Norfolk UK, so might start another thread in the Norfolk County forum?