Genealogy Forum UK

My great uncle Edmund Thomas Burnham was born in Union workhouse St Helens Abingdon on 14 Feb 1855. Mother Ann Burnham father and baptism place unknown. He is seen as Edwin Burnham in 1861 census (his mother is now Ann Baldwin) and 1871 as Edward Burnham (his mother is now Ann Herring!)..then he disappears. I have tried all the marriage/death/census lists under various spellings but have hit a brick wall with this one. (my grandfather was also called Edmund Thomas Burnham born Attercliffe Sheffield in around 1879) which confuses things a bit. Any help would be appreciated.

Could he have emmigrated to Australia?

It was very common to change Edmund/Edmond to Edward.

Here is a death index entry for Queensland in Australia.

Name: Edward Thomas Burnham
Death Date: 2 Aug 1930
Death Place: Queensland
Father's name: Edmund
Mother's name: Ann Burnham
Registration Year: 1930
Registration Place: Queensland
Registration Number: 002749
Page Number: 211

Goodness! Thank you Mark...that does look very promising. I did get America checked out with no luck as I wondered if he gave up on his life here and emigrated. Thank you very much for the info.

I can see several "Mr Burnham"'s on passenger lists from the UK to Australia (from Ancestry), but nothing with either Edmund or Edward.

Unfortunately it is the Queensland BDM so the age at death and place of death is not given unless you buy the certificate.

Other states give you that information in the index.

The Victorian certificates are the best as they give you how long they have been in Australia and in Victoria and when/where they got married and the names and ages of their children.

THe Victoria ones also give you the plot number and cemetery information.

I can see that Edward Thomas Burnham married Elizabeth Wilson on 14th April 1892 in Queensland. Registration number 1882/000414.

Once again it is Queensland so limited information is given in the index.

If it was Victorian then their ages and place of birth and place of marriage would be given in the index.

They had a few children.

William born 15/01/1883.

Edward Thomas born 14/03/1884 . Died 17/01/1885.

George born 14/11/1885. Died 31/10/1913.

Elizabeth Martha born 06/11/1887.

Ann(ie) Florence born 26/08/1889. Died 17/04/1891.

Emily Ellen born 02/10/1891.

Margaret May born 03/03/1894.

Florence Jessie born 31/05/1898.

Daisy Maud born 09/10/1900.

Edward Thomas born 24/07/1903.

I could not find any relevant immigration records but that is not unusual for Queensland as it is not as well documented as the other states.

Many thanks Mark and Sue for your continuing help.
I have now managed to find some Australian family trees on Ancestry descending from the Burnham family you detailed. They do not seem to have any information for Edward Thomas's birth place, although his wife is from Scotland, This in itself is hopeful. I have found their marriage record in Australia. Some of the childrens names do seem to follow a pattern as well. I have contact one of the tree owner to see if I can get anything further otherwise it will have to be a certificate. Thanks again.

Just remember to double check any info you get. A lot of people just copy info from other trees without checking it properly. There are a lot of mistakes on the ancestry trees as it's so easy to copy from other trees.
I know of one case where the owner has the wrong father for one of my ancestors, I wrote explaining the mistake, and expained how I came to conclusion I did, citing the various records etc. A year later, this info is still incorrect, so although other peoples trees can lead you in the right direction, they can also lead you n the wrong one!

Thank you Sue, I do try to check as much as I can as have found Portsmouth England ancestors logged as dying in Portsmouth New England! No reply yet from the Australian Family Trees, but have found an Edward Burnham on the Queensland immigration list 1873 ship The Ramsey, aged 19 and travelling alone looks like 'could' be the Edward Thomas Burnham already referred to in Queensland. Unfortunately the lists do not give place or date of birth or residence!.....

OOps just realised the Queensland Edward Thomas Burnham married in 1872...back to the drawing boards!

14th April 1882...not 1892 like I accidently puy and not 1872......

Is this still a Brickwall, or have you solved it?

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