William Bunstun

William, who spelled his surname with UN, was born in South Petherton on July 16^th 1828 and was christened on November 9^th of that year. He was the youngest child of Henry Bunstone and Mary Prowse.  13 year old William is mentioned in the household in the 1841 census.

On September 24^th 1848 William married Christiana Tucker. They lived in South Petherton where William worked as a Farm Labourer and Christiana as a Glover.

The record of the marriage stated that William was a minor at the time and that Christiana was of age.

Christina was christened on Christmas Day, December 25^th, 1827 in South Petherton, Somerset. She was the daughter of Charles and Christiana Tucker. Charles worked as a labourer.

William and Christiana had at least three children: Mary Ann (1850); Henry (1856) and Charles (1858).

In 1855 William, Christiana and their four year old daughter Mary Ann sailed from Ireland to Australia on board the "Himalaya".  The shipping records state that William was a farm labourer.  He was 26 and Christiana was 27.  William's mother, Mary, and Christiana's father, Charles, were both deceased by the time they departed.  William could read, while his wife could both read and write.

William settled his family at Moe in Gippsland, Victoria. Moe is approximately 60km from Rosedale, where William’s brother, Henry, lived.

L to R: Henry Bunstun, wife Susan, son Ernest and father William

Christiana died at Moe in 1895 aged 68. She is buried in the Church of England section of the Moe cemetery. William died aged 78 on November 22^nd 1906 at Drouin, Victoria.