Sepia Saturday 405

Some jolly good beards and a couple of wives!

Some of these pics have probably featured in numerous posts, sorry, but they keep fitting the bill.

 This first photo features the beard belonging to George Bunston, my great great grandfather.  As well as his beard, as seen here is George's wife Elizabeth Lyle (nee Thompson).

George arrived in Australia in 1855 from England at the age of 20.  I have no evidence that indicates the beard arrived with him, or appeared after he settled.  George was a farmer and carter, settling in the Skipton area in 1864.

This first picture was taken c 1889.

 We may not know if George's beard travelled from England with him, but it stuck with him until his death in 1923.

This second photo is of most of the family at the time of what may have been the first Bunston family reunion.  Held at the family property "Mayfield" near Skipton in 1921.
L to R: Grandson George Perry with mother Mary (George's daughter); son James with his own beard making an appearance; George; son William; wife Elizabeth holding grandson Percy; son John; son Phillip holding grandson Alec and daughter Gean.

The beard in the third picture belongs to John Bunston, younger brother to George.

John was born in South Petherton, in 1849.  He married Louisa Brice in 1871.  Like his brother, George, John had ten children.  Around 1873 John, Louisa and baby daughter Lilly moved from Somerset to Wales.

Once in Wales John worked as a haulier and general labourer.

John passed away on November 11 1925.

 Here is another photo of a very fine beard, and just as fine wife.  The wife is the connection here as she is Mary Bunston, sister to George and John.  Mary came to Australia with her brother George in 1855.

This is a picture of Mary, seated on the right with her second husband, George Breadmore.  Standing is her daughter Elizabeth Susan, whose father Jacob (aka William) had died in 1874.  With Mary is their daughter, Alice Breadmore.  Mary was George's third wife and in total he had 15 children.

Mary and George lived in Rocky Lead near Dean in Victoria where George worked as a coach driver and labourer.  In later years he was a fruiterer.  George passed away on July 25 1900.

This fifth picture shows William Bunstun, uncle to the people mentioned above, with his son Henry, daughter in  law Susan and grandson Ernest.

Both father and son have wonderful beards on display.  This is the only known photo of William who came to Australia in 1855 with his wife Christiana (nee Tucker) and their daughter Mary Jane.  They settled in the Gippsland area of Victoria and it is not known if he ever crossed paths with his niece and nephew.  William passed away in 1906.

Henry, shown here with his beard and wife Susan, was born in 1856, shortly after his parents had arrived in Australia.  He lived in Moe, Victoria where he worked as a draper.  The photo above being of his store.

I'm not sure of all the circumstances, but Henry would later become an alcoholic.  He left his wife and children around 1900 and moved to Kalgoolie, Western Australia.  He would die in 1902 after passing out, drunk, and being run over by his horse and wagon.  Sadly, his youngest son, Charles, would suffer a similar fate.

Susan went on to marry Robert Aitken in 1905.  She moved from Moe, and her father in law William moved with her.

It is not known if Robert Aitken had a beard. 

Trove Tuesday

My first post in ages and my first Trove Tuesday post ever.  It's a bit early, I know, but I came across these article after doing some research for the book.  So sad.  This is the second "multiple family member drownings" I have come across in my research in the last couple of years.

Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931), Tuesday 5 July 1887, page 4

 These articles describe the sad and sudden deaths of William Curnow and his wife Elizabeth (nee Carter).

Apparently they had left their farm in the Cooyal area of New South Wales on the morning of Monday July 4 1887  to attend a court case in nearby Mudgee.  I am yet to find out any details about the court case they attended.

By the time they were headed home the Pipeclay Creek had risen considerably and was a "raging torrent" by the time they got to the crossing.

Surprisingly, they still attempted to cross the creek in their little buggy.  One of their sons was with them, following some distance behind them on his horse.  He was taking it slow due to the bad and muddy state of the track.  By the time he reached the crossing he found his father's horse which had broken free and was standing on the creek bank.  The buggy could be seen further down stream, caught in some branches. 

Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Saturday 16 July 1887, page 149

William and Elizabeth were found the following day, William not far from the crossing and Elizabeth about half a mile down stream.

Their funeral was well attended as they had lived in the area for much of their lives.  They were buried side by side

Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal (NSW : 1851 - 1904), Tuesday 12 July 1887, page 3

William and Elizabeth were the parents of six sons and three daughters.  They arrived in Australia with their 2 year old son, William, in 1854 on board the "Lady Kennaway".  It looks like a second son, John, was born during the voyage, but sadly died at sea. Another son, Charles, died at the age of two.  All of the other children would live past the deaths of their parents.

Their two youngest daughters, Eliza and Euphemia, married twins Jim and John Sams in a double wedding in Mudgee 12 months after their parents death.  My connection to the family is through the Sams brothers.  Their mother was Ellen Rodford who is a descendant of the Bunston family that I am researching.