Trying to prove a family legend - Australia/New Zealand

[Barbara Dodds]

I was always told that my great uncle Robert Codnor Dodds emigrated to Australia with his wife Betty. They then apparently moved to New Zealand where he died. His wife and his daughter Ada then returned to the UK, with my Grandfather going to fetch them home.

I have found an outbound passenger list on FMP which matches:- R C Dodds aged 27 occupation Farmer and Mrs E Dodds aged 30 are on board the Gothic sailing from London to Fremantle Departing from London on 29th February 1912. ( I am a little confused as it says destination port Fremantle, but Ship's destination Sydney )

I am unsure exactly when Elizabeth and Ada returned to England - I suspect it was somewhere between 1924 and 1935 but there is no one left to ask :(

Can anyone tell me where to start looking for information to confirm the story any further please?

[Elaine ..Spain]

Do you know when Ada was born?

[Barbara Dodds]

No unfortunately Elaine. I know nothing about her other than the name. I "think" she was born around 1920, but I don't really know why.

[Elaine]

What's her maiden name Barbara?

[Barbara Dodds]

What's her maiden name Barbara?

Mrs E Dodds was nee Johnson

Ignore the Codnor as a middle name please - I can't remeber where that came from :o

[Elaine]

I was looking on the BMD's in New Zealand, will go back again BUT found another one of mine because it had been a few months since I last looked and just got in with dates, thank you!

[Barbara Dodds]

Don't worry about mine Elaine - concentrate on yours

[grumpy]

I was always told that my great uncle Robert Codnor Dodds emigrated to Australia with his wife Betty. They then apparently moved to New Zealand where he died. His wife and his daughter Ada then returned to the UK, with my Grandfather going to fetch them home.

I have found an outbound passenger list on FMP which matches:- R C Dodds aged 27 occupation Farmer and Mrs E Dodds aged 30 are on board the Gothic sailing from London to Fremantle Departing from London on 29th February 1912. ( I am a little confused as it says destination port Fremantle, but Ship's destination Sydney )






I am unsure exactly when Elizabeth and Ada returned to England - I suspect it was somewhere between 1924 and 1935 but there is no one left to ask :(

Can anyone tell me where to start looking for information to confirm the story any further please?

Barbara,
Virtually all passenger lists will show destination port as Fremantle, as after a long trip across the Indian Ocean they called in there to refuel, replenish etc.

From Fremantle they generally stopped at Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane before turning round and repeating the voyage back.

[SueNSW]

The passenger lists shows that while the vessels final destination that voyage was Sydney - Mr and Mrs Dodds intended to disembark in Fremantle

On the NZ BDM register there is a death for a Robert COLWELL Dodds in 1922 aged 37 - perhaps there was some confusion over his slightly unusual middle name

[SueNSW]

If Colwell is the correct middle name - this man applied to join the Australian Imperial Force with an address in Manjimup Western Australia in 1916 - aged 31 - but according to the brief details available online he possibly wasn't accepted - the record is here -

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=9558226

It has not been digitised - but if you think it may be him you can request an online copy for $19.00 (about GBP10.50)

As well as explaining some background - this detail from the NAA gives some idea of what is likely to be included in the record

This series consists of records for those individuals who applied to
enlist in the Australian Imperial Force, and were either rejected,
discharged while still in training, or went on to serve within
Australia only [usually as depot troops or camp guards]. The most
common reason for rejection is on medical grounds. Discharges are
recorded as occurring for the same reason, as well as unsuitability,
and through general demobilisation at the conclusion of hostilities.
Some records relating to members of the Australian Army Nursing
Service are also to be found.

The forms most consistently present are 'Australian Military Forces:
Australian Imperial Force: Attestation paper of persons enlisted for
service abroad', [single A3 folio folded to form four pages] and
'Application to Enlist in the Australian Imperial Force' [a single
folio printed on front and reverse]. Both of the above forms provide
for the entry of such details as the subject's full name, occupation,
age, current address, date of enlistment, height and chest
measurements, and the results of medical examination. The larger form
allows for additional details such as statements of service history,
casualties promotions, etc. Where the individual has attempted to
enlist more than once multiple application forms will often be
present. Many of the records also have other papers appended,
including Medical History forms, Conduct Sheets, Issue Cards, and
correspondence from the subjects or their next of kin.

[Barbara Dodds]

Thanks for the explanation David

That looks very interesting Sue - and looks like the right person as well.

[garstonite]

Could this be him ?
birth dec qtr 1893 DODDS Robert Cowell .... Easington ( Co Durham ) 10a 409

[Elaine ..Spain]

Could this be him ?
birth dec qtr 1893 DODDS Robert Cowell .... Easington ( Co Durham ) 10a 409

It's confusing, but I think this is his birth registration ..
Births Mar 1885
Robert Colwell JACKSON
Castle W 10b 297

He was the son of Elizabeth Jackson, who then married Thomas Dodds.
1911 census: http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin...try&h=30466487

[garstonite]

I can`t find a marriage for Robert Dodds to Elizabeth Johnson / Johnston / Johnstone on freebmd up to 1912
ADDED
Ahh thanks Elaine ...maybe the marriage is Jackson to Johnson ...
no luck- can`t find a marriage for Elizabeth Johnson to Robert Dodds / Jackson ...

[Elaine ..Spain]

I can`t find a marriage for Robert Dodds to Elizabeth Johnson / Johnston / Johnstone on freebmd up to 1912
ADDED
Ahh thanks Elaine ...maybe the marriage is Jackson to Johnson ...

I mentioned to Barbara last night that I thought the marriage may have been to Emma Johnson (not Elizabeth) - she was going to check back through her research to see what she could find!
(There is a Robert Dodds / Emma Johnson marriage in 1911 in Castle Ward which might fit).

[garstonite]

Ok thanks Elaine ...it looks very likely ...where is Castle Ward ?? ie nearest big town / city
added...ok thanks ...Northumberland ...just curious

[Richard in Perth]

Robert Colwell Dodds is a farmer in Manjimup, WA in 1916 according to the electoral roll. However, there is also an Emma Dodds at the same address - no Betty.

[Richard in Perth]

1911 census has him with his parents in Northumberland, single:

Thomas Dodds 65
Mary An Dodds 52
Robert Colwell Dodds 26
Joseph Ellison Dodds 24
John William Dodds 17
Henry Ellison Dodds 15
Jane Elizabeth Dodds 12


Looks like his wife was Emma, not Elizabeth:

Marriages Dec 1911
DODDS Robert C Castle W. 10b 543
Johnson Emma Castle Ward 10b 543

[Richard in Perth]

So, we have:

Robert Colwell Dodds
Born Robert Colwell Jackson, Jan/Feb/Mar 1885, Stamfordham, Northumberland
Married: Emma Johnson, Oct/Nov/Dec 1911, Castle Ward RD, Northumberland
Departed London for Fremantle, WA 29-Feb-1912
Farmer in Manjimup, WA 1916
Applied for AIF, 1916 (possibly rejected)
Died in New Zealand, 1922

Can't find a birth for Ada in the WA births index, so she may have been born in NZ. Unfortunately, the NZ births index only goes to 1914 (when Robert was still in WA) so no way of checking this.

[Richard in Perth]

Emma Dodds returned to UK from Wellington NZ on the Ionic, arriving in Southampton 7-Sep-1927. Emma was a widow aged 47. However, she had just one daughter, Elizabeth aged 11. Their proposed address in UK was "White House, Whittington, Newcastle on Tyne".