Here is one that I only discovered last night, much to my annoyance as I thought I had nailed this family down and was busy entering them into OH's photobook! :(
Parents: Frederick Edwin Barker (sometimes known as Edward Barker) and Matilda Jane
Child: William Barker died 1956 Liverpool NSW. Birth???????
I found out he existed last night by stumbling across a postcard he wrote to his sister that had his picture on it!
His sister, Caroline Ellen Kate Barker is OH's grandmother.
ALSO Thomas Barker birth date? (same parents) died 1977 Liverpool NSW. I know he existed cause I met him!
I have a copy of Thomas' WW1 records so have a rough birthdate for him but William came out of the blue.
Just had a quick look - the only children I can see for Frederick and Matilda Jane are Matilda 1880-1880, George Thomas 1881-1942, Frederick Bede 1884-1938, Caroline Hellen Kate 1885-1951 and Amy Irene 1892-1948?, all born in NSW, plus William Edward ?-1956 and Thomas Walter ?-1977; haven't found their births yet.
Barker Thomas Walter : SERN 7443 : POB Liverpool NSW : POE Sydney NSW : NOK F Barker Frederick Edward
Aged 22 and 11 months when he enlisted in July 1917, which means he was born around 1894.
However, there's also this entry:
BARKER THOMAS WALTER : Service Number - N74128 : Date of birth - 23 Jun 1894 : Place of birth - LIVERPOOL NSW : Place of enlistment - SYDNEY NSW : Next of Kin - BARKER GEORGE
You might have a look at the service record to see if it explains the discrepancy in the nok's name.
Ok - I have been on OH's family for months - about time my family got a look in!
In 1854 a James Pringle married a Rebecca Valens (sp?) at Bungonia, Goulburn NSW.
I cannot find a birth here in Australia for either of them - nor can I find ANY births with the surname Valens before this marriage, although there are Pringle births - just no James.
Did Rebecca's parents come out to Australia as immigrants? I haven't had time to look at this possibility
Can't find a service record for William Edward Barker, and Frederick isn't listed as nok of anyone else. Did either Frederick or Matilda have any other spouse?
Ok - you are just really, really, really quick at compiling the information that you find :D OH has just left for work so now I can concentrate!
George Barker was Tom's older brother. The records that i have only show his father as next of kin.
No other marriage for either of them that i know. although i had wondered myself if "Uncle Tom" was adopted.
The photographic evidence shows that William is older than Tom and he probably fits in after Caroline and before Amy.
Will post the photo in a minute.
back row - William, Amy, George, Phoebe
front Row - Caroline, Matilda (mother) Frederick (father) Frederick Bede; Thomas.
I understand that this photo was taken c 1910 which would make Thomas around 16 years old.
looking at him though he seems much younger. What do you think???
It looks as though Frederick senior died in 1918, which is why Thomas's later service record shows his brother as nok. Thomas doesn't appear to have married.
The only likely marriage I can see for William Edward is in 1944, which seems a bit late. No sign of a service record for him.
Goodness. They had at least two children, one of whom they called Manful Frederick.
Astonishingly, he didn't change his name. His WW2 service record's on the NAA site.
BARKER MANFUL FREDERICK : Service Number - N38063 : Date of birth - 14 Aug 1919 : Place of birth - NEWTOWN NSW : Place of enlistment - MERRYLANDS NSW : Next of Kin - BARKER WILLIAM
Uncle Tom did not marry - there is a very sad but sweet story about that.
He lived with OH's parents in a converted garage, till his death.
After he had died in 1977 my mother in law found a photo under his pillow. He had slept with it under his pillow all these years since coming home from WW1.
Apparently he was corresponding with a lass while he was in the war. After discharge he asked her to marry him but she refused and subsequently died of turberculosis in 1925.
he had remained true to his first love all those years. We also found a copy of her death notice cut out of the paper and kept with his things.
Mary - you are just incredible. I didn't know this guy existed before last night and now you have him married and with kids!
If you are wondering why we didn't know he existed, it is because Caroline married a Thomas William Burton in 1910 who was known as William (Bill) so any reference to William or Bill was attributed to him!
I understand that this photo was taken c 1910 which would make Thomas around 16 years old.
looking at him though he seems much younger. What do you think???
He looks younger to me, yes, although I'm no great expert.
It'll give his height and weight on the WW1 service record, which dates from about 6 years later.
Might be worth getting William Edward's death cert, which should give you the names of all his children and spouses, and confirm his age and parents' names.
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