In 1914, Irene’s father, Frank Parton, deserted his family for parts unknown. In 1891, George Gray Brodie left his wife and children and moved 230 miles away to Quirindi.
Stephen Edward Oxborough
Born: 5 MAY 1902 in Walsoken, Norfolk County, England
Father: James Samuel John Oxborough (1878 to 1938)
Mother: Hannah Mews Hall (1884 to 1961)
First Spouse: Esther Annie Pearce (1897 to 1974)
Married: 30 JUL 1927 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Child:
Stephen Edward Oxborough (1929)
Second Spouse: Irene Parton (1915 to 2005)
Married: unknown (between 1937 and 1943)
Children: none
Died: 1 APR 1979 in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Burial: Wollongong Cemetery
Timeline:
1907 Death of brother, Leonard
1909 Death of brother, James
1911 Newark upon Trent, Nottinghamshire County, England
1924 Immigrated to Australia
1927 Marriage to Esther
1929 Birth of son, Stephen
1930 Dalley, Balmain, New South Wales, Australia
1935 Dalley, Balmain, New South Wales, Australia
1938 Death of father, James
1940 Divorce and Remarriage (between 1935 and 1943)
1943 Werriwa, Kembla, New South Wales, Australia
1949 Kembla, Cunningham, New South Wales, Australia
1958 Kembla, Cunningham, New South Wales, Australia
1961 Death of mother, Hannah
1968 Kembla, Cunningham, New South Wales, Australia
1972 Death of sister, Lilian
1973 Death of brother, Cyril
1974 Death of ex-wife, Esther
1977 Kembla, Cunningham, New South Wales, Australia
1979 Death and Burial
Occupation: police constable
Records:
1911 England Census Record
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
The UK Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960
Fremantle, Western Australia, Passenger Lists, 1897-1963
Australia, Marriage Index, 1788-1950
New South Wales, Australia, Police Gazettes, 1854-1930
Australian Electoral Rolls, 1903-1954
Australia and New Zealand, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current
Variations of Surname: none
Stephen’s First Spouse:
Esther Annie Pearce:
Esther was born in 1897 in Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. She died on 24 JUL 1974 in Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia.
Esther’s father was Michael Joseph Pearce. He was born in 1875 in Elmore, Victoria, Australia. He died on 12 JAN 1955 in Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia.
Esther’s mother was Esther Edith Bright. She was born in 1880 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. She died in 1927 in Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia.
Esther had two sisters:
Annie Irene Pearce (1899)
Rose Daisy May Pearce (1901)
Esther had previously married Bert Charles McAlister on 25 JUN 1921 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. One known child was born to this marriage:
Bert McAlister (1922)
Bert Charles McAlister was born in 1894 in Orange, New South Wales, Australia. He died in 1922 in Redfern, New South Wales, Australia. Bert was 28 years old when he died.
Divorce and Remarriage:
Stephen and Esther divorced sometime between 1937 and 1943.
They last appeared together in the 1937 New South Wales Electoral Registers.
The 1943 electoral register shows that Stephen was living in Wollongong and Esther was living in Sydney.
Esther never remarried.
Stephen’s Second Spouse:
Irene Parton:
Irene was born on 5 MAY 1915 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. She died on 12 JAN 2005 in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
Irene’s father was Frank Parton. He was born in 1879 in Bury, Lancashire County, England. I do not know when Frank died.
Irene’s mother was Florence Mary Smith. She was born in 1885 in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire County, England. She died on 24 JUL 1967 in Windang, Wollongong City, New South Wales, Australia.
Irene had six known sisters and brothers:
Thomas Henry Parton (1904 Grimsby, Lincolnshire)
Phyllis Parton (1906 Grimsby, Lincolnshire)
Ellen Parton (1907 Grimsby, Lincolnshire)
Marion Parton (1909 Sculcoates, East Yorkshire)
Walter Parton (1911 Grimsby, Lincolnshire)
Keith Parton (1914 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
What Happened to Frank Parton?
On 7 DEC 1911, Florence and the five oldest children left London, England aboard the SS Commonwealth. On 23 APR 1912, they arrived at the Port of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Irene’s father was a seaman and probably worked aboard a vessel that had already made the journey to Australia.
Frank and Florence settled in the Sydney suburb of Balmain. They lived in this coastal city for two years before Frank abandoned his wife and children.
On 24 JUN 1914, a warrant was issued for Frank Parton’s arrest. He was charged with deserting his wife and children.
Frank Parton must have sailed away to parts unknown or changed his name to avoid prosecution.
Irene’s Maternal Grandparents:
Philip Walkington Smith was born in 1865 in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, England. He died in 1934 in Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia.
Eleanor Elizabeth Massey was born on 21 AUG 1866 in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire County, England. She died in 1919 in North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia.
Philip Walkington Smith married Eleanor Elizabeth Massey in 1884 in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire County, England. Two known children were born to this marriage:
Florence Mary Smith (1885)
Mabel Smith (1887)
After Eleanor died, Philip married a widow, Rose Winifred Brodie Mitchell, in 1921 in Petersham, New South Wales, Australia. Philip was 56 years old. Rose was 43 years old.
Rose Winifred Brodie was born in 1878 in Murrurundi, New South Wales, Australia. She died in 1963 in Moreland City, Victoria, Australia.
Rose had previously married Alexander Malcolm Mitchell in 1905 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. One known child was born to this marriage:
Frances Joseph Mitchell (1905)
Alexander Malcolm Mitchell was born in 1883 in Penrith, New South Wales, Australia. He died on 20 JUN 1917 in Belgium. Alexander was 34 years old when he died.
A Little History:
Philip Walkington Smith was a fishing captain. The 1901 England census shows that the family was living in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire County, England.
They must have immigrated to Australia sometime between 1901 and 1907.
In 1907, the government had chartered a trawler named Nora Niven for a three-month expedition. They were looking for new fishing grounds off the east coast of New Zealand.
Another Ancestry.com family tree member shared a photo of Nora Niven’s crew. The photograph was published in the Auckland Weekly News on 23 May 1907.
Philip must have left the crew of the Nora Niven when the three-month expedition ended. Another photograph, dated 23 NOV 1907, shows that the trawler had a new fishing master named Captain Neilson.
You can find these photographs and five others of the trawler, Nora Niven, in the Sir George Grey Special Collection. I typed in the words Nora Niven on the Heritage Images page to find these photographs.
Rose Winifred Brodie’s Parents:
George Gray Brodie was born on 4 AUG 1831 in Cullen, Banffshire, Scotland. He died on 1 MAY 1900 in Quirindi, New South Wales, Australia.
Eliza Mary Frances Tucker was born in 1858 in Kingston, New South Wales, Australia. She died on 6 JUL 1946 in Campsie, New South Wales, Australia.
George Gray Brodie married Eliza Mary Frances Tucker in 1877 in Yass, New South Wales, Australia. Six known children were born to this marriage. The children were all born in New South Wales, Australia.
Rose Winifred Brodie (1878 Murrurundi)
Edward Travers Brodie (1879 Grenfell)
Mary Theresa Brodie (1880 Grenfell)
Isidore Maurice Brodie (1882 Grenfell)
Elsie Magdaline Brodie (1885 Goulburn)
Paul Brodie (1887 to 1890)
George had previously married Alexandrina Duff Reid in 1853 in Murrurundi, New South Wales, Australia. Seven known children were born to this marriage. The children were all born in Murrurundi.
Mary Rachel Gray Brodie (1853)
John Gray Brodie (1855)
George Gray Brodie (1856)
Fanny Gray Brodie (1860)
Alexandrina Duff Brodie (1863)
Norman Gray Brodie (1868)
Alexander Murray Brodie (1870)
George’s Achievements and Troubles:
George Gray Brodie immigrated to Australia before 1853 when he married his first wife, Alexandrina. They lived in the rural town of Murrurundi which is 190 miles north of Sydney, Australia.
George worked for many of the rural towns in New South Wales:
In 1866, George was appointed clerk of Murrurundi. He worked for the town’s government until he and his second wife, Eliza, moved to Grenfell.
In 1878, George was appointed to the position of Warden’s Clerk and Mining Registrar for Grenfell. This town is 230 miles west of Sydney, Australia.
In 1884, George was appointed to the position of clerk for Goulburn Gaol. This town is 120 miles southwest of Sydney, Australia.
In 1888, George was appointed to the position of clerk for the Central Police Department in Sydney, Australia.
By 1891, George and Eliza were living in Parramatta, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. This is when George’s troubles began:
On 4 FEB 1891, George was charged with deserting his wife and children. His wife alleged in the complaint that George was addicted to drinking. He was arrested on 26 MAR 1891 by Parramatta police and sentenced to a week in jail.
George must have left his wife. In 1895, he was appointed to the position of clerk for the town of Quirindi, which is 230 miles northwest of Sydney, Australia. George lived in Quirindi until he died in 1900.
What happened to Eliza?
Another family tree indicated that by 1895 Eliza was living with a widower named Edwin Charles Board in Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia. She gave birth to three illegitimate children by this man:
Edwin Charles Board (1895)
William Charles Board (1896)
Mary May Brodie Board (1898)
Eliza did not marry Edwin until after George died.
Eliza Mary Frances Tucker Brodie married Edwin Charles Board in 1901 in Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia. One known child was born to this marriage:
Joseph Edward Tucker Board (1902)
Edwin Charles Board was born on 19 OCT 1865 in Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia. He died on 30 NOV 1925 in Maroubra, New South Wales, Australia.
The Brodie Reid Connection:
George Gray Brodie’s Parents:
George’s father was John Brodie. He was born on 11 JUL 1806 in Fordyce, Banffshire, Scotland. He died on 23 JUL 1839 in Portsoy, Banffshire, Scotland.
George’s mother was Mary Ann Gray. She was born in 1810 in Marylebone, Middlesex County, England. She died in 1881 in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia.
Alexandrina Duff Reid’s Parents:
Alexandrina’s father was James Reid. He was born in 1803 in Portsoy, Banffshire, Scotland. He died in 1839 at sea.
Alexandrina’s mother was Mary Brodie. She was born on 7 JUL 1807 in Portsoy, Banffshire, Scotland. She died on 13 MAY 1881 in Murrurundi, New South Wales, Australia.
When I discovered that Alexandrina’s mother had the same surname as her husband, I thought they must be related. I found another family tree that showed that George and Alexandrina were first cousins. I communicated with the owner of this family tree and she was happy to confirm this connection. She told me:
“My great-great-grandfather was James Brodie who sailed out to Australia in about 1840 to catch up with his siblings in Murrurundi, New South Wales. He died in 1842 and is buried there.”
Her family tree showed James, John, and Mary Brodie’s parents to be:
John Brodie was born on 26 MAY 1770 in Portsoy, Banffshire, Scotland. He died in 1837 in Portsoy, Banffshire, Scotland.
Mary Duff was born on 16 OCT 1768 in Portsoy, Banffshire, Scotland. She died on 5 JUL 1861 in Bebee Plain, Quebec, Canada.
Notes:
The surname, Oxborough, originated in Norfolk County, England. It appears in church registers as early as the mid-16th century. As the world population grew, these Oxborough ancestors moved to other counties in England. By the late 19th century, some had immigrated to Canada and Australia.
Creating Your Family Tree
Interested in building a great family tree? Remember these important steps:
Look in your photo albums. You may have old pictures that your parents or grandparents gave you. Or, ask them for copies of photos that they have in their possession. Many people will write names and dates on the backs of photographs. Letters, diaries, and family bibles are also excellent sources for births, marriages, and deaths.
Talk to your older relatives to find out about your ancestry. They may relate stories about an ancestor that you can add to your family tree. Family history is usually not found in newspapers. It is more of a verbal memory that is passed down from generation to generation.
Find the right family tree builder that suits your needs. You can choose one that has a paid subscription like Ancestry.com. There are also free sites like FamilySearch.org.
When you start building your family tree, add documentation to your ancestor’s profile. The records can include birth, marriage, death, census, military, city, and county directory listings. Any information that you can find will help create a life story about your ancestor.
If you have a unique surname, like Wakenight, you may find databases on the internet that are useful in your search. I use SurnameDB.com for my English surnames. There are many others on the internet for other countries like Ireland, Italy, and Germany.
Genealogy is the study of a person’s “line of descent.” As you create your family tree, you would typically start with one individual and go “back into time.” You would add their parents, grandparents, and so on. There are also family trees that go “forward into time.” Many of these family trees start with a famous person, such as a president or royalty, and move forward into the present time. The purpose of this type of pedigree is to establish a person’s bloodline with that famous person.
There is no limit on how big your family tree can grow. The blank canvas is there for you to use. Cherish your family history, and it will be there for generations to come!
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