Marie wished to discover the deaths of William BEARD and his wife Rose Ellen nee RUSSELL – time and place. We have broken down some of the wall but still need help with other bits.  The following describes the path we have followed so far. Known information Marriage transcription (reg no 06778) William BEARD bachelor, married Rose Ellen RUSSELLL spinster, 10 October 1886 at the house of George Amos BARTHOLOMEW, Walcha Rd. Walcha, NSW The witnesses were Richard DAVEY, Sarah Jane ROACH and the minister C of E Edmund George MOBERLY Birth cert 031505 for their daughter Elizabeth Rebecca BEARD b 30 June 1889, at Rocky River, NSW, where the father’s birthp[alce is given as Cambridgeshire. He was aged 23. Therefore born about 1866. His wife was aged 22 and came from Kent.  Therefore born abt 1867 Death cert 013392 is for the above George Amos Bartholomew’s death (still living in Walcha rd Walcha). He was married to Mary Martha RUSSELL, sister of Rose Ellen. George died 28th July 1894, aged 42. He had been in the colony of NSW for 30 years (since 1874). SEARCHING FOR ROSE So being unable to find the death of Rose Ellen BEARD, the search was done for the around her sister in order to identify the names of the parents. NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/Index/IndexingOrder.cgi/search?event=births Not very successful with deaths as several Mary Bartholomews. She is probably the one who died in 1937 in Parramatta, father Thomas, Mother Mary Margaret. (19887) Decided to look up UK census of 1871 and 1881 and found the Russell family in Kent. Also found Mary Martha’s birth in 1854 on the IGI. So now we know her parents are Thomas RUSSELL and Mary COSTEN who married 6 Sep 1846 Teston, Kent according to IGI and 1881 census http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true RUSSELL 1881 census Dwelling:     Cottage Liver St           Census Place:       Teston, Kent, England           Source:       FHL Film 1341220     PRO Ref RG11    Piece 0924    Folio 102    Page 2           Marr   Age    Sex    Birthplace Thomas RUSSELL   M       58      M       Teston, Kent, England           Rel:    Head           Occ:   Laborer Mary RUSSELL       M       53      F        Wateringbury, Kent, England           Rel:    Wife Naomi A. RUSSELL U       17      F        Teston, Kent, England           Rel:    Dau Rose E. RUSSELL   U       13      F        Teston, Kent, England           Rel:    Dau Back to NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages Found that Rose remarried in 1921 when she was 52. 11785/1921  GILLON  CORNELIUS   - BEARD  ROSE E  BELLINGEN and her death 18067/1939  GILLON  ROSE ELLEN  - parents THOMAS  MARTHA, place  ARMIDALE. Although it says her mother was Martha, rather than Mary, this is a common error for death certs as her sister was Mary Martha and she had a daughter and a niece Martha also. So one half of the equation was solved. The death of Rose Ellen nee RUSSELL was found and family can now send for that cert for verification and find the burial place etc.. At the same time I asked the GENANZ rootsweb list if anyone had any information and sure enough, several people did “look ups” and more than one interested party came forward. These have been sent on to Marie. To find a rootsweb list - http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/help/mail1.html http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ From a relative “Thank you for doing a check on my ancestor ‘William Beard’ b abt 1866 whose only England connection is Cambridge.     I think he will be my brick wall for some time.   I researched him also and I too thought he was the William Beard of Whittlesey, Cambridge who lived with his Grandparents, but, my William Beard left England in Feb 1884 on the Lusitania to emigrate to New England area (Armidale) and he married Oct 1888 - Rose Ellen Russell who came out from Kent in 1886 on the Port Pirie to her sister Mary Martha Bartholomew in Armidale.   I have all their details from their arrival and have myself traced Rose Ellen and family back to Kent.   But William, he is another story.   No trace of his death and no trace of his life in England prior to coming out here!!   The research you sent to Marie did confirm what I had done, although I checked the William Beard in Whittlesey in the 1891 census and he is there, married to Harriet Beard and living in Ponds Bridge, Whittlesey, County of Cambridgeshire.   This is the William Beard who lived with his Grandparents, William and Mary Beard in Inham’s End, Whittlesey.   I suspect according to the 1861 census that this William Beard may be the son of William and Mary’s son Isaac who was 23 in the 1861 census and young William Beard may be a product of the House servant Elisa Brown from Norfolk who stayed with them. Just a thought……   However, this Family research is intriguing and I will keep looking for him!”   The deaths in NSW before 1921, presuming Rose remarried after the death of William include two possible. It would now be up to family to investigate these two further. There is always a point where money needs to be spent, but you can get a long way first.   968/1916 BEARD WILLIAM JOSEPH   PETERSHAM   8097/1916 BEARD WILLIAM J THOMAS ANN BATHURST      Update – June 2008 Thanks to the correspondent who told us that William arrived in Australia after 1881 the lead was followed up. UK Census 1881 Checked the UK census and having eliminated others who died or are still in UK in 1891, the most likely in 1881 is William, a baker’s apprentice of the right age, in Fulham Surrey. Checked back through all previous census and found his father Edward comes from Cambridgeshire - as do his grandparents Henry and Sarah BEARD and Sarah’s  parents Edward and Sophia CORNWELL as they are together as an extended family in the 1841 and 51 – a bonus. Wm has a sister Elizabeth Rebecca. Wm’s eldest daughter is also Elizabeth Rebecca. So it appears that Wm got his origins correct in saying he came from Cambridgeshire, some of his siblings were born there and some in Surrey. Free BMD - http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl Williams’ parents are Edward BEARD and Rebecca KIRK.  Marriages Jun 1864   (>99%) Beard  Edward    Cambridge  3b 825    Hancock  Emily    Cambridge  3b 825   Kirk  Rebecca    Cambridge  3b 825   Piggott  Robert    Cambridge  3b 825      Family Search LDS IGI http://www.familysearch.org/ENG/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true Matching up Elizabeth Rebecca (sister of William) gives us the place he gave as his place of birth (in 1881 census recorded as Fulburn, Cambridgeshire) and the name Elizabeth Rebecca, the same as his eldest daughter. Elizabeth Rebecca <Beard> Pedigree   Female       Birth:  Christening:  26 JUN 1866   Saint Vigor, Fulbourn, Cambridge, England     Parents:   Father:  Edward Beard   Mother:  Rebecca           And a brother HENRY EDWARD BEARD   Male       Event(s): Birth:  12 MAY 1869   Christening:  15 AUG 1869   Holy Trinity, Clapham, Surrey, England     Parents:   Father:  EDWARD BEARD   Mother:  REBECCA           Researched by: Marg O’Leary If you have any information which will help Marie, please email her on bmwil00s@hotkey.net.au