Another dead end in the process

I won't say that hopes were high but there were hopes that the Anglican archives for Wirrabarra might throw some light on our ancestor, Edward Atkins and whether or not he and Hannah Mcleod's Edward are one and the same.

But it seems we have found another dead end. The response from them is as follows:

Your request for info re your great-great grandfather came to me in a roundabout manner from Joan Reed and Janelle Shephard.  The early records from our area were kept at Clare. While doing research for Yet Still They Live -- Wirrabara's Story  in 1972 - 74 I made a note of baptisms in Wirrabara,Wirrabara Forest (Whites' Forest), Charlton, Bangor, Stone Hut from 1855 to 1877, which were  listed in the St Barnabas' register, and also those listed in the Seven Hills Jesuit College Register.  

The only reference I have to Atkins is the baptism of James Haines on 28/10/1862 son of  Edward and Elizabeth Atkins -- occupation of father - Bushman.  I haven't any records for Edward and Hannah Atkins.  It seems that this is another  family.

Some of the records for this area could be listed in the registers at Holy Trinity Church, Melrose.  These would go back further than Wirrabara's.

However, one door closes and another opens for I have the name of a contact at Melrose who might be able to help. However, I will have to phone when I am next in Australia so that will delay the process for a couple of months. If one does not have patience beginning ancestry research then it is a skill which must be learned. 

Apart from the incorrect spelling of Haynes (often Haines) and the registering of Edward as a bushman... not sure what that means and it may be another name for shepherd... there is no new information to hand. 


At this point it is safe to say that we simply do not know if our Edward is Hannah's Edward although if one were to lean in any direction it would be toward there being two families, not one. That is however conjecture and so we need to keep an open mind at this point and continue to pursue a death record for Hannah or any information about her family which could help us make a decision once and for all, either in the positive or the negative. 

And Kylie has responded to the latest tidbit of information with a comment I find heartening:

 

Disappointing but if the register only dates from 1855 then I wouldn’t have expected anything, although where are the girls?  Perhaps not that accurate?

 

I do hope that the marriage certificate from Holy Trinity is readable.  It now seems the most likely to help.  Beryl did warn me that they are very scratchy etc (the microfilm I presume).  More waiting……..

 

And it is a good point. It is too easy to become disheartened when information must be assessed in context and if the source is not so accurate then neither are the results. The search continues.