George Griffith's NZ Goldrush Adventure

Return from South Africa, 1904

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:10:00 +0000

SS Narrung.

Emily's sister Charlotte Blay, who was present for the baptism of Emily's baby, Alfred George Henry Owens at Potchefstroom on 24 April 1904, was still there to support Emily when the baby died six weeks later. Charlotte finally returned to Melbourne on the Medic. The Medic had left Liverpool and picked up passengers in Cape Town, where Charlotte joined the ship. She was recorded as being married, aged 30, occupation 'household duties', destination Melbourne. The Medic arrived on 21 July 1904. There was no-one else on the ship with whom she would appear to have been travelling.

A few months later Emily returned via the ss Narrung, in steerage. She had joined the ship in Cape Town, listed as Mrs H Owens, aged 31, occupation 'Lady', nationality Australian, her destination Melbourne. The Narrung arrived there on 2 November 1904. Again, Emily was not obviously accompanied on this journey.

The Owens family

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 07:26:00 +0000

"Gwen aged 2 years and 1 month, Emily 4 months."

Perhaps the death of her first baby was the impetus for the return to Australia.

The unassisted inwards passenger lists show Mrs H Owens, aged 31, arriving in Melbourne on the ship Narrung in November 1904. Trove newspapers report the Narrung had arrived from Cape Town. There is no sign of Hugh, but it occurs to me he might have worked his passage as a ship's carpenter, though it was a short enough trip to bother.

On 17 May 1905, Emily and Hugh had a little girl called Gwendoline Louise, born at 492 Lygon St, Carlton. Whether that was a small hospital or a residence I don't know at this stage, but when Emily gave the information on 14 June 1905 for the registration, she gave her address as 28 Laurie St, Northcote.

The children whose births I have been able to discover are:

Alfred George Henry Owens, bp 24 April 1904, Potchefstroom, South Africa
Gwendoline Louise Owens, b 17 May 1905, Carlton, Victoria
Emily Elizabeth Owens b 1907, Leichardt, NSW
Winifred Frances Owens, b 1909, Balmain, NSW
Jack Henry Owens, b 1912, Balmain South, NSW

By 1930 the family was living at 9 Parsons St, Rozelle, where Hugh was working as a carpenter, Winifred as a typiste, and Emily junior as a milliner. When Jack was listed, his occupation was electrician. Gwen appears to have married in Victoria and lived there.

Emily Frances Owens died in 1945, registered at Rozelle, and Hugh Owens in 1947, registered at Balmain. Hugh's parents were recorded as Hugh and Elizabeth.

Potchefstroom, North West Province

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 02:25:00 +0000

Potchefstroom in the Park, a postcard showing treelined streets in Potchefstroom. Souce: eGGSA website

Moving along to Potchefstroom, where the groom Hugh Owens had been residing prior to his marriage, I examined the Baptisms recorded on the The Genealogical Society of South Africa eGSSA branch website.

This turned up a transcription from the St Mary Anglican Church, Potchefstroom, for the baptism of a child:

Alfred George Henry
Baptised: 24 Apr 1904
Born: 19 Mar 1904
Parents: Hugh & Emily OWENS
Occupation: Carpenter
Residence: Potchefstroom
Witnesses: J. CLARKE - C.H. LINDSAY - C. BLAY
Baptised by: A. ROBERTS
Source: Potchefstroom - St Mary (Anglican), Potchefstroom, North West Province. Baptisms register, 1891-1910, entry number 188. Repository: Wits University, William Cullen Library. Transcribed by Gary Cannon, independently

The first thing that struck me about this record was that a witness was C Blay. I presume this to be Emily's married sister, Charlotte Blay, nee Griffith. Charlotte had married in Fitzroy, a suburb of Melbourne in 1886 to Douglas James Blay, a printer. Charlotte had no children of her own, but adopted a child some years after Emily's children were born. Having both leisure and money evidently enabled Charlotte to travel to support her sister for this first birth.

Unfortunately the baby died aged only six weeks. Again, the eGGSA website provided a transcript:

OWENS Alfred George Henry
Residence: Potchefstroom
Age at death: 6 weeks
Buried: 28 Apr 1904 by A. ROBERTS
Source: Potchefstroom - St Mary (Anglican), Potchefstroom, North West Province. burial register, 1891-1921. Repository: Wits University, William Cullen Library. Transcribed by Gary Cannon, independently

SS Australasian for Natal

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 00:52:00 +0000

This notice from The Argus on 2 May 1903 advises passengers how to get themselves and their luggage aboard the SS Australasian. Further reference to Argus reports of vessels "cleared out" from Melbourne on 6 May lists the saloon passengers of the Australasian (amongst whom Miss E Griffiths was nowhere to be seen), but also mentioned a further unnamed 200 steerage passengers. If Emily was this Miss E Griffiths, she evidently travelled in steerage.

Travel to Durban

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 14:04:00 +0000

The Australasian, from the State Library of Queensland, John Oxley Library.

How and when Emily travelled to Durban is not certain. However, by consulting the Public Records Office Victoria Outwards Passenger Index, using the search terms Griffith*, E*, and narrowed from 1900-1903, there is only one vessel travelling to Africa.

A Miss E Griffiths, aged 23, was listed aboard the Australasian which left for London, Capetown and Natal, via Albury, in May 1903.

Emily Griffith was actually 29 when she married, so it is not clear that it was her, but she may have reduced her age preparatory to her marriage. Or the age may have been mis-transcribed from the shipping record. I'll try and examine the film at PROV in the next few weeks.

I may now have to revise my idea that because Banns were called, the wedding had not been performed in a hurry. The 2nd of June in 1903 was a Tuesday. Presumably the Banns were called on the three preceding Sundays - 17, 24 and 31 May. If the ship left Melbourne on 6 May, it would have been very hard pressed to have arrived in South Africa inside a fortnight, which suggests, if this is the right voyage, that the Banns were called before Emily actually arrived in Durban. If anyone can clarify just how long it would have taken a steamship to travel from Melbourne to Natal, I would be very interested to hear.

Marriage in Durban 1903

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 10:56:00 +0000

Due to the wonderful assistance of Deryn on the British-Genealogy South African Genealogy Forums, an image of the marriage record for Emily Griffith and Hugh Owen was located in Family Search.

This is the search path, starting by clicking on the location "Africa":

South Africa, Church of the Parish of South Africa Registers, 1850-2004 > South Africa > Natal > Natal, Durban, St Paul > Marriages 1849-1923

Now that I think of it, I'm not sure how Deryn located the marriage, as there does not appear to be an index, but with 1902 as a starting point, the marriage turned up in the records of St Paul's Parish Church, Durban, Natal on 2 June 1903.

The groom was Hugh Owens, of full age, Bachelor, Carpenter, residing at Potchefstroom, Transvaal. The bride was Emily Francis (sic) Griffith, of full age, Spinster, residing at Durban.

The marriage was by Banns, which indicates that they were not rushing into the marriage after Emily arrived.

A good perusal of the wedding photo indicates that the wedding was not a grand affair. None of the attendants were wearing matching outfits. There were flowers, ribbons and button-holes, but the bouquets are not elaborate. Emily is not wearing a wedding gown, but a good frock which will see her through many Sundays at church.

The witnesses do not strike me as being family members of the Griffith family, so they are possibly friends or family of Hugh Owen. One of the witnesses is H Thomas, and the other is less easy to read. There is a flourish of squiggles at the beginning, but I am inclined to read the name as H Thompson, with possibly a middle initial.

If anyone would like to have a go at deciphering the first signature, please get in touch, or leave a comment. Especially so if you know either witness.

Emily Griffith's South African Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 23:21:00 +0000

I'm going to take a break from New Zealand research for the moment, and take a side trip to South Africa. The wedding portait above, a rather battered photo from the family collection, was unexpectedly identified by someone I met at a genie talk I was giving to a group visiting from Sydney. This group included the grand-daughter of the happy couple, Emily Frances Griffith and Hugh Owens. This was said to have taken place in Durban, South Africa, which I found rather astounding. Any wonder I couldn't find what became of George Griffith's daughter Emily in Victoria! After returning from South Africa they settled in New South Wales, which again tended to obscure what had happened to Emily.

So the next few posts are going to be looking at what Emily got up to in South Africa. I will be asking the question, how and where did she come to meet and marry Hugh Owens? I am not sure I will be answering the question, but it will be fun trying. South African research is reputed to be difficult, so others may find it of interest just what records can be accessed.

Unassisted Passengers to Port Phillip

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 03:46:00 +0000

I finally had the opportunity last week to look at the eight George Griffith/s Unassisted Passenger arrivals entries at PROV. The one I thought the most likely to be my ancestor on board the Hibernia, which arrived in Port Phillip on 26 Oct 1852, was not as convincing as I would have liked.

The details given for unassisted passengers are fairly scant. The only additional thing to be discovered about him from the actual list was that he was English, and an "engineer" by trade. Somehow that occupation doesn't sit right with me. Despite George being fairly consistent in recording his occupation as "musician", I didn't expect to find that was his occupation when he emigrated (mainly because I've never spotted a musician amongst the George Griffith emigrants), but I would have expected something more in the line of grocer or clerk.

He might be one of the other George Gfiffiths amonst the Unassisted passengers, but the details are so nebulous I think I will never know, unless he turns up somewhere else, arriving in Sydney, perhaps, or Launceston. More work needs to be done.

Review of directories and baptism information

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:28:00 +0000

1857 Ovens, Griffith, George, Professor of Music, Woolshed, Beechworth
1865 -
1865 February 2, baptism of George Henry Griffith, Marian St, musician
1866 Sands & Mac, Griffith, Geo, 16 Little Latrobe-street, east
1867-
1868 -
1868 August 6 Baptism of Alfred John and Charlotte Broadley Griffith, Budd St, musician
1869 Sands & Mac, Griffith, Geo, Prof of Music, 10 Budd St, East Collingwood
1870 Sands & Mac, Griffith, Geo, Prof of Music, 10 Budd St, East Collingwood
1871 Sands & Mac, Griffith, Geo, Prof of Music, 10 Budd St, East Collingwood
1871 Sands & Mac, Trade & Prof, Prof's & Teachers, Griffith, George (music), Budd St, E C.
1871/72 Bailleire's, Victoria, Griffith, G, Prof of Music, East Collingwood
1872 -
1873 -
1873 August 14, baptism of Emily Frances Griffith, Fitzroy St, Fitzroy, musician
1874 Sands & Mac, Griffiths, George, 75 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy
1875 Sands & Mac, Griffiths, George, 75 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy
1876 Sands & Mac, Griffiths, George, 75 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy
1876 Sands & Mac, Griffiths, George, 1 Lit Marion St, Fitzroy
1876 June 8 baptism of George Henry Griffith, Moor St, musician
1877 Sands & Mac, Griffiths, George, 123 Moor St, Fitzroy
1878 Sands & Mac, Griffiths, George, Lit George St, Fitzroy
1879 Sands & Mac, Griffiths, George, 49 Lit George St, Fitzroy

Baptised in Fitzroy

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 07:56:00 +0000


A row of terraces in Marian St, Fitzroy, circa 1935. Source: State Library of Victoria Collection Image No: mp010420

I was a little too optimistic about what I would find in the transcriptions of St Mark's baptismal registers, but I was pleased with what I did find.

In each case the child's parents were given as George Griffith and Susan, George's occupation "musician". The elder George Henry Griffith's baptismal record in 1865 gave his mother's maiden name as Rochester, but the later ones gave no maiden name:

Baptised    Born          Child's name                Address
2/11/1865   15/4/1865     George Henry                Marian Street
6/8/1868     23/11/1867   Alfred John                    Budd Street
6/8/1868     23/11/1867   Charlotte Broadley        Budd Street
14/8/1873 8/4/1873    Emily Frances    Fitzroy Street
8/6/1876 9/2/1876    George Henry    Moore Street

I can't tell from any of that when George returned to Fitzroy, but it does show a gap in the family from 1867 to 1873.

Baptising the children

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 12:53:00 +0000

St Mark's Anglican Church and School, Fitzroy, circa 1861-1862.
Source: State Library of Victoria, Image No: pi002899

I'll bet you thought I had forgotten all about you - nup, just been busy. So back on the trail of the Griffiths.

In a very exciting development, I discovered this evening that the Genealogical Society of Victoria has added to its Genealogical Index (GIN), which is online for members, the baptisms from the St Mark's Anglican Church, Fitzroy, on the north east corner of George and Moor Streets, Fitzroy, and the index includes a number of the Griffith children:

George Henry, b 1865, baptised 1865
Alfred John, b 1867, baptised 1868
Charlotte Broadley, b 1867, baptised 1868
Emily Frances, b 1873, baptised 1873
George Henry, b 1876, baptised 1876

Fingers crossed that the baptismal entries give an address. I will also be very interested to discover the sponsors at the baptisms. 1868 is one of the years the Griffiths are absent in the post office directories.

Liverpool to Melbourne, early 1850s

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 06:23:00 +0000

George and Susan Griffith's first registered child, Edward George, was born on 14 April 1855 in Wangaratta, so I will take the likely period of arrival for George to be 1851-1854. Looking at arrivals for George/Mr Griffith/s in the PROV indexes, I can find the following candidates:

Index to Unassisted Inward Passenger Lists to Victoria 1852-1923

GRIFFITHS	----	22	NOV	1852	DINAPORE	B	FILM	007
GRIFFITHS	----	24	OCT	1853	HARGRAVES	N	004	001
GRIFFITHS	---- MR	32	JUL	1853	OSMANLI	B	042	001
GRIFFITHS	---- MR	A	JAN	1853	CONDOR	B	027	007

GRIFFITHS	GEO	23	MAY	1853	PRINCE ARTHUR	B	037	009
GRIFFITHS	GEO	39	FEB	1852	JOSHUA	B	001	002
GRIFFITHS	GEO	26	OCT	1852	PANAMA	B	012	004
GRIFFITHS	GEORGE	19	JAN	1853	CONDOR	B	027	004
GRIFFITHS	GEORGE	A	MAY	1853	PASSAROEANG	B	038	001
GRIFFITHS	GEORGE	19	AUG	1853	ASIA	B	045	004
GRIFFITHS	GEORGE	24	SEP	1852	STATESMAN	B	009	003
GRIFFITHS	GEORGE	26	OCT	1852	HIBERNIA	B	010	005

Index to Assisted British Immigration 1839-1871

GRIFFITH

GEORGE

JAN

1852

JOSHUA

Going on the age usually given for George, he was probably born in 1824, which means that if he arrived between 1851 and 1854, he would have been about 27 to 30 years old on arrival. The closest candidate by virtue of age would seem to be the 26 year old George Griffiths who arrived per the Hibernia in 1852. However, any of the ages recorded may have been incorrect, and the transcription for the index could have been incorrect, so they would all bear examination.

The Hibernia, it happens, came to Port Phillip from Liverpool, so that does increase the chances of it being the right George Griffith - but I don't know where the other vessels originated.

"List of vessels in Hobson's Bay, Sunday 10th October 1852": Hibernia from Liverpool.
LIST OF VESSELS IN HOBSON'S BAY. (1852, October 4). The Argus p. 6.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4787462

The other 26 year old George Griffiths who arrived by the Panama in 1852 is less likely as the ship appears (from advertising in The Argus) to have been engaged in a run from Australia to San Francisco and return.

I haven't discounted arrivals in other ports, but as I haven't thoroughly eliminated the Victorian arrivals, I'll leave those until later.

Passage to New Zealand, 1866

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 03:35:00 +0000

Returning to the question of when George first left for New Zealand, which as discussed earlier, appears to have been in 1866, I can return to the PROV "Index to Outward Passengers to Interstate, UK, NZ and Foreign Ports 1852-1908"

I don't know where George landed, but if I list the possible George or Mr Griffith/s who went to New Zealand in 1866 from Melbourne, I am left with:

Griffiths, ---, aged 38 Departed June 1866 via ship Alma for Hokitika
Griffiths, Geo, aged 30 Departed Dec 1866 via ship Otago for New Zealand

Neither of those are any good because I know that George was in Hokitika by March 1866, so I may have to look in 1865. However, searching for Griffith/s in 1865, there is no candidate for George leaving from Melbourne.

Passenger indexes to and from New Zealand

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 03:01:00 +0000

Having narrowed down a time frame where I know when George Griffith was in New Zealand, and when he had returned to Victoria, it is time to have another look at the available passenger indexes.

In the Index to Unassisted Inward Passenger Lists to Victoria 1852-1923, if I search for George Griffith/s returning to Melbourne in 1867 and 1868 I find:

Family Name

First Name

Age

Month

Year

Ship

Port

Fiche

Page

GRIFFITH	GEO	A	MAR	1868	TARARUA	N	083	002
GRIFFITHS	G	23	APR	1868	OMEO	N	084	003
GRIFFITHS	GEO	40	JAN	1867	ALHAMBRA	N	073	001
GRIFFITHS	GEO	A	MAR	1868	TARARUA	N	083	008
GRIFFITHS	GEO	4	JUL	1868	SOMERSETSHIRE	B	276	004

I can eliminate the one who arried in January 1867, as George was advertising his services as a piano tuner and repairer in the second part of 1867. I can eliminate the 23 year old and the 4 year old who arrived in 1868 on their age (though I should check the indents in case the age has been indexed incorrectly), and the two Adults who arrived via the Tararua are perhaps the most probable candidates. The Tararua was a vessel on the New Zealand run in this period.

The full index for the Tararua shows a number of Griffith/s passengers arriving on that voyage:

Family Name	First Name	Age	Month	Year	Ship	Port	Fiche	Page
GRIFFITH	GEO	A	MAR	1868	TARARUA	N	083	002
GRIFFITH	MARY	A	MAR	1868	TARARUA	N	083	007
GRIFFITH	THOS	A	MAR	1868	TARARUA	N	083	007
GRIFFITHS	---- MR	36	JUN	1868	TARARUA	N	086	001
GRIFFITHS	ELLEN	A	MAR	1868	TARARUA	N	083	003
GRIFFITHS	GEO	A	MAR	1868	TARARUA	N	083	008
GRIFFITHS	WM	A	MAR	1868	TARARUA	N	083	003

Further investigation in this passenger list should be useful. If any of the Georges is my ancestor, he doesn't appear to be travelling with his wife or children.

REGULAR WEEKLY STEAM COMMUNICATION

to NEW ZEALAND.

The Panama, New Zealand, and Australian Royal Mail Company (Limited) will despatch the following favourite and powerful steamships to the various New Zealand ports :

4th.-OTAGO, W. J. O. Symons,R.N.R., 800 tons,

150-horse power.

12th.-RANGITOTO, W.H. Bax, R.N.R.,650 tons,

140-horse power.

20th.-CLAUD HAMILTON, J. V. Hall, jun.,

800 tons, 180-horse power.

28th.-TARARUA, Jas. Hagley, 850 tons, 150

horse power.

The above sailing dates will be as strictly adhered to as the necessities of Her Majesty's mail service will admit.

Passengers and cargo booked to all ports at lowest current rates. In order to keep time and dates, in future no cargo (except green fruit) will be received, or bills of lading signed, on day of sailing.

For further particulars apply to:

CHARLES LEWIS and Co., agents, 4 Elizabeth street south.

Advertising. (1868, March 12). The Argus 6), p. 1.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5810861

Did Susan Griffith travel to New Zealand?

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 15:30:00 +0000

In the past I have assumed that George's wife Susan and their children did not travel to New Zealand with George, but the truth is that I have no evidence either way. I thought it was time I examined this question again.

So far I have managed to establish that George was in Hokitika from at least March 1866 until December 1867. He doesn't reappear in the Melbourne directories until 1869, which is consistent with him being back in Melbourne by 1868.

There appears to be a second period of absence from Melbourne in the directories, from about 1872 to 1873. He is back in the directories by 1874. I have not discovered where he went, if he went anywhere.

Looking at the births of their children, the sixth child, George Henry, was born in Fitzroy in 1865, and died there in 1866. After young George the next birth involved the twins Alfred John and Charlotte Broadley Griffith, registered in Collingwood in 1867. That would appear to be a bit of a fly in the ointment when George can be shown to be in Hokitika from 1866 to 1867, so the question arises as to how Susan became pregnant. Was she in New Zealand for a time and return? Was someone else the father? It doesn't seem likely that she could have been pregnant before he turned up in Hokitika in March 1866 and have her twins in 1867. Had she been pregnant by March 1866, the twins would have been born before the end of the year. Perhaps George came and went a couple of times?

After the twins there is a substantial gap before the next child was born - Emily Frances, born in Collingwood in 1873, a gap of five to six years. This could have been a natural gap, but the directories do seem to indicate that George was absent from Melbourne in the period 1872 to 1873.

There are no children born or died in New Zealand.

I haven't yet been able to find a shipping record to New Zealand for George, let alone Susan and the children, so anything is possible. However, taking the view that Susan may still have been in Melbourne, but I hadn't spotted her in the directories, I did a special search in the digitised Sands & McDougall directories for Susan Griffith/s, and I was surprised to turn up several references to a Susan Griffiths living at St David Street, Prahran (next to the Windsor Castle Hotel) from 1872 to 1875.

Whether that is my Susan Griffith I have yet discover, but it does introduce another line to examine, particularly if I could discover the children in school records somewhere.

George Griffith's last resting place, Melbourne 1878

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 14:40:00 +0000

When George Griffith was buried here in 1878, the Melbourne General Cemetery was on the outskirts of Melbourne. Melburnians could enjoy the quiet walks and gardens when they came to visit family graves. Over the next century the city crept towards the cemetery.

George died on 31 December 1878. The gravestone records the death date as 21 December and reads: "In memory of George Griffith died 21st Decr 1878 aged 54 years. Also his daughter Annie died 29th Novr 1884 aged 23 years and his dearly beloved son George died 1st Octr 1897 aged 21 years and 7 months".

The grave is in the Church of England Section, plot 537.

The ability to purchase a private plot in a cemetery and erect a gravestone was an indication of middle class respectability, and that the family had done well. Those who had not the means were buried in common graves, and the destitute were buried in pauper's graves. It might be interesting to discover who paid for the gravestone.

According to his death certificate, George died at 49 Little George Street, Fitzroy. He was a musician by profession, and aged 54 years giving an estimated birth year of 1824. He died of Bright's disease, a disease of the kidneys. His eldest daughter, Mary Jane Griffith, was unable to provide the names of his parents, but she thought his father's occupation was Bootmaker. He was born in Liverpool, England, and at the time of his death had 7 surviving children, the youngest George Henry aged two, later interred with his father when he died aged 21.

The death certificate also indicates that George had spent periods in Victoria and New Zealand.

Unknown Gentleman of Hokitika, circa 1868

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:48:00 +0000

This is another unknown gentleman from the Griffith family album, taken in Hokitika in the Revell St studio of Rudolph Haigh. Haigh took over this studio in October 1868, and it was burnt down in early 1869.

Again, there is no further information about this gentleman other than what is in the photo. He appears to be about 40 years of age, curly hair, slightly thinning on top, wearing rimless spectacles, droopy moustache and a long, narrow goatee beard.

He appears to be reasonably well-dressed, though the jacket seems well worn, and warm.

He seems to be of German appearance, and of all the unknown men in the album, the one who looks most like a musician - but undoubtedly that is my wild imagination. Does anyone recognise him?

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:50:00 +0000

An interesting description of the Corinthian Hall is contained in this sale notice from the West Coast Times on 26 December 1866. J Harding, the vendor, was described in an earlier article in February 1866 as a publican, and this advertisement confirms that the business was more than just a hall, but included hotel accommodation and bar. "The Hotel is substantially built of corrugated iron, and comprises Spacious Bar, Commercial Room, Bedrooms, Cellar, large and commodious hall, well ventilated with windows, and capable of containing 700 persons, fitted with stage and all necessary theatre fittings". The Hall was also in Revell Street, Hokitika where the Victoria Hotel, operated by J R Wright, and the London Portrait Rooms, operated by Rudolph Haigh were situated - places with which George Griffith was acquainted.

Research tip, Papers Past

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 07:37:00 +0000

This is a very useful tip received from Olwyn Whitehouse a little while ago about how to get the best out of the Papers Past collection - using Google and the following research parameters, with "G. Griffith" as an example:

"G. Griffith" 1862 -"l=mi" site:http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

The -"l=mi" excludes results in the Maori language.  I'm putting it here mainly so I

can find it myself, but others may find it useful too.

George Griffiths, violinist, at the Corinthian Hall

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 05:04:00 +0000

Margaret of History House Greymouth has very kindly sent to me this advertisement from the West Coast Times issued on 15 March 1866. Once again, I know that my ancestor George Griffith was a violinist, and I know he was in this general vicinity in the period, so I feel it is likely to be my ancestor.

This is a further refinement of the time frame in which I know he was in New Zealand. I now know that he was in Hokitika by 15 March 1866, and he was still there in December 1867 when he was advertising as a piano tuner and repairer.

This is consistent with one of the periods in which he was absent from the Melbourne post office directories. He was listed in 1866, which would have reflected the year of 1865, and he was re-listed in 1869, which would indicate his presence in Melbourne by 1868.

Unknown Gentleman of Dunedin, Hokitika or Greymouth circa 1866

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 03:12:00 +0000

Here is another of the mysterious unknown gentlemen from New Zealand. The dark halo around the subject suggests that this is a copy of an earlier photo. Photographers did a lot of copying as part of their business.

The photo was taken by the Tait Brothers, with a printed logo on the back suggesting they operated in Dunedin, Hokitika and Greymouth. Where this one was taken is anyone's guess. Maybe not even in New Zealand.

What I can deduce from the photo is that the fellow is wearing a good quality woollen suit coat, which looks clean and newish. He is a bit of a dude, wearing a very fashionable roll curl on top of his head, and maintaining a good length of curl over his ears.

He is rather gaunt-looking, with hollowed-out cheeks, possibly from hard physical labour - or perhaps he had been ill. He has light-coloured eyes, and appears to be aged in mid to late thirties.

Early Canterbury Photographers has a lot of information about the Tait Bros operation, but there is no example of the same style of printed mountboard, so that doesn't help with a date. The man's hair-style and fashion, though, places the portrait date in the mid to late 1860s.

Again, if you are able to identify this man, please get in touch.

J R Wright of the Melbourne Hotel, Hokitika

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 23:44:00 +0000

James R Wright, mentioned previously at the Victoria Hotel, would appear to be a hotel and entertainment proprietor. Was he from Melbourne himself, or did he purchase the hotel which had that name already? Probably the latter.

Does anyone know anything of this James R Wright? I'm wondering if he could be the Unknown Gentleman of Hokitika - not that I think he is wearing a hotel-keeping outfit, but you never know.

This advertisement appeared in the the West Coast Times from 14 December 1866, page 1.

George Griffith piano tuning in Melbourne, 1876

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:17:00 +0000

July to Sep 1876

PIANOFORTE TUNING.
TUNING. TUNING.
NICHOLSON and ASCHERBERG
Beg to inform their musical friends and the public
that they have now in their employ the
THREE BEST TUNERS IN MELBOURNE,
The staff consisting
Of
Mr. JOHN BLACKBURN,
Of whom nothing need be said, his name being a suffi-
cient guarantee for excellence of work.
Mr. RICHARD O'BRIEN,
A most excellent and finished tuner, for five years with Erard,
several years with Broadwood, for the
last five years constantly engaged in Melbourne.
Mr. GEO. GRIFFITH,
A most careful and painstaking tuner.
In securing the very best men for this important branch of their
business, Nicholson and Ascherberg again prove that it is
their endeavour to have the best that can be had in every
department, and they hope that this will be duly estimated by
their numerous
friends and the public
The tuning of a piano is one of the main things to be thought
of by owners, as many a good instrument is spoiled by the
tuning being entrusted to inferior men.
Nicholson and Ascherberg therefore assure the public that
all tuning entrusted to them will receive every justice at their hands,
combined with punctuality and moderate charge.
NICHOLSON and ASCHERBERG,
Pianoforte Gallery
(Opposite W. H. Rocke and Co ),
46 and 47 COLLINS-STREET EAST.
The Argus 3 June 1876

A few months later Nicholson and Ascherberg advertised a string and brass orchestra. It is tempting to think that George was a part of that orchestra. Perhaps he was, but the only story about him that I have heard that has been handed down was that he suffered from rheumatoid arthritis in his hands, and that he had to have his hands massaged before he could play. I have wondered whether he was still able to play.

NICHOLSON and ASCHERBERG'S BAND
(String and Brass Instruments)
has long been known as the first orchestra for
dance music in the colony.
The BAND Consists of 80 MEN.
Conducted by the well-known Herr PLOCK,
possessing the largest and most choice repertoire
of music of any band this side of the equator.
Any number from one to 80 can be engaged.
Engagements may be made and all particulars ob-
tained at Nicholson and Ascherberg's.
Quadrille pianist, Herr Plock.

PIANOFORTE TUNING,
NIOHOLSON and ASCHERBERG,
Have in their employ the
FOUR BEST TUNERS in the COLONY,
The staff consisting of
Mr. JOHN BLACKBURN
Mr. RICHARD O'BRIEN.
Mr. J. EZOLD.
Mr. GEO. GRIFFITH.
In the tuning of pianos many a good instrument is
spoiled by the work being entrusted to inferior work-
men, Messrs. N. and A. assure the public that all
orders given them will be faithfully executed with
punctuality, and at moderate charges.
NICHOLSON and ASCHERBERG,
45 and 47 COLLINS-STREET
The Argus 9 September 1876

After this date Nicholson and Ascherberg continued to advertise the best piano tuners in Melbourne, but they no longer advertised their names, concentrating on different aspects of their music business on which to spend their advertising pounds.

When did George Griffith return to Melbourne?

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:41:00 +0000

I have been hunting for definite evidence of George Griffith's return to Melbourne after his appearance in Hokitika in the 1867 West Coast Times. The Sands & McDougall Directory lists George in 1869. Generally directories are about a year behind what they are reporting by the time they are printed, so we can probably take that to mean that he was back in town by 1868.

The only other thing I can locate in this general period is the appearance of 'Geo Griffiths' in a program for the 'London Music Hall' in Bourke Street. It is not certainly my ancestor, but while there are quite a few other George Griffiths' around, I haven't come upon another musician of that name. Of course, this could be the exception that proves the rule, but on balance, I think this is likely to be my ancestor.

LONDON MUSIC
HALL.
IMMENSE SUCCESS SINCE RE-OPENING.
CROWDED HOUSES.
GRAND ENTERTAINMENT. SINGING and DANCING.
The following artists are already engaged :
Johnny Cowan,
Mr. J. J. Daniels,
John Black,
Mr. Lelifield,
Mr. Lloyd,
Mr. Leotard,
Harry Santley,
Mr. J. Munyard, Mr. Cullimore,
Mr. Geo Griffiths,
Mr. Fritz,
And
Miss Milly Parker.
Commence every evening at 8 o'clock sharp.
I. COLEMAN, Proprietor.

LONDON MUSIC-HALL.-Come and see Mr. J. J.
DANIELS, great descriptive singer.

LONDON MUSIC HALL, Bourke-street East.
Come and see Mr. J. J. DANIELS, great descriptive singer.

The Argus 25 April 1871

Isaac Coleman, the proprietor of the London Music Hall, can best be described as a 'colourful character' - his name was frequently mentioned in The Argus at the time, and also in many courtrooms. After a string of advertisements like the above in April 1871 mentioning George Griffiths (sic), it wasn't long before Coleman was back in court facing a hearing on his licence. In June 1871 he forfeited his licence, and by February 1872 he was undergoing bankruptcy proceedings. Thus was George prevented from becoming a sensation in the Melbourne music hall scene. It was quite some years before his name reappeared in The Argus.

When did George Griffith leave Melbourne for New Zealand?

noreply@blogger.com (Essendonian) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:04:00 +0000

In this post I will examine the available Victorian directories for entries from George Griffith and see if I can establish approximately when he was absent from Victoria.

1857 Ovens, Griffith, George, Professor of Music, Woolshed, Beechworth
1866 Sands & McDougall, Griffith, Geo, 16 Little Latrobe-street, east
1867-
1868 -
1869 Sands & McDougall, Griffith, Geo, Prof of Music, 10 Budd St, East Collingwood
1870 Sands & McDougall, Griffith, Geo, Prof of Music, 10 Budd St, East Collingwood
1871 Sands & McDougall, Griffith, Geo, Prof of Music, 10 Budd St, East Collingwood
1871 Sands & McDougall, Trade & Prof, Prof's & Teachers, Griffith, George (music), Budd St, E C.
1871/72 Bailleire's, Victoria, Griffith, G, Prof of Music, East Collingwood
1872 -
1873 -
1874 Sands & McDougall, Griffiths, George, 75 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy
1875 Sands & McDougall, Griffiths, George, 75 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy
1876 Sands & McDougall, Griffiths, George, 75 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy
1876 Sands & McDougall, Griffiths, George, 1 Lit Marion St, Fitzroy
1877 Sands & McDougall, Griffiths, George, 123 Moor St, Fitzroy
1878 Sands & McDougall, Griffiths, George, Lit George St, Fitzroy
1879 Sands & McDougall, Griffiths, George, 49 Lit George St, Fitzroy

George died on 31 December 1878. From 1880 his wife was listed in the directories.

Two things stand out here - firstly, that there are two apparent gaps in the record, which may indicate two periods of absence. This requires a more detailed examination. We know from the previous post on the West Coast Times advertisements that he was in Hokitika, New Zealand, in 1867, which matches with one of the years in which George was absent from the directories.

Secondly, that George's main occupation, where it is recorded, is as a teacher, or Professor of Music. After the second period of absence, from 1874, it is not so clear how he was employed. In the 1867 ads he is a piano tuner and repairer, which is quite a change from 'musician'.