Review of directories and baptism information

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

Did Susan Griffith travel to New Zealand?

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.

When did George Griffith leave Melbourne for New Zealand?

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'.