Genealogy Chat

Looking for the return journey of a man named Henry Palfreyman. .

Noted in Corrimal, NSW, Australia in 1891 in the purchase of 2 land plots. And building of a cottage there.

These plots sold in 1897 to William J Jeffrey. (Registry record)

HP born in Wortley, Yorkshire, in December 1864 to George & Elizabeth

What census have you found him on after 1891

He is in the Australian 1891-
their census only give the name of the head of the household and number of males & females in the household. So boarders dont show by name....-

He went to Australia in 1888 , with his two brothers Tom & John, and their children, They all lived in Corrimal for generations after.
'Founder' members of the Wesleyan Church there - buried in Wollongong.

He allegedly married in 1894 in Yorkshire. and there are a couple of entries that might be him there in 1901.

There is no record of him in NSW in 1903 electoral roles- or burials.

There were several mine disasters in Wollongong at that time in which he might have perished.

That's why the return journey is important to find..

The out ward journey of them all in 1888, is clearly documented.

If you get a copy of the 1894 marriage certificate it will include the father’s name for cross reference

Looked at Yorkshire marriages on FMP

The one you refer to was at Foston on the Wolds to Ruth Greenley

Groom’s father named as George

1901 census gives occupation as Coal miner below ground

There is this 1894 marriage showing on FMP -

Yorkshire Marriages

First name(s) Henry
Last name Palfreyman
Age 29
Birth year 1865
Residence Hoyland
Marriage year 1894
Marriage date 26 Jun 1894
Marriage place Foston on the Wolds
Spouse's first name(s) Ruth
Spouse's last name Greenley
Spouse's age 26
Spouse's residence Foston
Father's first name(s) George
Father's last name Palfreyman
Spouse's father's first name(s) William
Spouse's father's last name Greenley
County Yorkshire (East Riding)
Country England
Archive reference PE 136/9
Page 110

Henry a Bachelor and a Miner, living in Hoyland Father George a Miner
Ruth a spinster living in Foston. Father a LAbourer

Both signed
Witnesses William and Lydia Greenley

1901 for the marriage posted -

1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census
70, Elm Street, Nether Hoyland, Barnsley, Yorkshire & Yorkshire (West Riding),

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Henry Palfreyman Head Married Male 36 1865 Coal Miner Below Yorkshire, England
Ruth Palfreyman Wife Married Female 33 1868 - Driffield, Yorkshire, England
Rhoda F Palfreyman Daughter Single Female 5 1896 - Hoyland, Yorkshire, England
Edith Palfreyman Daughter Single Female 3 1898 - Hoyland, Yorkshire, England
Hilda Palfreyman Daughter Single Female 1 1900 - Hoyland, Yorkshire, England

Unfortunately a mess was made of writing his place of birth - - - gland
See below post - possibly a badly written/spelt Thurgoland

For our info - the family in 1871

1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Daves Lane Farm, Wortley, Yorkshire & Yorkshire (West Riding), England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
George Palfryman Head - Male 43 1828 -Silkstone, Yorkshire, England
Elizabeth Palfryman Wife - Female 40 1831 - Yorkshire, England
Tom Palfryman Son - Male 21 1850 - Yorkshire, England
John Palfryman Son - Male 19 1852 - Yorkshire, England
Emma Palfryman Daughter - Female 16 1855 - Yorkshire, England
George Palfryman Son - Male 8 1863 - Yorkshire, England
Henry Palfryman Son - Male 6 1865 - Yorkshire, England
Elizabeth Palfryman Daughter - Female 4 1867 - Yorkshire, England
Lilian Palfryman Daughter - Female 0 1871 -Wortley, Yorkshire, England

all bThurgoland apart from Father George and Lilian

Thurgoland is in Wortley RD
-------------------------
Name: Mother's Maiden Surname: Order:
PALFREYMAN, HENRY CHAPMAN Order
GRO Reference: 1864 D Quarter in WORTLEY Volume 09C Page 161

PALFREYMAN, LILIAN CHAPMAN Order
GRO Reference: 1870 S Quarter in WORTLEY Volume 09C Page 197

1911 Census For England & Wales

74 Elm Street Hoyland Common Near Barnsley, Hoyland Nether, Yorkshire & Yorkshire (West Riding), England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Henry Palfreyman Head Married Male 46 1865 Coal Miner-Hewer Yorkshire Silkestone
Ruth Palfreyman Wife Married Female 43 1868 - Yorkshire Frodingham North
Rhoda Palfreyman Daughter Single Female 15 1896 General Servant Domestic Yorkshire Hoyland Nether
Edith Palfreyman Daughter - Female 13 1898 General Servant Domestic Yorkshire Hoyland Nether
Hilda Palfreyman Daughter - Female 11 1900 School Yorkshire Hoyland Nether
Annie Egerton Visitor Married Female 50 1861 - Northamptonshire Wollaston
Florence Egerton Boarder Single Female 24 1887 - Staffs Burton

Ruth - transcript place of birth wrong, have written in as per original - North Frodingham which is near Driffield

Married 16 years, 5 children born 3 living 2 have died

View Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923

Name: Henry Palfreyman
Estimated birth year: abt 1865
Age: 23
Arrival Date: 12 Apr 1888
Arrival Port: Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, Australia
Ship: Orient
Nationality: English

Original shows him as a Clerk

Travelling with Tom 38, Sarah 35, Colin 10, Clifford 9, Norah 8, Austin 6

Thank you all.

I have much of the information you have given.

Its true he is listed as a clerk on the 1888 shipping list, and that may be so, but at 17 he is a miner, and when he lives in Corrimal he appears to be so.
His two brothers are .miners.

The problem is;-
The identity of the man marrying Ruth Greenley in 1894, at Driffield , Yorkshire. Is this Henry Palfreyman of NSW or another man entirely.

Several trees have it that he is the man born at Wortley in 1864

Is this the same man in Corrimal in 1891. and if so when did he return to England

I have not been able to establish yet, if Henry was a signature to the sale of his land in 1897, or if that was done through an agent, in his absence..

Even so, I am not able to find him mentioned after this date.

Did he sign for the land when it was bought?

If so, how does the signature compare with the marriage register?

1871 and 1901 agree that his birth place was Thurgoland.

Silkstone, given as birthplace in 1911, is also in Wortley reg district.

There was only one Henry Palfreyman born in Wortley reg district 1863-66.

So the Henry in England before the possible Australian interlude is the same man as afterwards.

The brothers Tom and John who went to Australia match the Wortley Henry's family (and presumably you've checked that the children who emigrated with them also match), and they all lived in Corrimal.

I know that's not documentary proof that he's the same Henry, but it seems like too many coincidences not to be true.

It seems unlikely that there would be two Henry Palfreymans born c1864-5 in Corrimal at the same time.

The district of Wortley in 1838, included both the village of Wortley and Thurgoland, plus 13 other 'hamlets'
in 1850 Wortley Registration district gained another six, including Silkstone
in 1881 the registration distinct lost Ecclesfield, Aldwarke, gaining part of Huddersfield I think..

So the names they give on the census as their birth place may well be different to the registration district files.

However.. what I cannot believe in - I suppose, is that Henry goes out to NSW with his brothers and their families , buys land, builds a house, has a job and a life, then after five, six, seven years comes back on his own. Why ?

His father George seems to have died before they all left for Australia in 1873.
And the sisters are in employment or married.

The documents that the researcher found - in Australia are not on line, and is a transcription, I am hoping that a further search will give the address of the seller, Henry--- and his location in 1897.
and since I cannot find the the passage home, I am hoping that this will clarify his location.

Its odd that there dosnt seem to be a trace of his passage home when the one out is so clear.

Family search has 161 Henry Palfreymans on file in one way or another -some a duplicate no doubt,- between 1860-1870, so not easy ..


thank you for looking into this query.

Found deaths for Tom, Sarah and Clifford so far but not for Henry. He's never mentioned as being at any of the weddings either.

MRS. T. PALFREYMAN.
The Methodist (Sydney, NSW : 1892 - 1954) Saturday 29 July 1916 p 11 Article
... Oi MRS. T. PALFREYMAN. On J une 4th, ' Mrs. T. Palf reyman died at her home at Corrimal after nine ...


Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Friday 24 June 1932
MR. TOM PALFREYMAN
PASSES
After having lived for over 10 years
in Railway Street, Corrimal, Mr. Tom
Palfreyman passed on on Tuesday, sur-
rounded by his children. Since the
death of his wife some years ago, Mr.
Palfreyman made his home, with his
daughter Nora (Mrs. Gaskell) and it
was there that he passed on. The
late Mr. Palfreyman, who was 82 years
of age arrived at Wollongong by boat
along with a ship load of miriers to
work at the Old South Kembla Mine.
After Working for some years, at this
colliery he left with his late brother,
John, to reside at Corrimal. He had
been employed in the Corrimal mine
since tjiat lime up to about 10 years
ago when lie retired.


CLIFFORD PALFREYMAN.
The tragic death of Mr. Cliff
Palfreyman, manager, of the Balmain
Colliery, in last week's disastrous ex-
plosion, came as a shock to many of
his friends.

Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Friday 27 April 1945

This is all I could find with Henry's name.

Tenders.
TENDERS, for the ERECTION and
COMPLETION of a four roomed
COTTAGE, at Corrimal (labor only), will
be received by the undersigned, up to
THURSDAY, 16th July. Plans and
specification can be seen at Mr. Wm.
Croft's, tailor, Crown-street..
HENRY PALFREYMAN,
Mount Kembla.

Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Saturday 11 July 1891

Yes thats very interesting, I went through the TROVE archive, and found quite a lot of stuff,
Clifford was one of Toms sons.
I know Herbert one of Johns sons was in the war and is mentioned on the memorial
As a violinist of some talent, he was injured in WW1 although he was 37 years old when he enlisted and was a Shot firer. by trade, but served as a medic.

a couple of the sons went on to University and played soccer for the Australian team in the 1930's
I think they were all very well know members of the Methodist community.

Austin died in Burwood 1957 and Colin in Lithgow 1957

But as you say no trace of Henry.. did he go home , or to the gold mines....

Have you investigated this death? Just as a long shot.

(My feeling still is that your Henry went back to England. Where is Henry of Wortley in 1891, if not in Australia?)

Hy Palframan
in the Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985
Name: Hy Palframan
Birth Year: abt 1867
Age: 75
Death Place: Bendigo, Victoria
Registration Year: 1942
Registration Place: Victoria
Registration Number: 26835

Palfreyman Household (2 People)
74 Elm Street , Hoyland Nether U.D., Yorkshire (West Riding), England

FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB SEX OCCUPATION MARITAL STATUS SCHEDULE SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER
Ruth Palfreyman 08 Dec 1867 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Widowed 267 1
Hilda Palfreyman 03 Feb 1900 Female Cinema Usherette & Office Cleaner Single 267

Surname First name(s) Age District Vol Page
Deaths Mar 1944 (>99%)
Palfreyman Ruth 76 Staincross 9c 290

Staincross RD covered Nether Hoyland 1938 -1974

Probate - Ruth Palfreyman of 74 Elm Street Holland Common Barnsley 26 January 1944 Administration Wakefield 17 February to Edith Royle widow Effects £105 10sdied


and Barnsley covered Nether Holland up to 1938

Surname First name(s) Age District Vol Page
Deaths Dec 1936 (>99%)
Palfreyman Henry 72 Barnsley 9c 270

Not seeing a probate record for Henry