Lilian's Tree

 Back in the 1980's, I like so many others started researching my family history. My wonderful surprise was a cousin, Joan,  who lived eight houses away from me and was very willing to share information and help me with my research. One day she handed me a passenger list from the Joseph Somes, this lead me to discovering the arrival of my great-grandfather Thomas Abberton and his sisters, Anne and Catherine.  Well we though it was Catherine but... This is part of the page Joan, gave me with a very interesting margin note,  As you can see it is a photocopy of a printout of a microfilm, from the New South Wales State Archives and Records and is very difficult to read.* From what we could decipher Catherine Abberton DIDN'T arrive on 3 February 1852 and that a Margaret Hickey had taken her place!  Why???? That question was put in the 'To Hard Basket' and I concentrated on Thomas and his family. FLASHBACK. In researching Thomas, I had to take in the whole family and ...

I can't believe that I forgot to do this last week! This Saturday I'm going with ABBERTON, my Dad's side. A search of the Surname Database came up with nothing but I remembered that ages ago I did find information on the name. From 'The Surnames of Ireland' by Edward MacLysaght,  published 1978, call number R929.4 Mac, Campbelltown Library.*  'ABBERTON.  An English toponymic found in South East Galway, locally classed as one of the 'Oultaghs', i.e. families which migrated from Ulster in the Early 18th C. My furthest back Abberton it my Great-great-grandfather, Thomas Abberton bc 1799 in Ballynakill, Co Galway. He married Bridget Chaffey and they had five children; 1) Patrick b 1822 2) James b 1828 3) Thomas, b1830 4) Catherine b1832 5) Anne b 1836.  Thomas, and Anne, arrived in Port Jackson, on the 'Joseph Somes', 1 February 1852. Patrick was already in the colony and appears to have sponsored them. Catherine and James arrived in ...