He left Liverpool on 17th Sept 1863, bound for Australia (on the "Maryborough" ship), arriving in Melbourne on 16th December)

He trained as a school teacher.

He married Frances Rebecca Redropp on 24th June 1876, in the Victorian town of Malmsbury.

While working in teaching positions in five different country towns, they had eleven children, one of which was my grand father, William.(born in 1882 in Elmore, Victoria)

William married Minnie Frances Theresa Whitlow in 1910.

They had two daughters: Eileen Frances, born 26th Dec 1911.

My mother Mavis Kathleen, born 9th Dec 1912.

Also two sons:Edmund Mitchell, born 1916, died 1917 and William Richard, born 1918, died 1918.

Mum married Stanley George Silverwood on 27th Oct 1934.

My parents had three sons:

Desmond William, born 19th Feb 1939, single.

Trevor John, born 18th Oct 1941, single.

Third born was yours trully, Richard Bourke, born 26th July 1945.

I married Gladys Dawn Lucas on 5th May 1973.

We have two sons, Craig Ashley born 31st May 1977 and Bradley Robert born 9th May 1981.