Hi and welcome KDSoph, You certainly have a family mystery. (for the benefit of other members here is part of his bio. Robert Cooper Walker .
I might add, brother, Richard Cornelius Critchett Walker was born on the 'Arabian' on the way out.
The answer would have to be is in this section.
In 1861-67 he was accountant in the railway branch of the Department of Public works. Despite no evidence of inefficiency, he was charged with neglect of duty over the defalcations of a subordinate and was required to resign on 31 May 1867. How curious. It might be good to find out a bit more about that.
Perhaps they went back to Melbourne to marry for the benefit of her friends and family. See if you can find him as a passenger on steamers between Sydney and Melbourne during the 1861-67 period.

Here's R.C.Walker explanation of the defalcations. Sorry I haven't had time to correct all the text. I'm surprised he had any time to go to Victoria to make babies!!
Search Railways 1867 in Trove for the full case.

Is this the correct Family ??

England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Robert Cooper Walker
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 17 Aug 1833
Christening Place: CHARLTON KINGS,GLOUCESTER,ENGLAND
Father's Name: James Walker
Mother's Name: Fanny
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C02066-2 , System Origin: England-ODM , GS Film number: 856937

England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Philip Billingsley Walker
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 17 Aug 1840
Baptism Place: Charlton-Kings, Gloucester, England
Father: James Walker
Mother: Fanny Walker
FHL Film Number: 856938
Reference ID: 119

Richard Cornelius Critchett Walker ??

These look like James ans Fanny's other children

England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Samuel Billingsly Walker
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 17 Aug 1831
Christening Place: Charlton-Kings, Gloucester, England
Father's Name: James Walker
Mother's Name: Fanny Walker
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C03784-6 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 856938 , Reference ID: 30

England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Dyssye Walker (Llyssye Walker)
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 06 May 1836
Christening Place: Charlton-Kings, Gloucester, England
Father's Name: James Walker
Mother's Name: Fanny Walker
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C03784-6 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 856938

England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Fanny Hannah Waldo Walker
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 18 Oct 1825
Christening Place: CHARLTON KINGS,GLOUCESTER,ENGLAND
Birth Date: 22 Sep 1825
Father's Name: James Walker
Mother's Name: Fanny
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C02066-2 , System Origin: England-ODM , GS Film number: 856937

England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: James Charles Walker
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 17 Aug 1829
Christening Place: CHARLTON KINGS,GLOUCESTER,ENGLAND
Father's Name: James Walker
Mother's Name: Fanny
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C02066-2 , System Origin: England-ODM , GS Film number: 856937

England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Fanny Elizabeth Walker
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 18 Aug 1834
Christening Place: Charlton-Kings, Gloucester, England
Father's Name: James Walker
Mother's Name: Fanny Walker
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C03784-6 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 856938 , Reference ID: 60

England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Billingsley Edmonds Walker
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 17 Aug 1827
Christening Place: CHARLTON KINGS,GLOUCESTER,ENGLAND
Father's Name: James Walker
Mother's Name: Fanny
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C02066-2 , System Origin: England-ODM , GS Film number: 856937

Hi janilye and wizard,
yes this is the right family! thank you so much. I have been researching them for quite a while and have much of what you have so wonderfully found for me. I look forward to cross checking it all and finding more from what you have so generously found for me:)
They are very interesting bunch and there is a lot of information on the men and their careers but... nothing much on the women!
My mission is Grace. Grace Brown is the daughter of Jeremiah Brown and Mary Burns born 29 March 1839 in Sydney. Jeremiah was the assistant superintendent on Cockatoo Island and some of his children are listed as being born there. I have nothing on Grace's childhood.
Grace started having children in 1862 in Victoria. Eva born and died 1862, Paul 1864 - 1927, Alma born and died 1866. They were born in Richmond Victoria. Then the next 3 Mabel 1870-1932, Edith 1873-1944 (the family I am researching for), Arnold 1876-1961.
Robert Cooper Walker did live in Vic from 1855 to 1857. He was an accountant for the railway in NSW 1857 - 1867 and forced to resign in 1867 the year his daughter Alma died in Victoria.
Grace didn't marry Robert Cooper Walker until 1880. there maybe a daughter May? I don't know about and Ruth were then born in NSW 6 years later 1886! All the children have the Walker name on their birth certs except for Paul (the eldest boy)who's birth cert lists Grace as unmarried.
I would love to find Grace's residence in 1861 as she is listed as living in NSW on birth certs but having babies in Vic unmarried. She didn't marry until 1880 after 6 children at least and at the age of 41yrs.
I had a theory that she was going home to mum to have her children but can find nothing on her mother, Mary Burns, and her father Jeremiah Brown, lived in Sydney NSW so I assume her mother did too. I think I have a sister of Grace's, Ellen, living in Melbourne but can't be sure.
This was Victorian times and Robert came from an illustrious and religious Australian family who held government positions everywhere, so was it 'seemly' that Robert be fathering children unmarried and was he hiding her away in Victoria?!
I would just love to find an inkling of why this happened. One of the descendants of Paul, GGrand daughter, has written to me from the States asking the same question for a book she is writing.So the whole Walker family are on the edge of their seats waiting for a hint. No pressure on me!
So I am trying to find resources on tracing the women as the men are well documented.
I can't thank you enough for your responses. I was surprised at how quickly they came! :)
I am a novice at this as I just started ancestry.com for a friend who is computer illiterate and look at me now!
Thanks again so much!
KD

The Jeremiah Brown you speak of was from Wales, and came out with one of the regiments, he died at age 56 in Surrey Hills/Darlinghurst, down near Little Oxford street, in 1860. I would have thought the family would have continued to live there. I mean there would have still been young children and Grace would have been about 21. Well past marriageable age. For some reason they weren't willing to marry usually because of disapproval or prejudice. It does look as if someone died and freed them up to marry. But why go to Victoria?

I have theories:
1. They "say" that they were married in 1860 on Robert's death Cert, could there have been a civil ceremony then and then they marry in a church in 1880? or would they just be saying that for the legitimacy of the then adult children? The block with this is that she was honest on her son (baby no. 2), Paul's, birth cert. 1864, which states that she was unmarried.
2. Grace and Robert were married in the Wesleyan Church, Lonsdale St. Melbourne when they were in their 40s. There were many government buildings around that area as well as a brothel or 2? Could Grace have "fallen from grace" in 1861 and been living there under the care of the church (famous for its care of wayward women) for a few years while Robert's career grew? Then when the coast was clear 20yrs later (for whatever reason as both fathers had died prior to 1860) they went back to that church to marry in 1880? Would the church have records? If so how would I find them?
3. Grace went home to family to have her children. I cannot find Grace's mother Mary Brown (nee Burns) nor establish where her sisters lived. Grace's oldest sister was Ellen Brown 1834 - ?. I have found a couple of Ellens living in Victoria but can't establish who their parents were are nor their marriages to find if they are the Ellen Brown I am searching for. Ellen likely married and moved to Melbourne from Sydney (where the Brown family lived) with her husband. So if little sister Grace met Robert on a visit - disgraced herself by falling pregnant - then perhaps she stayed with her sister?

Grace was baptised Church of England so both the Brown and the Walker family were Anglican so I don't see a religious conflict there.Jeremiah died leaving wife Mary with children; Ellen 26yrs, Ben 23yrs Grace 21yrs, Albert 17yrs, Adelaide 15yrs, Emily 12yrs, Fred 9yrs and William 6yrs. So where did Mary live and bring up her children? IF Ellen married and moved to Melbourne perhaps they all went down there to live to be near her. Did the Government help support widows of the army and the public service?

Where could I look to to find any records to substantiate any of these theories?

There was a brother, George too he was also Mayor of Ashfield along with brother Albert. George died the year before Albert.
I think the Brown's were all Methodists. - I'll get back to you about it.

Okay I've found out a few things. Firstly this which gives you mother's address.
Evening News (Sydney, NSW) Saturday 30 May 1874
MARRIAGE
On May 21, at the residence of the brides's mother, 4 Arthur-street, Surry Hills, by the Rev. J. Nolan, Wesleyan minister.
William, eldest son of James Longley, Orange Hill, Bringelly, to Emily Janet, fifth daughter of the late Jeremiah Brown, late assistant-superintendent of Cockatoo Island.

Whatever else I find I will just add it to Family of Jeremiah and Mary Brown

I am in awe. Thank you so much. I have spent a couple of hours updating the tree from your information and am excited.
Its so interesting that Grace was baptised C of E and the family were all Methodists. It looks more and more as though Grace fell from grace and retreated to Victoria for a while in disgrace.
Have a fabulous day and thank you again :)

Fred was C of E too, However, he may have changed because of Kate. If you look at my tree in Ancestry you'll notice how matriachal it is particularly the family which Fred joined. Take whatever photos you need. Kate was my 1st cousin 3 times removed.

Gee I think I've found your Ellen Brown just got to cross reference

Now I've found the Mother, Mary Brown. Can't believe it; Do you know how many Mary Brown's there are in the country!!!!

I am incredibly and suitably impressed. I didn't count them but got lost in a myriad of mary browns just before I found this site. You are amazing!

It was a fluke really, Ellen, when she died had been married to a bloke called Thomas West Dugdale and after Ellen died Dugdale married her little sister. Now he had a shop in Taree and was on every committee imagineable and I was reading about him and Taree and got to thinking the mother may have moved up there, voila
6856/1905 BROWN MARY (BURNS) TAREE
and from that came this little article in the Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, of all places, dated Friday 12 May 1905.
Weird yes but she had a son who was the local copper there.

A Ripe Old Age.? Senior-sergeant Brown, of Albury, on Monday received in
formation from Taree of the death of his mother at the advanced age of 96 years.
Deceased had a family of twelve, of whom nine survive, Mr. Frederick Brown,
postmaster at Narandera, being another son.

What is it with the men in these families. The death notices and obituaries just go on with how pious and brilliant they were with no mention of the little woman and the offspring. Was it a Wesleyan thing was it? It's a struggle to find out whether they were married or not. Was Mary at Jeremiah's funeral was George's wife at his etc. or were they barred. Hell they went on about Critchett placing a little posy of violets on his brother's grave and didn't mention he had a wife and 7 kids. She wasn't even amongst the mourners.
The only child mentioned was Paul the one that didn't even have his name!!!
No wonder you've had your work cut out for you. That Rev. James Walker's the same no one knows when his wife died either; just like Jeremiah's - for 100 years people have been asking what happened to her.
No wonder Grace headed for the hills.

That little rant above is not uncommon in the world of family research. It's generally caused by looking at the same data for hours at a time and not finding any result. I find that having a bit of a shout is less expensive than tossing the computer out the window.

Hear hear. I'm feelin you. I am just so happy to be sharing this with you. I would have included expletives but couldn't have said it better!

Im still laughing. (with you not at you):)

Here's Critchett Walker's Will dated May 14, 1903, seems Grace and the kids got lucky.
These are the following bequests:
?1600 to his sister, Llyssye Walker, to be invested in the purchase of an annuity for her sole benefit, in the A.M.P. Society,
?1500 to his sister-in-law, Mrs. Philip Billingsley Walker;
?500 to his niece, Mrs. Reginald Scroggie, of Thirlmere;
?200 to his niece, Gertrude Walker, of North Sydney;
?300 to his niece. Mrs. Fanny Gower Johnston, of Cobbity;
?300 each to his nephew, Frank Billingsley Walker, and his wife, of Bondi;
?200 to his niece. Mrs. T. K. Steanes, of North Sydney;
?150 to his great-niece, Stella Scroggie;
?300 to his sister-in-law, Mrs. Robert Cooper Walker; ?300 each to his nieces, May
and Ruth Walker, of North Sydney, and Mrs Banks, of the Clarence River;
?200 each to his nephew, Paul Walker, and his wife;
?100 to his nephew Arnold Walker;
?350 to his brother, Samuel Billingsley Walker, of Normanton (Q.), to be invested in purchase of annuity in the A.M.P. Society;
and ?200 each to his old friends. Mrs. H. Hauge, of Challis Avenue. Potts Point, and Mrs. Maund, of Waverley.

From what I have read and from the facts I've looked at over the last few days, I would say the Walkers' and the Browns' had no contact whatsoever. Grace did not attend any weddings or funerals of her syblings or their offspring; and the Brown's stayed clear or the Walkers.
I thought surely they would make an appearance when Ellen drowned. It was published nationally, Grace would have to have known about it.
I would say Grace initially went to Victoria to avoid her family.

Those figures above are all in pounds. Seems the pound symbol is STILL not working on this site.

You continue to astound and amaze!
I have just finished a 15hour day at work and have come home to a scotch and something that is the only REALLY interesting thing I've encountered all day. Thank you :)
Firstly I want to let you know that your distant "cousins" Bette and Josephine (they don't know each other either) send you their very best and so many thanks. Especially for the wonderful laugh they enjoyed reading about your frustrations with the lack of info on your female ancestors. It still makes me smile.
I will be seeing Bette soon so I will have more to investigate. She only knows rumors and family tales. For example; Bette only knew from her mother, Ditha that her great grandfather was a librarian and may have "run it or something". Well.....

You have also just put paid to my theory that Grace went to Victoria to be sheltered by her family and the Wesleyan church when she was having illegitimate babies.
It is likely then that she was stashed away by Robert in Victoria. She must have been with him in NSW as Alma was born in NSW and then died in Vic aged 1yr.

This is what I was thinking this morning ;
Grace was in disgrace. She met and bedded Robert likely in NSW. He was also working in Victoria for a time so she backwards and forwards between the States with Robert and they both fibbed about the marriage at some stge but got caught.
Grace was baptised C of E but her family became Methodists. It was a big thing in those days to convert and the Methodist/Wesley religion was only new. The Wesleyans were huge on missions and looking out for wayward women. So perhaps they as a family sheltered her, especially when she lost the 2 baby girls. So this was incredibly sad and you would think the family would have compassion. - older brother George also being big in the Wesleyan movement.
The family also suffered 2 tragedies. The first was Benjamin who by all accounts looks as though he committed suicide and the other was Ellen who died by drowning in a sinking ship. Both these happen within 2 years of each other 1878 and 1879. So perhaps Robert and Grace felt they had to 'put things right' for the family's sake and get married in 1880.
So I am not discounting the brothel idea but feel I may be maligning her memory.
My bet would be that Paul is Robert's child. Paul just probably disapproved of his mother's actions and disowned her.

From what you have just shared the Walkers seem to be astoundingly supportive in comparison.

I am a tad brain dead but am excited at looking at your discoveries more closely.
You are wonderful. Thanks again

I'm not related to the Brown's KD, Grace's brother, Frederick Wesley BROWN is the husband of Kate Eather my 1st cousin 3x removed.
This is uncharted land for me too. But a pleasant break from my own family.
I found an older brother for Robert Walker which no one had - I put him on the tree. He died in the West Indies in 1852.
I added a very good photo of Critchett Walker which I had in my files and also one of Grace's sister Emily Janet which I saved from someone else's tree.

I think when Robert went to Victoria he took Grace with him, her father probably wouldn't give permission to marry, She got pregnant. Then the father died and it all went pear shaped. She might have felt guilty about not being home when he died. We may never know!

Arnold said on his enlistment papers that he was born in the Cumberland district and gave his age as 41 and 8 months that would have been 1876. In 1916 he was a clerk with the Public Service and living at 'Nitchevo' (which btw means 'Nothing') in Wenty. He lodged his WILL woth his sister Ruth before he embarked. I think Grace just neglected to register his birth. I doubt Critchett would have left money to a strangers' children so Yes you can bank on Robert being the father of them all.