There was a Zephaniah SPERRING (born Somerset) and a Louisa MINTON (born London) married in Victoria in 1893. I expect this will be your Zephaniah.

Ann Rosina SPERRIN married Salvadore Alfred CASE in Victoria in 1870 and they had six children. I have included a few details in a post for you.

Have not located your Harriet or the other daughter Milinda to date.

Hope this helps.

Hi, Thanks for the reply. I know that my Zephaniah was born in 1827, probably in Bristol. He was one of a large family, John George was father, Jane was mother, she was born or lived for sometime in Jamaica. Her surname could be Coulter or Youngcotter, but i am not certain on this. John George and Jane separated for a time in the about 1820. I have a copy of the removal order to have her moved from Bristol to Weston-super-Mare, where he had moved, to prevent her being a drain on Bristol poor funds
Zephaniah married a Harriet Morgan in Bristol and appears on the 1851 census living in Clifton, Bristol. They emigrated to Victoria, Australia before 1861 with their 2 children Ann Rosina and Millinda.
If this is my Zephaniah then he has obviously remarried at the age of approx 76 years old, unless he is another child of Zephaniah but born in Australia. Have you any idea of his age when he married Louisa.
My ancestors name varied between Sperrin and Sperring in BMD records in Uk so him being Sperring ( if it is him) is no surprise to me
I am wondering if any divorces or early deaths are involved in this changes of name for Ann Rosina but i am keeping an open mind.
Regarding Milinda, i have had some info which leads me to believe she died at a young age, but still awaiting more info on this
I am really grateful for your info so many thanks. Tony

Your welcome Tony.

I still have a few more records to search and will let you know if I come up with anything. Funny how people just vanish. Well people don't vanish ... their name does.

Hi. I just wanted to let you know that the Zephaniah that you mentioned marrying Lousia Minton was the ancestor I was looking for. It appears his first wife Harriett died and he did remarry, and Louisa was his 2nd wife. It also seems that he made a change of name after taking over a jewellers shop in Melbourne belonging previously to a James Stephenson. Not only did he take over the shop but he also took over the name. In Harriett's will ( I have a copy from Australia) he becomes Zephaniah James Sperrin Stephenson as the person who inherits Harrietts possessions. I wonder why. I cant find any trace of either death though of this couple, but thank you for putting me on the right track. Thanks again Tony

Thank you for the update Tony.

Happy to know I had the correct Zephaniah. With a name like that I knew it had to be him. And as I said, people don't vanish ... their name does, as you have found out.

I will scan the records again and see if I can pick up Zep's death under STEPHENSON.

I have done more record searches for Harriet and Melinda for you but luck has not been with me. Their names are still on my 'missing list' and if they turn up will let you know.

Tony.

See my post: Salvadore CASE married Ann SPERRIN 1870.

I could not work out why Ann changed her name to STEPHENSON after she married, and why her father was recorded as James STEPHENSON at death.

Your update now explains this to me and also confirms my research.

Thank you.

Hi again.
A few weeks ago I searched your www.trove.nla.gov.au online newspapers. I found an entry from The Argus newspaper for 1889 which has the death notice for Harriett. She is entered as Harriett, dearly beloved wife of James Stephenson, watchmaker, aged 66 years. Obviously thats in Melbourne.
Melinda Bailes (nee Sperrin), I have been informed died at the age of 48 in Bendigo, Victoria on Jan 02 1902. That information came from an email contact who is a distant relation to me. She lives in Melbourne.
I have also been informed that Zephaniah and family landed in Australia in 1860 on the ship "Saldahna"
I am not sure when Zephaniah took over the store from Stephenson but in Trove it seems that the stock was for sale in around 1871 so i am wondering if thats when Zephaniah took over.

Regards

Tony

Did a few more record searches today after reading your last comment and this is what I found. May be of some help.

Victorian Deaths.

Harriett Sperrin STEPHENSON.
Died 1889 West Melbourne, Victoria, aged 67 years.
Father recorded as James MORGAN.


Victorian Marriages.

Millinda Sperring STEPHENSON
married Alfred Shrapnell BAILES 1870.


Victorian Deaths.

Melinda Sperring BAILES.
Died 1902 Bendigo, Victoria, aged 48 years.
Father recorded as James STEPHENSON.
Mother recorded as Harriet MORGAN.

I checked the passenger list for the "Saldanha" for August 1860 but could not find the family recorded. However, there was a Harriet STEPHENSON aged 35 years recorded. If this was your Harriet she was going by the name of STEPHENSON before she arrived in Australia.

I spent some time searching the shipping records but could not locate the arrival of the family. I will do a few more searches and let you know if I find anything.

Hi.
I received the info about their arrivasl in Australia from a contact in australia and this is the info I received from him. He calls the Saldanha, Saldana but i dont think that ship existed, maybe this will help.
it reads,,,,,

Hullo Tony
Thanks for your message re the Sperrin family.
My interest is fairly indirect - my wife's grandmother married Zephaniah Sperrin(g) in Melbourne on 12th January 1893. However she was not married when she gave birth to my wife's father in Melbourne in 1889 and the father of that child was not Zephaniah, but that's another story.
Z's first wife was Harriet Morgan and they were married in St George Brandon Hill, Bristol on August 19th1847. They landed in Victoria on the "Saldana" on August 31st 1860. Harriet died in Melbourne on March 31st 1889. At that time Z was recorded as Zephaniah James Sperring Stephenson,Watchmaker. His use of variable names has made searching for him and his new wife somewhat more complicated.
Subsequent to Z's second marriage to Louisa Menton I can find no further record anywhere of them after 1893!
I have some information about Z and Harriet especially in Australia and his descendants have info on Ancestry.com
If you would like to hear more I am happy to oblige.
Unfortunately you are unlikely to be able to add to my knowledge about the later years of Z ie after 1893.
Best wishes
Trevor

Best wishes
Tony