The GOMMS of St Kilda, Brighton, Mentone, Cheltenham, Somerville and Rosebud.
itellya
Trove lists articles and ads re GOMM in most of these places. The City of Kingston Heritage site provides more information as does the Gomm genealogical website.I have much information about the GOMMS of Glenhoya at Somerville and some about Rosebud.Henry and Margaret Gomm (Monk)of Somerville definitely came from Cheltenham.
Somerville Henry's biography in Victoria and Its Metropolis is skimpy and possibly untrue; his surname is wrongly given as GOMIN. He told his family that he came out on the same ship as Tommy Bent, but the bent politician was born in Penrith, N.S.W.
I believe the lack of background and the Bent error were part of a cover-up. Henry Gomm, possibly his father, was convicted in 1835 and transported to Hobart in 1836. In 1838, the mother of his three children, Hannah Neal,brought them out to join him.He gained his ticket of leave in 1841 and by 1849 had done well enough to enter his 16 ton schooner "Venus" in Hobart's annual regatta. Was this the Henry Gomm who was asking for a post office nearer Moorabbin by 1853 and owned 14 acres near the corner of Charman and Balcombe Rd by 1864? Three of Henry and Hannah's children were Thomas, Henry and William. Is it just co-incidence that a Thomas drowned at Dromana, a Henry died at Somerville and a William at Hastings? Or that William and Henry were assessed on lot 13 at Rosebud Village? SEE COMMENTS FOR UPDATES!
The Gomm family of Somerville is related by marriage to at least the following families :SHEPHERD,COATE, DEVLIN, GRAF, CURSON, MARSHALL, NASH, UNTHANK, FIRTH, BIGGS, SCOTT, DUFFIELD.
by itellya
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Contact | Subscribe | Block this user on 2011-04-22 02:16:35
Itellya is researching local history on the Mornington Peninsula and is willing to help family historians with information about the area between Somerville and Blairgowrie. He has extensive information about Henry Gomm of Somerville, Joseph Porta (Victoria's first bellows manufacturer) and Captain Adams of Rosebud.
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itellya on 2011-04-22 02:30:57I am looking for any information that will help me write histories of the Mornington Peninsula for family historians (excluding the Hastings, Flinders, Sorrento and Portsea areas.)I am willing to help anyone with the information that I have so far, such as ratebook and parish map details, origins of street names and family connections.
itellya on 2011-04-26 03:28:39itellya has a new email address of umpire@1943.gmail.com if anyone wants to give or receive extensive information about the Gomms at the places mentioned.
itellya on 2011-05-18 11:11:03Henry Gomm of Somerville was definitely not Convict Henry's son. Rootsweb says that he was the son of George Gomm and Ann (Teagle)but wrongly gives the year of Somerville Henry's marriage to Margaret Monk as 1869; it should be 1859.
itellya on 2011-06-03 01:54:37It seems that there is no connection between Somerville Henry Gomm and Convict Henry Gomm's families despite the extraordinary co-incidence of both families living near Brighton and two of Convict Henry's children dying near Somerville (at Hastings and Dromana.) Somerville Henry's father George (and his father and grandfather) were all born in the same village in Oxfordshire. The William and Henry Gomm at Rosebud and the three Gomms that assaulted the three Celestial fishermen at St Kilda were probably from Convict Henry's family. A book "The Mysterious Henry Gomm" has been written, with details of both families.
itellya on 2011-07-24 09:00:17Convict Henry's son Henry, born in 1835 in Sherston Magna, Wiltshire, married and died at the Cheltenham Benevolent Home (for the insane) in 1916. He was the Harry Gomm who was assessed on crown allotment 13 Rosebud Fishing Village (the Jetty's Cafe block) in 1899 and 1910. William, who obtained the grant in 1872 at about 34, married Maria Wilson from Hastings two decades later but left her for a 20 year old who bore all his children and sold the beach block after his death in 1915. Thomas, another son of Convict Henry died at Dromana in 1898, a few years after he gave evidence at an inquiry into Alfred Downward's disputed election. Email umpire1943@gmail.com for further details.
emeraldsprings on 2011-07-24 18:00:49Henry Gomm (the convict)
Convict number 1150
Convicted in Gloucester assizes and sentenced to 14 years on 4 April 1835. Transported on the 'Asia' arrived 21 Feb. 1836. Did not get his CP till 5-10-1868
itellya on 2011-07-25 00:43:58Convict Henry was given his ticket of leave in 1841. (Colonal Times, Hobart 19-10-1841.) By 1854 he and Hannah were in St Kilda, arguing with Jeremy Pickles (Argus 21-10-1854.) The Argus of 27-3-1865 reported the alleged assault of three celestial fishermen in the same area by James, Henry and Thomas Gomm.Henry died in 1868 and was buried at St Kilda Cemetery in the same grave as Hannah who had died of dropsy in 1864. Perhaps the person recording the convict details mixed up the year of the death and the conditional pardon.
emeraldsprings on 2011-07-25 02:07:41Sorry, my error with that date. Died 6 November 1868 of Pneumonia age 68
I have him as getting his TOL on the 14-10-1841
Then he was charged with theft in July '42. 14 days hard labour.
Then recommended for Conditional Pardon 20-6-1846 and it being granted on the 5-10-1847.
Other charges from 1837 till pardon
Feb 20 1837 Govt Gardens.-plucking apples off the fruit trees in Govt Gardens, 36 lashes
April 19th 1837 Govt Gardens.- Having in his possession Willow wands, for his own use.-hard labour 3 months in Chains.
Sept 18 1837.- Receiving 3lbs of stolen Soap
Sept 18 1837.- Govt Gardens Disobedient of orders,
August 6th 1838.- Gardener Govt House / Disobedience of orders
emeraldsprings on 2011-07-25 02:18:28Sorry age 60 at death born october 1808.
itellya on 2011-07-25 02:58:30Thanks for the post T.O.L. offences. Did you find the bit about his commendable actions in the Gov. House fire? Are you connected to the Gomm family? If so you might like details from "The Mysterious Henry Gomm", which mainly concerns the Somerville family but has much information about Convict Henry's mob, such as Norm Gomm, the champion Brighton R.S.L. cricketer circa 1950.
whitg1 on 2011-08-07 01:05:51emeraldsprings
The convict record of Henry Gomm is fascinating. Many thanks. What is the source of this information?
itellya on 2011-08-07 03:10:52Googling as in capitals. HENRY GOMM. This led me to posts by Roger Gomm and Ray, the latter including material about his trial from Mandy Behan.Information about Henry and Hannah at St Kilda/Brighton comes from Trove (mainly the Argus) and the City of Kingston's History website and information about the period 1836-1839 comes from the Colonial Times, Hobart via trove. Graham Whitehead, the City of Kingston Historian, is focusing on Convict Henry at the moment.
Other websites used are: Waldock Free Pages; www.traceyourfamily.co.uk; Jacob's Tree Genealogy Pages; World Bride Index, www.familysearch.org etc. The information about William buying c.a.13 Rosebud Fishing Village
itellya on 2011-08-07 03:35:45in 1872,and farming in 1876 but not 1877 (and the reasons why), and his brother, Henry, occupying lot 13 in 1900 and 1910 comes from the Wannaeue parish map, rate records and books such as ON THE ROAD TO ROSEBUD, ROSEBUD:FLOWER OF THE PENINSULA, PINE TREES AND BOX THORNS. Rootsweb told me of William marrying Maria Wilson of Hastings when they were both in their 50's and Willy (pardon the pun)leaving her for Winifred Constance Locklier who bore his first child at the age of 20. After William's death, Winifred sold lot 13 (Argus Adv. 9-11-1918). The 1919-20 rates show that she was living at 9 Union St, Richmond and that George Peatey had bought the block.