I've been having a look at your website. Thanks for putting your Burnham family on-line.

My grandson has been born into the Burnham family. My son-in-law's grand father was Walter Burnham b. 1905 Port Melb., m. 1929 Adelaide Florence Wright. His father? was William Walter Burnham who m. Selina Martin, born London. His father was Walter Burnham m. Joanna Price, both born in England - the family is certain about this couple.

I'm having trouble with the above as the generations seem squashed a little too closely for me to be comfortable with them. The little information I started working with came from my son-in-law's family and they were not too sure about where Selina Martin fitted into the family. Then I spoke to his uncle Ted who was certain Selina was an ancestor.

All I can find re Selina Martin is an entry submitted by another Burnham researcher showing that in 1895 she married Walter William Miller Burnham who was b. 1864 at Dunolly. This just cannot fit because the family is certain that their ancestor was born in London! Perhaps they have it documented - I'm awaiting copies of their papers. I really do think there may be one too many generations, and am trying to find more information so that I can have more dates to work with.

To add to my confusion there was a Walter Burnham m. Pricilla Knight and they had children Walter b. 1887 and a William Walter Burnham, also b. 1887. (Same child, or twins!) This William Walter was born a little late to have a son Walter in 1905 though. Unless he had a child when he was 18.

I wonder if you have any information about the Burnhams I am researching? Walter Burnham is definitely very closely related to your George and Matilda (Wiley) Burnham. I notice that on Victorian b.d.m's there are other Burnham/Wylie marriages.

Most importantly, do you know the parents of your George born in London? Walter who m. Joanna Price was also born in London which is one of the reasons I suspect they may even be brothers. Incidentally Joanna is listed as 'Hannah' in Vic. records - I found this search rather difficult! During my research I have also noticed a glut of Walter/William Burnhams, as well as Georges, and a couple of Walter and Joanna's kids were born at Emerald Hill.

Have you by any chance accessed the Queen Bee shipping records? I have just started this particular lineage and shipping will be my next move. My searches for Walter/William in London have so far been fruitless.

Johanna PRICE and Walter Burnham came with one or more chiildren 1873.
Looking at Charlotte's reference number for her birth suggests she was registered in December (because there are no numbers higher than 28124 except hers).
Charlotte Ocean Emma B Walter Johanna PRICE AT SEA 1873 28125M
Arthur John B Walter Johannah PRICE EMER 1876 22819
Matilda Clara B Walter Johanna PRICE EM ER 1878 15671
Edward Isaac B Walter Johannah PRICE STKI 1881 5804
George Thomas B Walter Johannah PRICE MELB 1883 25148

They stop having children in 1883, after 4 born spaced about 2 years apart, so the birth cert of the last child should give you the names of all the children that couple had, also (if you are lucky) it will tell you where they married, and also where each parent was born and their ages.)

BURNHAM Wm Walt M M MARTIN Selina LONDON 1895 2676

William Henry B M William Walter Selina MARTIN CARLTON 1896 1790
Wm D Burnham Wm Walt - Cecilia MARTIN Month Melb S 1896 7074
Rhoda B F William Miller - Selina MARTIN CARLTON 1897 1638
Rhoda D Burnham Wm Miller - Selina MARTIN Day Carl W H 1897 825

William Arthur B M William Arthur - Selina MARTIN CARLTON 1898 16980
Elsie May B F Wm Walter Selina MARTIN PORT MELBOURNE 1901 21670R
Walter Burnham b. 1905 Port Melb., m. 1929 Adelaide Florence Wright.

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So to put it in a nutshell.
1. Birth cert of Walter born 1905.
2. You seem sure his parents were Wm Walter and Selina Martin, so their marriage cert is the next step.
3. If Wm Walter is son of Johanna Price and Walter, then the cert of their last known child will help.
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Ships are at http://www.tools.prov.vic.gov.au/unassisted1.asp
but this omits those who were assisted (paid for)
As Queen Bee came from that source, you can try to get the full passenger list by putting Queen Bee as the search and the year 1863, blanks for the other items.
Elizabeth

I came up with the idea that (William) Walter married twice, first to Joanna Price, and secondly to Selina Martin. The dates of all the children fit perfectly with this idea. I think I've disproved this though.

However, I have now viewed the list for the 'Northumberland,' the ship on which Walter and Joanna Price emigrated to Australia. These of their children were on board: Walter age 8, Louisa age 1, Joanna age 4, and Charles age 6. Walter and Joanna are the parents, both 28 years old.

I can now see some light! Walter age 8 would have been b. in 1865 as the Northumberland's voyage was in 1873, and little Charlotte Ocean was born on the ship. Young Walter would have been of the right age to marry Selina Martin in 1895. This of course would cancel out Selina marrying the Wm. Walter b. 1864 in Dunolly!

A certificate for this Burnham-Martin marriage was once held by the family but was lost many years ago. I will purchase it next week.

I have been an (hyper)active genealogist for well over 20 years, but I've only been looking at the Burnhams for about a total of 10 hours! I naturally 'caught on' quickly due to experience, and the problems (mainly dating) hit me straight away. The other interesting thing, as you can see above, the family insist that it was a William Walter who m. Selina Martin, not Walter as per shipping list. As they are so sure that he was born in London, I'm inclined to think it was Walter age 8 who m. Selina. The certificate will give me the correct info.

And by the way, I can't find a death reccord for Joanna (Price) Burnham. I personally have a few ancestors who weren't born, didn't die, but certainly lived!