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GEORGE CHARLES STUDD George was born in 1828 at Wivenhoe, Essex and baptised at St
Mary the Virgin Church of England. |
Victoria was baptised 30 July 1837 at St Andrew’s Holborn Church of England London, UK. Her father was James, a farrier, born around 1811 in Essex or Middlesex, and his parents were James and Hannah. Her mother was Elizabeth Sarah Davy, born around 1810 at Long Acre, St Martin-Le-Grand, London, and her parents were William Davy and Sarah (nee Hopkins), who married at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster. |
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GEORGE AND VICTORIA STUDD After 1851, the gold rush in Victoria saw thousands of people arrive in Melbourne and move into central and western districts, following each new strike. In many cases, families settled, developing towns and taking up land for farming. George and Victoria were typical of the times, marrying on 16th August
1853 at St Peter’s Church of England, Eastern Hill, Melbourne. Her
father (James Spurgeon) signed the marriage certificate and George signed
his name and Victoria’s name. Also in the 1860’s, the Government established a number of Land Acts, which enabled people to select, lease or buy land. I have yet to research when George Charles bought his allotments in the Amphitheatre / Greenhill Creek area and under which method. The family was living in Amphitheatre by Oct 14 1863 because George Charles
(a miner of Amphitheatre) was a witness at the inquest of J. Edmonds (1) James Charles Gibb, born 24th
May 1854 at Prahran (Melbourne) On the certificate, George Charles is
described as a labourer and Victoria made her ‘mark’. This
is also the first time Victoria’s name is written as Vittoria. James
married Mary Jane Innes in 1885 at Buninyong (Victoria) and they had 5
children (Charles George, Frederick Arthur, Ellen Florence, William Henry,
Leslie Edward) (3) Elizabeth Ann, was born 27th July 1858 at Cochrans Creek (north of Dunolly) where George Charles was a ‘digger’ (miner). She married George Goldsmith on 31 December, 1873 at Amphitheatre and they had 11 children. Philip, James, Alice Victoria, John Edward, Eleanor Sarah, Lucy Elizabeth, George Henry, Arthur Leslie, William Robert, Frederick Charles, Stella Jane) (4) Arthur Robert, was born at Lamplough (a few kilometres south of Avoca, on the Lexton Road) , on 21st June 1860, seven months after the Lamplough gold rush started. George Charles was a miner. Arthur didn’t like this name and was always known as Robert Arthur. He married Catherine Jane Elizabeth Blake on 29th July 1882 at Horsham (Victoria) and they had 7 children (Alice Victoria, Jane Margaret Amelia, Frederick Henry, Katie, Charles Blake, Mary Elizabeth, Nellie Bedelia).
This photo, taken in the 1920's, shows Robert Arthur Studd (fourth child of George and Victoria) at his property with his two sons (Frederick Henry and Charles Blake) and his son-in law (William Simon Fraser) getting the wheat harvest bagged and loaded for its trip to the Boggabri silos. Each had his own farm in the same district, but at harvest time, everyone got together to help each other. (5) Alice Amelia was born 23rd December 1862, at No1 Creek, (halfway between Avoca and Amphitheatre), where George Charles was a miner. She married firstly George Richard Voas on 16th July 1887 at Fitzroy (Melbourne), having 2 children (Alice Victoria, Agnes Maud) She married secondly Henry Thompson in 1892, having another 2 children (Ernest Henry, Lucy Alice). (6) Henry was born on 26th May 1865, the family were living at Amphitheatre and George Charles was a miner. He married a widow, Sophia Mary Gibbings (nee Hancock) in Bunbury, Western Australia, on 30th January 1902. They had no children. (7) Frederick was born 2nd Feb 1868, the family living at Amphitheatre where George Charles was a miner. He married May Woolley in Perth (Western Australia) on 16th Oct 1907 and they had one child (Thelma May) (8) Edward Studd was born 19th June
1870 at Amphitheatre. Nothing (10) Willie Spurgeon Studd born
20 September, 1876 at Amphitheatre. He was a witness at the inquest on Margaret Clegg, 30 April 1884 at Avoca. These ten children of the first generation produced forty five children in the second generation, one hundred and fifteen in the third generation and we now have six generations of descendants, in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Bibliography: Beavis, Margery & Betty. Pioneers Of The Pyrenees, Oulton, Margaret. A Valley Of The Finest Description – A History
Of The Shire Of Lexton. Australian Print Group, Maryborough, Victoria,
3rd edition, 1995 |