Difference between revisions of "John Birch"

From eurekapedia
Jump to: navigation, search
(Post 1854 Experiences)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
==Background==
 
==Background==
  
John Hill Birch was born at Dungannon, County Tyrone, [[Ireland]] in July 1833.<ref>http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/art/12th_regt_birch.htm, viewed 29 March 2013.</ref>  
+
John Hill Birch and his twin brother James Birch were born on 5 July 1833 and baptised two days later at the First Presbyterian Church in Dungannon, County Tyrone, Northern [[Ireland]]. They were the first-born children of Samuel Birch and Emily (nee Hill), who were married in Belfast in August 1829. All that is known about their families is that Samuel’s father, James, was a farmer in Castledawson when Samuel enrolled in the Belfast Academical Institution (Belfast College) in 1824. After graduating in 1828, Samuel established an academy in Dungannon, which he ran as Master during the 1830s. Various family documents later refer to him as a Doctor of Laws and a Presbyterian Minister, but these titles are fabrications. His death is unrecorded, but he may have died in Dungannon between 1846 and 1851. By 1852,  Emily and their six children had moved to Belfast, where she supported them by teaching. She was also closer to her own family, one of the Hill families of Carnmoney, near Belfast. No record of her birth can be found, but her parents were probably John and Margaret (nee McConnell) and she had at least five younger siblings. <ref>Birch, Bill, John Hill Birch: Eureka veteran, unpublished research emailed to Eurekapedia, 01 April 2013.</ref>
 +
 
 +
The Birch twins trained as brass-founders in Belfast, before enlisting as privates in the 12th (Suffolk) Regiment of the British Army in April 1853. By then, James had married Mary Ann Stewart at St Anne’s church, Belfast, on 25th December 1852, and had fathered a son, Charles Stewart. Both John and James understated their ages by about three years in order to receive the £4 bonus for being under 18. In July 1854, they sailed from Cork, in a complement of 330 officers and men, 41 women and 37 children, aboard the [[Camperdown]]. The ship arrived in Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, on 17 October and promptly ran aground at Queenscliff. However it floated free and berthed at Queens Wharf, Melbourne, the next day.<ref>Birch, Bill, John Hill Birch: Eureka veteran, unpublished research emailed to Eurekapedia, 01 April 2013.</ref>
  
 
A private in the 12th Regiment. <ref>http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/art/12th_regt_birch.htm, viewed 29 March 2013,</ref> his twin Brother, James Birch, also enlisted with the 12th Regiment at Belfast in April 1854.<ref>http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/art/12th_regt_birch.htm, viewed 29 March 2013.</ref>
 
A private in the 12th Regiment. <ref>http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/art/12th_regt_birch.htm, viewed 29 March 2013,</ref> his twin Brother, James Birch, also enlisted with the 12th Regiment at Belfast in April 1854.<ref>http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/art/12th_regt_birch.htm, viewed 29 March 2013.</ref>

Revision as of 16:06, 2 April 2013

Background

John Hill Birch and his twin brother James Birch were born on 5 July 1833 and baptised two days later at the First Presbyterian Church in Dungannon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. They were the first-born children of Samuel Birch and Emily (nee Hill), who were married in Belfast in August 1829. All that is known about their families is that Samuel’s father, James, was a farmer in Castledawson when Samuel enrolled in the Belfast Academical Institution (Belfast College) in 1824. After graduating in 1828, Samuel established an academy in Dungannon, which he ran as Master during the 1830s. Various family documents later refer to him as a Doctor of Laws and a Presbyterian Minister, but these titles are fabrications. His death is unrecorded, but he may have died in Dungannon between 1846 and 1851. By 1852, Emily and their six children had moved to Belfast, where she supported them by teaching. She was also closer to her own family, one of the Hill families of Carnmoney, near Belfast. No record of her birth can be found, but her parents were probably John and Margaret (nee McConnell) and she had at least five younger siblings. [1]

The Birch twins trained as brass-founders in Belfast, before enlisting as privates in the 12th (Suffolk) Regiment of the British Army in April 1853. By then, James had married Mary Ann Stewart at St Anne’s church, Belfast, on 25th December 1852, and had fathered a son, Charles Stewart. Both John and James understated their ages by about three years in order to receive the £4 bonus for being under 18. In July 1854, they sailed from Cork, in a complement of 330 officers and men, 41 women and 37 children, aboard the Camperdown. The ship arrived in Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, on 17 October and promptly ran aground at Queenscliff. However it floated free and berthed at Queens Wharf, Melbourne, the next day.[2]

A private in the 12th Regiment. [3] his twin Brother, James Birch, also enlisted with the 12th Regiment at Belfast in April 1854.[4]

Birch died aged 67 at the Bendigo Benevolent Asylum in July 1900. [5]

Goldfields Involvement, 1854

John Birch was a private in the 12th Regiment. [6] Birch arrived in Ballarat from Melbourne on 21 October 1854. He deserted from the 12th Regiment on 12 January 1855. [7]

Post 1854 Experiences

After John birch deserted from the Military he may have gone under the name John Hill. Birch arrived in Ballarat from Melbourne on 21 October 1854. He deserted from the 12th Regiment on 12 January 1855. [8]

See also

Further Reading

Corfield, J.,Wickham, D., & Gervasoni, C. The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Ballarat Heritage Services, 2004.


References

  1. Birch, Bill, John Hill Birch: Eureka veteran, unpublished research emailed to Eurekapedia, 01 April 2013.
  2. Birch, Bill, John Hill Birch: Eureka veteran, unpublished research emailed to Eurekapedia, 01 April 2013.
  3. http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/art/12th_regt_birch.htm, viewed 29 March 2013,
  4. http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/art/12th_regt_birch.htm, viewed 29 March 2013.
  5. http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/art/12th_regt_birch.htm, viewed 29 March 2013.
  6. http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/art/12th_regt_birch.htm, viewed 29 March 2013.
  7. http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/art/12th_regt_birch.htm, viewed 29 March 2013.
  8. http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/art/12th_regt_birch.htm, viewed 29 March 2013.

External links

http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/art/12th_regt_list.htm



File:File name.jpg
Caption, Reference.