52 Ancestors in 52 weeks: An exciting find: Edwin Conner
Edwin CONNER 1869-1927
Ahnentafel Number 8
Context for discovery:
This is my contribution to the 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks theme run by Amy Johnson Crow. You can participate too. Just sign up here.. Edwin is my great-grandfather. From his death certificate in 1927[i] we knew he was 58 years old and born in Portsmouth circa 1869. His parents were listed as Edward Conner and Rebecca FOYNE.
Birth Date/Place:
We have a copy of his Birth Certificate which states he was born 29 March 1869. His father listed as Edward Conner and his mother, Rebecca Conner formerly Foyne. Edwin’s father was described as an engine fitter and lived at 46 Albert Street Portsea Island, Southampton, England.[ii]
As far as we can tell Edwin was the youngest of seven children born to this marriage. There was elder brother Edward James christened 1851[iii], Rebecca Mary in 1853[iv], Edward George in Malta in 1856[v], Clara Rebecca in 1858[vi], Walter in 1860[vii], and Harriet in 1866[viii]. By the time Edwin came along it was a much smaller family Edward James[ix] and Rebecca Mary both dying in 1854[x]
Baptism Date/Place:
We have not been able to find a baptism yet.
Major World Events/Disasters/Wars etc
Schooling
Marriage Dates/Places:
Edwin married Eleanor Eliza COOK on 24 May 1892 in the Parish Church at Portsea, Hampshire, England.[xi] He was described as an Engine Room Artificer aged 24 and Eleanor was 17 and a spinster. Edwin was living at 31 Regent Street. His father was described as Edwin Conner, engine fitter.
Children’s Birth Dates/Places:
Edwin and Eleanor had the following children:
Constance Nellie born 1893 Portsmouth, Hampshire, England[xii]
Lilian Ada born 1897 Portsmouth, Hampshire, England[xiii]
Edwin Arthur James born 10 June 1900[xiv]
Immigration/Migration Dates/Places:
 |
| S.S. Omrah of the Orient Shipping Line. It was torpedoed and sunk off Cape Spartivento in 1918, while troop carrying.Brisbane John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland |
The family emigrated to Australia on the "Omrah" arriving in Melbourne May 6th 1912.[xv] There is a model of the ship in Melbourne and you can see a picture of the model and some other lovely photos of the ship including the magnificent dining room here.
Census/Residence Dates/Places:
1871 Census 46 Albert Street, Portsea, England[xvi]
1881 Census – unable to find
1891 Census 31 Regent Street, Portsea[xvii]
1901 Census - unable to find
1911 Census – HMS Waterwitch HM Dockyard Hong Kong[xviii]
1914 26 Forster
St Williamstown, Melbourne[xix] Read about their life in Melbourne here.
Edwin’s death certificate says he lived at 2 Military Road Watson's Bay.
He was stated as being a fitter.
Military Service Dates/Places:
Edwin commenced
in the Royal Navy at the age of 19 on 17 March 1890.[xx] He was described as
5ft 3 with dark brown hair. His Australian record is similar and says he
has brown eyes and a fresh complexion. No marks, wounds or scars.
He served at or on the following stations/ships:
Asia
Malabar
Camperdown
Victory I & II
Barham
Sharpshooter
Vivid II
Duke of Wellington
Arethusa
Firequeen
Pandora
Pioneer
Panche (?)
Crescent
Edgar
Waterwitch - read my blog account here
Terpsichore (?)
Sappho
and
Nile
Edwin came to
Australia in 1912 and served on the following ships/stations:
Penguin
Cerberus
Eliza (?)
Occupation Dates/Places:
1891 Census Engine Room Artificer
On his marriage certificate Edwin was an Engine Room Artificer at 31 Regent Street.
He was stated as being a fitter or Royal Engine Artificer, to use a Naval term on his death certficate
Organizations/Associations Dates/Places:
Death Date/Place:
Edwin died in the Greycliffe disaster in Sydney Harbour 3 November 1927 at the age of 58. He was buried in the Methodist section of South Head Cemetery by a Salvation Army Minister. There is a memorial page which I have just discovered on Find A Grave here.
Burial Date/Place:
FAN CLUB (Friends and Neighours)
Baptism sponsors/godparents – unable to find
Marriage Witnesses Officiants – Ada Louisa Ann Tutte and James
Cook (Eleanor's father). I suspect Ada was Eleanor's BFF. A little research on Ancestry shows that, in the 1891 census, she was aged 15 and a milliners/dress apprentice living with her 4 brothers and father at 217 Kingston Road Portsea. She married Edward Moore in 1899 and died 10 October 1952 leaving her husband Edward, a quantity surveyor, her effects valued at 210 pounds, 14 shillings and threepence.
Accompanying passengers on shipping list – too many to list
Newspaper – Articles from 27 February and 26 March 1904 of Portsmouth Evening News records that he was the President of the Royal Naval Engine-Room Artificers .
Census – other lodgers/neighbours
City directories – others living in household/on street
Land Deeds – witnesses/buyers/sellers
Maps – neighours
Military – unit members
Newspapers - there are lots of articles about the Greycliffe Disaster. You can read my blog post here.
Death – informant was Eleanor E Conner - widow. Undertaker – Wood Coffill
Obituary – survivors - can't find.
Probate – executor/Heirs/Witnesses - can't find.
Cemetery – others in plot? - his wife Eleanor.
The Exciting Find
Heirlooms – Earlier this week my father texted me. "Do you still have Gramps' silver teaset?" I knew we had a silver tea set but I didn't realize it belonged to Gramps. "This one?" I texted back with this photo.
 |
| Silver tea set inherited from Edwin Conner great-grandfather |
"Yes that's it!" he texted back. "Can you check the inscription?" I am here to tell you I looked all over it and couldn't find it. He had to tell me which side of the coffee pot it was on and then I saw it. That coffee pot needed cleaning !
So the exciting find was that I now know that we have a silver tea set which we inherited from
my great-grandfather which was presented to him by "the members of the CERA Mess
R.N. Barracks in recognition of his past services as President of the Mess 17
January 191?." I’m thinking it would be
1912 given that they left 29 March 1912 and arrived in Melbourne in 1912.
 |
| Close up of inscription on coffee pot inherited from great-grandfather Edwin Conner |
And let's not forget the medals which hopefully my father and I will get framed later this year.
Name Variations
Edwin Conner
Edwin Connor
Edwin Connors
Edwin Arthur Connors
Edwin Conners
[i] NSW Registry Office Death Certificate 1927 Number 17576 Edwin Conner
[ii] County of Southampton, Portsea Island District, Birth Certificate Number 200 (1869), Conner, General Register Office London
[iii] "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JQLY-1HD : 19 March 2020), Edward James Conner, 1851.
[iv] "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NYJ9-N9J : 19 March 2020), Edward Conner in entry for Rebecca Mary Conner, 1853.
[v] "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFDX-PJS : 19 February 2021), Edward Conner in entry for Edward Conner, 1871.
[vi] England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J7QZ-JQ7 : 20 September 2020), Clara Rebecca Conners, 1858.
[vii] England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWM8-WDK : 3 March 2021), Walter Conner in household of Edward Conner, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
[viii] England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2X9G-8VM : 1 October 2014), Harriet Conner, 1866; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Portsea Island, Hampshire, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.
[ix] England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2NK5-71D : 31 December 2014), Edward James Conner, 1854; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Portsea Island, Hampshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
[x] Ancestry England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index: 1837-1915
[xi] County of Hampshire, Parish of Portsea, Marriage Certificate Number 319, Conner, General Register Office London
[xii] "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSFQ-6WK : 20 May 2019), Constant N Connor in household of Eleanor E Connor, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing North End And Buckland subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
[xiii] "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSFQ-6W2 : 20 May 2019), Lilian A Connor in household of Eleanor E Connor, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing North End And Buckland subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
[xiv] Country of Porsmouth, North End and Buckland Sub-District, Birth Certificate Number 73, Edwin Arthur James Conner, General Register Office London
[xv] Ancestry.com. UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; BT27 Board of Trade: Commercial and Statistical Department and Successors: Outwards Passenger Lists; Reference Number: Series BT27-108782
[xvi] Ancestry, 1871 Census, Class: RG10; Piece: 1128; Folio: 156; Page: 8; GSU roll: 827775.
[xvii] Ancestry, 1891 Census, Class: RG12; Piece: 853; Folio 143; Page 28; GSU roll: 6095963.
[xviii] Ancestry, 1911 Census, Class: RG14; Piece: 34974; Page: 3
[xix] Ancestry, Australian Electoral Rolls, 1901-1936
[xx] The National Archives, ADM/188/222 Naval Record Edwin CONNER
Comments