Samuel Northridge died in 1943 at Burwood, N.S.W. Death Cert:8285/1943. Violet Northridge born 1897 at Burwood, N.S.W. Birth Cert:2449/1897. Herbert T Northridge born 1897 at Burwood, N.S.W. Birth Cert:13234/1897. William Samual Northridge died 1961 at Burwood, N.S.W. Death Cert:35913/1961. Samuel and Jane Horthridge had a daughter Sarah G Northridge born 1900 at Petersham, N.S.W. Birth Cert:34528/1900.

The Sydney Morning Herald: Friday 30th June 1933.

NORTHRIDGE.-June 29, 1933. at the residence of her daughter (Mrs. T. Barford), 55 Beaufort Btreet, Croydon Park. Jane-Frances, the beloved wife of Samuel Northridge, of Bankstown, In her 70th year.

Hello and thank you for your response. I too have had no luck in finding anything much on the Colonial Auxiliary and I am doing this family research as I am the “living memory” of the Northridges. I also have to say their family history is not easy to unravel! When I saw what you had found it added yet another piece of evidence and inexplicable mystery to the family saga. Much of what I was told by my Grandmother Bertha Annie Northridge appears to be urban legend; Irish Heritage is difficult to unravel but I live in hope.

It seems that my Great Grandfather Samuel followed Jane Frances Brown to Australia as he had met fierce opposition to marrying her in Ireland! So, maybe a bit of a romantic was Great Grandpa. It could have been different religious beliefs because I have a document from the Irish Census in 1911, when Samuel’s mother Catherine (by then widowed) was living with her daughter and family (also farmers). On that document she is said to be Church of Ireland, whereas his father Nathaniel (a farmer) married Catherine in the Diocese of Cork and Ross County Cork Ireland – Catholic!

So, there were 9 children: Dora, Bertha, Jane, Samuel, William, Violet, Sarah, Hubert, Lydia. Bertha was my Paternal Grandmother who married Harold Chester Smith, their son George Hubert being my father (he served in New Guinea in WW2) who died at age 43 of cancer.

Samuel arrived in Australia from London onboard the “Orient” on November 5 1884. On the Marriage Certificate he states his occupation as a baker and his son William was also a baker and in turn so was his son. Jane Frances arrived in Australia as a solitary traveller onboard the “Illawarra” on July 29 1883; on the Marriage Certificate her occupation was domestic. This seems to back up the story that she was shipped off to Australia to get her as far away from Samuel as possible. Her parents arrived onboard the “Aberdeen” on November 1 1884 and as her father was witness to the marriage I dare say he was not the objector to the marriage. Also, the marriage took place in a Registry Office, hence dispensing with any religious issues.

I do not know what else I can tell you at this time. Maybe you could ask me some questions to which there may be answers or will become available as the search go on.

Thank you again,

(Robyn Stewart-February 2011)

The Marriage Certificate says Lambton on June 27th 1885, Samuel’s usual place of residence Sydney and Jane Frances as Lambton. Yes jigsaw puzzle is a good description and as yet with many missing pieces.

Cheers, Robyn

(Australian National Archives)