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Radford / Brick Wall

Posted by Candice on 18/5/2021, 3:02 am

Hello there,

I have hit a brick wall tracing my ancestor Elizabeth Radford in Devon before arriving in New Zealand.

Elizabeth came to NZ as a single female on board the ship Blenheim in 1842, aged 20. She travelled under the assumed name Elizabeth Payne. Also onboard was Elizabeth's thought (no concrete evidence) sister Agnes Dust (nee Radford) and her husband James Dust and their two children.
There also was a Thomas Radford travelling onboard the Blenheim who was 24 years old. I have found no connection between Thomas and Elizabeth. I'm not sure if he is possibly her brother, or it's just a coincidence he has the same last name.

In the 1841 census in Exeter in the parish of St.Sidwell, there is an Elizabeth Radford aged 20 and a Catherine Radford aged 35 that are both living in the same household as Elizabeth Roberts and her family.
Then in 1842, Catherine Radford, along with Catherine Roberts and her family, immigrated to New Zealand onboard the ship Essex. This is the same year Elizabeth Radford immigrated with Agnes Dust on board the ship Blenheim. They all settled in Taranaki as Early Settlers.
Unfortunately, I have no idea if this is my Elizabeth Radford living with Catherine Radford and Elizabeth Roberts. I believe I have all records from here in NZ, including marriage and death certificates, with no mention of birthplace, parents names, or witnesses.

There are two also ladies, Elizabeth Radford the elder and Elizabeth Radford the younger, who were both sentenced in the Devon quarter session 1835 for stealing. Elizabeth, the elder, was sentenced to 14 years in Aussie; Elizabeth the younger was imprisoned for three calendar months. Elizabeth Radford, the elder, was one of 118 convicts transported on the Henry Wellesley to Australia on the 23rd of September 1835, convicted at Devon Quarter Session for a term of 11 years on 7th of April 1835.
Another thought is that Elizabeth the younger could be my Elizabeth Radford, which may explain the surname name change when she immigrated to New Zealand.

And finally, a newspaper article in the Exeter Flying Post in 1838 has a Mrs Elizabeth Radford and Mrs Jane Pain in occupation of a dwelling-house in the parish of St.Sidwell. I believe this is a shop premise being sold alongside "The Red Lion Inn" on St. Sidwell's street in Exeter.
This Elizabeth Radford is also interesting because of her connection with Jane Pain and my Elizabeth Radford travelling to New Zealand under the name Elizabeth Payne which was also written as Elizabeth Pain. Again I can't seem to find any further information to connect the dots.

I am wondering where to go from here?
Is there anyone else researching any of these Elizabeth Radford's also?

Cheers,
Candice

Re: Radford / Brick Wall

Posted by Judith on 18/5/2021, 9:25 pm, in reply to "Radford / Brick Wall"

Don't think the Elizabeth Radford 1841 living with Elizabeth Roberts, is a Radford. Looking at the written entry the writing for Catherine Radford is different, that is clearly Radford, but the entry before looks more like Bradford to me. Catherine is listed as being born out of Devon.

Re: Radford / Brick Wall

Posted by Judith on 19/5/2021, 7:25 am, in reply to "Re: Radford / Brick Wall"

Ages on 1841 are usually rounded to the 5 or 0, but depends if they have gone up or down. So Catherine Radford could be over 35 or under. Not reliable unfortunately!

Re: Radford / Brick Wall

Posted by Candice on 18/5/2021, 9:41 pm, in reply to "Re: Radford / Brick Wall"

Hi Judith,
Yes, Catherine's birth may have been in Ireland. There is a document here in NZ where Elizabeth's surname was recorded as "Radford or Bradford", and also on some marriage documents of her assumed sister Agnes she was recorded as Bradford.

Re: Radford / Brick Wall

Posted by Judith on 19/5/2021, 1:59 pm, in reply to "Re: Radford / Brick Wall"

Good news, I searched on GRO for birth of children with fathers surname Dust and Mother Radford between 1838 & 1842, seached 2 years either side, for male or female, and found Emma Dust . then on family search found her baptism, Stoke Damerel, (part of Plymouth), parents James and AGNES Dust. Baptism entry gave her date of birth as 18.6.1841, and her fathers occupation as a musican. (could have been a bandsman in the Royal Marines).
Will keep looking.

Re: Radford / Brick Wall

Posted by Judith on 19/5/2021, 3:31 pm, in reply to "Re: Radford / Brick Wall"

Think James could have been the son of James Dust who served in the 66th foot St Helenas regt, who was discharged in 1836 aged 43, died aged 54 in Westbury Wiltshire.(military area).
So this means James jnr could have been born anywhere, any idea of his age?
What was the age of the other child of James and Agnes? could not find a baptism in Ireland, am guessing between 1835 and 1839.

Re: Radford / Brick Wall

Posted by Judith on 19/5/2021, 4:39 pm, in reply to "Re: Radford / Brick Wall"

Have found a genealogy link on familysearch site, which gives James being born in Iron Acton, 1805 Gloucestershire, son of William Dust and Sarah Locke, marriage of James same as the one I found, and children Elizabeth 1837 Emma 1841 and Edwin 1845.Agnes birth year given as 1814. Living at Taranki in Jan 1847.
With regard to the criminal sentencing looks as if it was mother and daughter in court, and I think daughter giving lower age in order to get lighter sentence.
Will check Gloucestershire records now to check that the Radfords did not originate there.

Re: Radford / Brick Wall

Posted by Judith on 19/5/2021, 5:46 pm, in reply to "Re: Radford / Brick Wall"

There are Radfords in gloucestershire to add to the confusion! but could not find Agnes or Elizabeth.
Have found details of James Dust joining up, Must have joined up in Bristol, Queens Square given as place, (there is a Queens Square in Bristol), place of birth given as Iron Acton, joined 18.12.1827, and went to the East Indies in 1828. Might have met Agnes there, but could not find her birth.
The Catherine Radford you found on census could have been a widow.
Several trees on Ancestry but it would need more research to establish details as some of the entries don't seem to tally.
e.g. some say son Edwin born England, not so, and another child listed, no name, but could not find registration of birth or death.
Hope this all makes sense and is of help.

Re: Radford / Brick Wall

Posted by Candice on 20/5/2021, 12:20 am, in reply to "Re: Radford / Brick Wall"

Hi Judith, thank you... This has all been a great help!
I also have James Dust as being born in Gloucester.
I believe Agnes was most likely born in Ireland.
Agnes died in Sydney, Australia in 1882 and her death certificated states she was born in Ireland.
Also with James and Agnes marriage in 1835 Dromore County Down.
I am wondering if Agnes met James Dust while he was enlisted in the military over there.
James and Agnes first child Elizabeth was born in Gibraltar in 1837 and then second child Emma’s birth was registered at Devonport on 18 June 1841
James and Agnes' had two daughters, Emma and Elizabeth, that travelled onboard the barque Blenheim to New Zealand in 1842. Their son Edwin's birth was in New Zealand in 1845.

Re: Radford / Brick Wall

Posted by Judith on 20/5/2021, 6:48 am, in reply to "Re: Radford / Brick Wall"

Pleased to have helped. More than likely that Agnes met James in Ireland, it belonged to us then!!
I found an Elizabeth Radford in court in Ireland in 1840, larceny, (theft) called that before 1968.no age given.
Irish records are somewhat sparse, as a lot destroyed in a fire in Dublin, some still with parish, so difficult to pursue. Would guess that Elizabeth born there too.
Might be worth following Catherine Radford on Census in u.k. 1851 onwards might give us a clue.
Or if she married even better! keep going. Good luck.

Re: Radford / Brick Wall

Posted by Candice on 20/5/2021, 7:23 am, in reply to "Re: Radford / Brick Wall"

Thanks, Judith!
I will look into Catherine Radford and see what I can find.
I have also thought Elizabeth might have been born in Ireland, except on all her NZ documents, she has either England (death cert) or Devonshire as her place of birth (newspaper articles, obituary and an old family bible). It could also be possible that she came from Ireland to England as a baby and believed that she was born in Devon, England.
When Elizabeth came out on the barque Blenheim to NZ, she travelled under the name Elizabeth Payne to add to the confusion. It's unknown why she used this surname. A few years after arriving in NZ, Elizabeth married. Her husband a widower, and Elizabeth was a spinster. On her death certificate, it only mentions her being married to her two husbands here in NZ. She also used the name Radford as a middle name for two of her sons with her first husband.

I will keep on searching in the hope that one day a connection can be found.

Re: Radford / Brick Wall

Posted by Judith on 21/5/2021, 6:00 pm, in reply to "Re: Radford / Brick Wall"

Have found another "criminal" Radford, Laura Jane aged 16 transported for 7 yrs in 1845. (appeared in
court twice)2nd offence was transportation (for Larceney). On census in Exeter with George Radford aged 50 a gardener, and a Theo 10 and frank 7 in 1841. Have you found her your end?

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