Thomas Beacham (abt. 1828 - 1910)

Born about 1828 in Kilmersdon, Somerset, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Died 18 Aug 1910 at about age 82 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Biography

This profile is part of the Beacham Name Study.

Thomas Beacham was born about 1828 in the parish of Kilmersdon, Somerset, England, United Kingdom, the last child of Thomas Beacham (1790–1878) a Miner, and his wife Sarah Perry (1784–1831). Source: 1851 England Census ^[1]

A the age of about 20, Thomas married 19 year-old Eliza Coles on 9 April 1848 in Coleford, Somerset, England. ^[2]

They had seven known children.

1. Sarah Beecham (abt 1850 - 1914)
2. Lenoyn Beecham (abt 1852 - ?)
3. Emma Mary Beecham (1854 - 1930)
4. George Beecham (abt 1856 - 1937)
5. Ellen Maria Beecham (nt 1858 - 1953)
6. Frederick John Beecham (1860 - 1948)
7. Rosanna "Rosa" Beecham (abt 1862 - 1940)

In the 1851 England Census, Thomas and Eliza Beecham were living in the Village of Coleford with their baby daughter, Sarah, where Thomas was working as a Coal Miner. ^[3]

By 1861, Thomas, age 31, wife Elizabeth 34, and their children Sarah 10, Lenoyn 8, Marry 6, George 4, and Ellen 2, all born in Kilmersdon, Somerset, England were residing at Mountain Ash, a town in Glamorganshire, within the Cynon Valley, Wales. Thomas was employed as a Coal Miner. ^[4]

His wife, Eliza Beecham passed away at the age of 40 years at Pontypridd, Glamorganshire, Wales in June 1868. ^[5]

Thomas, now 40, married again the following year in 1869, to Welshwoman Elizabeth Williams, 20, the daughter of Henry Williams, a Welsh Puddler, at Aberdare St Elvan, Glamorganshire, Wales. ^[6]

They had six known children.

1. Elizabeth Anne Beecham (1871 - 1901)
2. John James Beecham (1877 - 18995)
3. Ada Beecham (1879 - 1937)
4. Alfred William Beecham (1881 - 1967)
5. Florence Beecham (1886 - 1956)
6. Thomas Henry (? -1891)

The 1871 Wales Census listed Thomas as still living at Mountain Ash, Glamorganshire, Wales with his children George, Ellen M, Frederick J, and Rosa. New wife Elizabeth and Thomas were also the proud parents of a daughter Elizabeth Anne. The livelihood of the Beacham family depended on Thomas being a Collier. ^[7]

Embarking on a new adventure they departed from London, England on 13 May 1875 on the 779- ton barque 'Star Queen' with 321 souls aboard. The Beecham family sailed via Melbourne, Victoria, and arrived as Free passengers at Maryborough, Queensland, Australia, on 29 September 1875. The family consisted of:

1. Thomas Beecham 39, with
2. Elizabeth 38,
3. Ellen 15,
4. Frederick 14,
5. Rosanna, 12,
6. Elizabeth 5, and
7. Thomas 2, ^[8]

Many complaints were received from passengers and ship attendants regarding the shortage of provisions and water during the voyage, with the Star Queen having to stop at Melbourne, Victoria to take on additional supplies. ^[9]

In 1901, the funeral notice for Elizabeth Ann Beecham, aged about 30 and the first-born child of Thomas Beecham with his second wife Elizabeth Williams, appeared in a Brisbane, Queensland newspaper. ^[10]

Thomas died on August 18, 1910 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, aged about 81 and was buried the following day in Toowong Cemetery, Dutton Park, Brisbane, Queensland. ^[11][12]

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com.au 1851 England Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1851. Data imaged from the National Archives, London, England.
2. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com.au Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Original data: Anglican Parish Registers. Marriage Bonds and Allegations. Somerset Archives & Local Studies, South West Heritage Trust, Taunton, England.

   Name Thomas Beachem

   Gender Male

   Marriage or Bann Date 9 Apr. 1848

   Marriage Place Coleford, Somerset, England

   Parish as it Appears Kilmersdon

   Spouse Eliza Coles

3. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com.au 1851 England Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1851. Data imaged from the National Archives, London, England.
4. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com.au 1861 Wales Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1861.
5. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com.au FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes. London, England: General Register Office. © Crown copyright. Published by permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Office for National Statistics.

   Name Eliza Beachom

   Age 40

   Estimated Birth Year abt 1828

   Registration Quarter Apr-May-Jun

   Death Registration Place Pontypridd, Glamorganshire, United Kingdom

   Death Date Jun. 1868

   Inferred Death Place Glamorganshire, United Kingdom

   Volume 11a

   Page 172

6. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com.au Glamorganshire, Wales, Anglican Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1570-1994 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2020. Original data: Glamorgan Baptisms, Marriages and Burials. Wales: Archives and Records Council Wales.

   Name Thomas Beacham

   Gender Male

   Marriage Age 40

   Record Type Marriage

   Birth Date 1829

   Marriage Date 19 Sep. 1869

   Marriage Place Aberdare St Elvan, Glamorganshire, Wales

   Father Thomas Beecham

   Spouse Elizabeth Williams

   Marriage Age 20

   Father Henry Williams

   Page number 163

7. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com.au 1871 Wales Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1871.
8. ↑ https://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/items/ITM18477 Star Queen Passenger List 1875
9. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18338410

   The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld) Saturday 9 October 1875, page 14

   The Star Queen.

   THE Star Queen, immigrant ship, came to an anchor in Wide Bay on Saturday, September 25. ... Members of the local Immigration Board, visited the vessel on Monday, accompanied by Mr. J. M'Donnell, from Brisbane, and Mr. R. Lyons.

   These gentlemen made an inspection of the vessel Before the Board commenced to hold their enquiry, the Sub-Immigration Agent (Mr. G. Faircloth) proceeded to muster the passengers, enquiring of each whether he or she had any complaints to lodge.

   Those who answered in the affirmative were made to stand for further enquiry. The majority complained of short provisions. Those who would make no complaints answered Mr. Faircloth's question with a shrug of their shoulders, and the remark, " It's not worth while now, Sir." ...

   It appears that each emigrant is entitled to six pints of water a day. Of this, three pints are reserved for cooking purposes, and three given to the passenger for his personal use. The water is distributed in kegs supplied by the ship, and supposed to hold thirty pints, or the supply for ten passengers.

   One of these was produced before the Commissioners, and, on examination, found capable of holding only twenty pints. Thus each passenger was daily robbed of one pint of water.

   In addition to the witnesses examined in Moreton Bay, the evidence of several of the passengers was taken. They complained of short rations in flour, molasses, and meat. ... when Henry Matthew Downing, master of the ship Star Queen, was charged with a breach of the 31st section of the Passengers' Act, by Maryborough Police Court.

   Even though Downing pleaded "Not Guilty", after evidence, he was fined £200 and found "Guilty".

10. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/174958087

    The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld.) Friday 18 October 1901, page 1

    Family Notices

    FUNERAL NOTICE.—The Friends of Mr. THOMAS BEECHAM are respectfully invited to attend the Funeral of his deceased Daughter, Elizabeth Ann, to move from his residence, Arthur terrace, Red Hill, THIS (Friday) AFTERNOON, October 18, at 4 o'clock, to the Toowong Cemetery.

    CANNON & CRIPPS, Underakers.

11. ↑

    Name: Thomas Beecham

    Death date:18/08/1910

    Mother's name:-

    Father/parent's name:Thomas Beecham

    Registration details:1910/C/1081

12. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/188575729

    The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld.) Thursday 18 August 1910, page 6

    Family Notices

    FUNERAL NOTICE.—The Friends of Mr. THOMAS BEECHAM, deceased, are respectfully invited to attend his Funeral, to move from his late residence, Arthur terrace, Ithaca, TO-MORROW (Friday) FORENOON, 19th August, at 10 o'clock, to the Toowong Cemetery.

    CANNON & CRIPPS, Undertakers.

    FUNERAL NOTICE.—The Friends of Messrs. FREDERICK, JOHN, and ALFRED BEECHAM, Mrs. G. YOUNG, Mrs. E. H. CARLILE, Mrs. JOSEPH GIFFIN, Mrs. ALFRED BAKER, and Miss FLORENCE BEECHAM are respectfully invited to attend the Funeral of their deceased Father, Mr. Thomas Beecham, to move from his late residence, Arthur terrace, Ithaca, TOMORROW (Friday) FORENOON, at 10 o'clock, for the Toowong Cemetery.

    CANNON & CRIPPS, Undertakers.

Research Notes

• Source: S162 Abbreviation: Ancestry Family Trees Title: Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Note: This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created. Repository: #R6 Paranthetical: Y Page: Ancestry Family Trees Quality or Certainty of Data: 3 Data: Text: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=7226126&pid=6953
• Repository: R6 Name: Ancestry.com Address: Ancestry.com CONT http://www.Ancestry.com Name: Ancestry.com Address 1: http://www.Ancestry.com

Acknowledgements

• Beacham-82 was created by Graeme Olney through the import of 150511 Corney.ged on May 11, 2015.