Hi

I am looking for information on John SMITH aka Hugh Charles Boone MUNRO, born 1804 London. He arrived in Australia in 1828 after being convicted of theft. In 1846 he married Mary PEACOCK and it appears he assumed his new MUNRO identity at this point. In 1863, four of his children were admitted to the Randwick Children's Asylum as "abandoned by parents". Haven't been able to locate John/Hugh after this date. Any help greatly appreciated.

Kind regards
Lisa

HI, when was the last child born?? NSW bdm has a John Munro born 1864 in Dubbo to Hugh and Mary?? On there site there is a Hugh Munroe dying 1870 in Dubbo parents John and Isabella. Do you know who his parents were?? He did name a daughter Isabella maybe after his mother?

Wendy

Hi Wendy

The info I have on John Smith aka Hugh Munro is gleaned from various BDMs where he is the source:
- born 1804 London
- last known child born 1858 (Robert Alexander Munro)
- had at least 10 children up to 1858 (8 known, 2 unknown)
- lived in Sydney, Glebe and Wooloomooloo
- worked as an agent

Unfortunately I don't know who his parents were...and trying to find the right John Smith born in London is like looking for a needle in a haystack :)

There are other children born to Hugh/Mary Munro but this is a different family (Mary McPhail, not Mary Peacock). The 1870 death isn't my Hugh unfortunately, have the death certificate and he is only 36 years old.

In late 1863 four of the children were admitted to the Randwick Asylum (an orphanage for young boys) and they mustn't have stayed in contact with their parents as later marriage and death certificates have conflicting info or unknown parents. Something happened to Hugh and Mary in 1863 as asylum entry has "abandoned by mother and father, by reason of absence". Can't find any death or immigration records so wonder if they were sent to prison? Their oldest son went to Fiji around the same time. A real mystery!

Kind regards
Lisa

Hi Lisa,
I had a look at the police gazettes 1862-1864 and can find nothing of interest there. A real mystery indeed! Can you give details of both Hugh and Mary from Robert's birth cert? What lead you to finding that Hugh and John Smith were the same person?

Debra