George William Bashford 1840 -

George William Bashford was born in Sompting, Sussex in 1840, where he was christened on 13 December 1840. He was the eighth child and fourth son of Josias Bashford and Frances Greenyer.

Josias was a market gardener, and all of George's early life was spent in the small farming community of Sompting, at the time of both the 1841 and 1851 census, the family was living on Sompting Street in Sompting.

It has not been possible to confirm George's location at the time of the1861 census. There is a George Bashford was an able seaman second class on the "HMS Britannica" - the royal naval training ship - in Hampshire. It is uncertain whether he was a trainee cadet, or simply a crewman. It this is infact our George, then it may explain how he got to Australia.

Again, there is no emigration record for George, but it is known that he arrived in Australia some time around 1864, and made his way to Brisbane.

George worked as a railway contractor in Ipswich, and the family lived in Clarendon House in Ipswich.

In February 1888 George filed insolvency papers with the Supreme Court, Southern District Brisbane, and again in April 1894. The papers were noted as relating to a business in Ipswich Queensland and in Zeehan, Tasmania.

His will was lodged in the Brisbane Court on 1 June 1895 and again on 24 October 1896.

George's exact date of death is unknown, but Funeral parlor records indicate that his burial service conducted by W. Shenton a methodist minister and a Mr James P Read with witnesses Mr L McCoombes and Mr S.H. Ploetz.

Sarah Ann lived to the ripe old age of 91, finally passing away on 16 August 1935. At the time of her death she was living at Blackall St Basin Pocket, Ipswich. Her burial service was provided by Methodist Minister, Rev A.H. Stoke and witnessed by Mr W. Smith and Mr James Edward Burren.