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Photos supplied by Elizabeth Hirschl
<hirschl-at-iprimus.com.au>
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| The wedding picture of Alice Bellchambers
and John Tekel Kuhlmorgen
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The first five Kuhlmorgen children: The baby is Ruby Alice (three weeks old) then Carl, Constance, Elsie Francoise, and in front, Harry (Patrick) who was killed in France at 22 years of age, World War1. The other three Kuhlmorgen children have yet to be born when this picture was taken in 1899. |
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| Harry Moritz Kuhlmorgen Photo supplied by Ian Harvey courtesy of the Australian War Memorial |
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| HMS "Hindostan:, the migrant ship that brought Henry and Mary Bellchambers, together with George Bellchambers, aged one week, to Port Jackson from Southamption on 12th February, 1857. "Hindostan" was an iron ship, two decker, and weighed 887 tons. She was three masted, full rigged, carrying skysails and royals over single top gallant sails. She was 65.9 metres in length. The journey took three months. Photo supplied by Elizabeth Hirschl <hirschl-at-iprimus.com.au> |
THE ORIGINS OF THE BELLCHAMBERS FAMILY OF BOMBALA:
From: Elizabeth (Betty) Gray Hirschl, granddaughter of Alice Bellchambers Kuhlmorgen.
1. Henry Bellchambers was born in 1830, the year of his parents’ marriage. He was baptised 30/1/1831.
Henry’s paternal grandparents were James Belchamber (spelling is varied) and Mary (Hubbard). Henry lived in Westerham, Kent, the son of Robert Bellchambers, a stone mason, and Ann Geal Bellchambers. His father, Robert, was baptised on 16/4/1798 at West Hoathly, Sussex. Robert and Ann Geal (variously spelt) were married at Westerham on 25/7/1830. They had three sons\ all baptised in Westerham.
Henry baptised 30/1/1831 – married Mary Groves 1853, emigrated to Australia
Alfred baptised 27/1/1833 married Mary Fox in 1857
Amos baptised 12/6/1836, also emigrated to Australia
Robert Bellchambers died, as stated on the shipping register by his son Henry, 4/9/1841 in Edenbridge, Kent, leaving his wife, Ann a widow. In 1851, Ann Geal Bellchambers remarried. Her husband was Robert Parker, a batchelor.
Henry married Mary Groves of Cowden, Kent, the daughter of Robert and Sarah Groves.
Westerham is the westernmost market town in Kent, near to the border with Surrey. From the church yard, one can see, looking towards the North Downs,the Pilgrim’s Way followed by Chaucer on his way to Canterbury. It follows the route of the Neolithic footpad. Westerham (pronounced Westram) remains a place of great natural beauty. Fields of hops were grown and a brewing industry was established. In the nineteenth century, the smell of hops processing in the brewery permeated the area. Typical Kentish Osthouses dotted the landscape. The Anglican church of St.
Mary-the-Virgin, which dominates the town, is one of the oldest parish churches in England.
2. Migration: Henry and Mary left Southampton, England, on board the Hindustan on 26th October, 1856 and arrived in Sydney on 12th February, 1857. Henry was twenty-six years old and Mary was twenty-four. She was pregnant. A male child was born on the voyage, a week before they disembarked from the Hindustan in Sydney. They named the child George. George died four weeks later, on 8th March, 1857. One can only imagine the searing February heat that confronted them in Sydney and Mary’s difficulty in caring for her new baby.
3. Mary had already given birth to two children, Henry and Sarah, both of whom died in Kent before the Bellchambers immigrated to Australia. In the family Bible, there are three entries under the heading “Children born in England.” They are the infants Henry and Sarah, and baby George, who died in Sydney. A line is drawn in ink across the page. Then the names of all their children who were born in New South Wales follow.
4. Henry was listed on the passenger manifest as a labourer. Both Henry and Mary were required to state whether they could read and write. On the certificate, is the letter B, for both. Amos, Henry’s younger brother, who was nineteen, accompanied them to Australia. He is listed as being unable to either read or write. The Bellchambers family travelled to Menangle, in New South Wales and later on, moved to Bombala, where they made their permanent home. They were parishioners of St. Matthias Anglican church in Bombala.
5. Henry's parents are buried in the churchyard of St. Mary-the-Virgin with many of their forebears. (Thitrteen forebears are in unmarked graves). Henry's father is Robert bellchambers. Robert was married twice. 1) Sarah Clifton and 2) Ann Geal. Henry and Ann had three sons, Henry, baptised 30/1/1831, Alfred, baptised 27/1/1833 and Amos, baptised 12/6/1836. Henry and Amos immigrated to Australia. Alfred remained in England and married Mary Fox in 1857. Robert Bellchambers died 4/9/1841 at Edenbridge, Kent, leaving Ann a widow. She married Robert Parker, a bachelor, in 1851. Ann, Robert's mother, died on 24/10/1873, aged 69 years.
6. Family oral tradition claims that the name. Bellchambers, was once de Bellchambre. Norman families settled Westerham in the aftermath of the Norman invasion of England. Many Norman names can still be found in Westerham. Search of documents bears out this claim. Ann Geal Bellchambers’ name changes from Geal to Gele , Jele and Geel. Ann Geal Bellchambers’ forebear Richard Gele married Clemance Chevarton, in St. Mary the Virgin Church on 27th November, 1577. Before literacy became universal, names were sometimes recorded phonetically. The people of Westerham were probably Catholics until the Reformation. St. Mary’s has one of the oldest Saxon towers in England and has a stone Saxon baptismal fount. (Winston Churchill’s home is a few minutes drive from Westerham). Bellchambers is spelt Belchambers in the Philimore Registries of Marriages in 1794 and 1812.
7. The earliest record of the name, de Bellchambre is in the Doomsday Book. A Sir Thomas de Bellchambre is listed. Probably he has no connection to our family but his name may be derived from the same village, Belencombre, near Dieppe.
Sources:
St. Mary’s Westerham Parish Records, Shipping Records, Family Bible, B,M & Death Certificates, Headstones, Coroner’s Reports at Bombala Court House accessible by family members only.
The Philimore Registers of Marriages in Ancient Parish Churches of England. (The Philimores are available in the State Library of New South Wales).
Shipping Passenger Manifests available in the State Archives both on microfilm and index cards.
Bellchambers’ Family Bible in the possession of John Bellchambers, Garran, ACT.
State Archives Office: Microfilm reels: 2138, 2475, Reel 4/4793 2138 4/4969 2475
Please note: There are inconsistencies in both dates and name spellings in the records. All entries have been cross referenced by Elizabeth, but some inconsistencies remain.
NB: Pictures of Alice Bellchambers Kuhlmorgen and her descendants and photographs of the family graves of Thomas Bellchambers and Ann Geal Bellchambers (and other family forebears buried in he churchyard at St. Mary-the-Virgin at Westerham, Kent, are available from me.
Elizabeth Gray Hirschl
The Moorings
G4/24 Wolseley Street
DRUMMOYNE NSW 2047
( No date)
AMOS BELLCHAMBERS’ - OBITUARY NOTICE – Bombala Times
Mr. Amos Bellchambers, an old and respected resident of the district, died in the Bombala Hospital on Monday last. Mr. Bellchambers had been ailing for some time with kidney trouble, but nothing serious was anticipated until quite recently, when complications set in, and the end came all too swiftly. The deceased was born at Menagle 63 years ago, but came to Bombala at the age of twelve, and has resided here ever since. He was for many years in the Government service under the Roads Engineer. and after the inception of Local Government, he went over to the Bibbenluke Shire Council, and was in the employ of that Council until the day of his death. He ranked high in the estimation of his employers, and whenever a skilled and responsible officer was needed for special work, such as culverts, bridge building or cement pipe work, it was Mr.Bellchambers who was called on. His place will be hard to fill. A widow, one daughter (Mrs. F. Gilmore), and five sons, (George, Claude, Fred, Marshall and Roy) are left to mourn the loss of a devoted husband and father. Two sons, Arthur and Henry, were killed in the great war. Mrs. E. Hyde, of this town, is a sister of the deceased. The funeral on Tuesday was very largely attended, and among the chief mourners were Mr. H. Bellchambers (brother) and Mrs. W. Woods (sister). The Shire Council was represented by the President (Mr. Sautelle), Engineer (Mr.Sams), and the Clerk (Mr. Langley). The Rev. Mr.Wilson of Delegate, read the burial service in the absence of the Rev. Mr. Sherris.
Contributed by: Elizabeth Gray Hirschl <hirschl-at-iprimus.com.au>
OBITUARY -
Charlotte Warburton Bellchambers
The sudden death of Mrs. Charlotte Bellchambers was reported on Saturday night last. At about 6 pm, Mrs. Bellchambers was at the Bombala Literary Institute with her daughter (Mrs. F. Gilmore), who was getting a book, when she was seized with a paralytic stroke. On the advice of Dr. Jefferis, who was immediately summoned, she was taken to the hospital. There all that was possible was done, but it was no avail, for death followed at about 10 pm. The service at St. Matthias Church on Tuesday, and the service at the graveside, was conducted by the Rev. S. Broadfoot, and in the presence of
all the members of the family and many relatives and friends the body was laid to rest beside that of her late husband, Mr. Amos Bellchambers, who died some eight years ago, and in the shadow of the monument to her two late sons, Pte. Harry and Lance Corporal Arthur, who were killed in France in the war. The late Mrs. Bellchambers was a Miss Warburton before her marriage, and was born in the Bombala district 67 years ago. She is survived by five sons (George, Claude, Fred., Marshall and Roy), and one daughter, Mrs. F. Gilmore). Many expressions of regret were received from
sympathisers of the family, and floral tributes were placed on the coffin from the following; Mrs. I. Dent and family, Mrs. E. Hyde and family, Mr. and Mrs. Kohlhart and family, Mr. and Mrs. E. Temple and family, Mrs. T.A. Elton and family, Mr. and Mrs. Moore and family, Mr. and Mrs. Lock and family, Mr. and Mrs. T. Ingram and family, Mrs. M. Perabo and family, Mr. and Mrs. G. Dent, Bombala Postal Staff, Mrs. C. Graham and Mrs. H. Head and families, Miss L. Hyde, Mr. Essel Ingram.
Mr. Fred Bellchambers came from Jerilderie to be present at the funeral, Roy came from Barmedman, and Claude from Canberra. The eldest son, George, is in charge of the Bibbenluke Public School, and Marshall is assistant in the Bombala Post Office.
Contributed by: Elizabeth Gray Hirschl <hirschl-at-iprimus.com.au>
Descendants of Henry Bellchambers
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