Thanks for your work with this. It looks really fascinating. I’m teaching my students about the White Australia policy and stumbled across the faces website. Very interesting. Definitely makes it a lot more personal for students when they can put a face to the policy.

For the past decade, I have researching our hitherto unknown family. The most amazing finding was a G+++ grandfather from Amoy, China who was working on the Victorian Goldfields initially in Barkers Creek, and later in Specimen’s Creek.

We are fortunate to have both his marriage certificates: the first dated 4 January, 1858, Castlemaine to Emily Charlotte Bass in with his beautiful Chinese signature which I am told is HOU Sin, Victorian Marriage Registration #1081. Emily died in 1862.

The second 13 September, 1862 in Eaglehawk Presbyterian Manse to Margaret Mowbray Black with his Anglicized name James OSEEN.

Three children were born to the latter marriage: Margaret Mowbray Oseen 1864, Harriet Oseen 1866 & James Oseen 1868-1874.

HOU Sin aka James Oseen died in 16 November 1868. We have his death certificate.

We understand his father was Georgy Oseen and his mother Harriet James.

In 1872 Margaret Mowbray Black Oseen remarried Samuel Crossley in Specimen Hill.

Harriet Oseen married Thomas Vinton Nicholls, elder son of Thomas Odgers Nicholls and Mary Searle Nicholls.

Margaret Mowbray married William Edward Holmes. Their daughter Margaret Mowbray Holmes married Frederick Searle Nicholls, youngest son of Thomas Odgers Nicholls & Mary Searle Nicholls, younger brother of Thomas Vincton Nicholls.

I have looked at Campbells Creek cemetery, with no success.

Best Wishes
Pamela Nicholls

I posted an article on the Ballarat Genealogy Society Web site a few years ago and only now recieved an email advising me to contact you.

I have looked through you web site but was unable to find any information regarding my own family connectoins. I would really appreciate your assistance if you have any information I ask that you please contact me.

Regards
Diane Jennings

I am descendant from Yung Sing (William Young Sing) and Emma Mann, daughter of the late John Mann, of Parramatta.

My father commenced family history research in early 1990′s, in the last 3 years I have continued the research.

I am interested in viewing that original article in the San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin of 30 August 1862 and the Australian and New Zealand Gazette.

I was sent your link by Ray Poon (Brisbane) back in 2010.
Sorry I haven’t contacted you before this.

Yours faithfully,
Claire Faulkner

I was interested in your research as I have been tracing my husbands family and like Kate McMannus his Great Grranfather was Yap John Hong, I have managed to find his naturlization papers and have just sent off for his marriage certificate. The Hongs are related on his mother’s father’s side of the family, but her mother’s father was also Chinese Charles Chong who married Caroline Sophia Batterby in 1862 in Mudgee NSW. So there family has strong Chinese connection on both sides

regards

Bronwyn O’Donnell

I am descended through my mother from John Mann, Chinese immigrant, ‘bushman and shepherd’, from Amoy on his naturalisation certificate, who married Scotswoman Elizabeth Smith in the ‘Presbyterian Church’ , Maryborough Qld on 19/2/1863/000373 and had 8 children: John 1864, James (S5) 1866, Elizabeth 1868, Jessie 1871, Alexander 1874, William 1878, Henry 1883 and George 1885. John Mann died in 1888. (Maryborough cemetery index: MANN John, Gardener). I am descended from his son, James, (a maternal Great Grandfather) . He probably arrived when Queensland was part of NSW (i.e. pre 1859).

I have copy of his naturalisation certificate, pictures of my great grandfather etc if you are interested. I live in Canberra! Greg