Volume 5 – Kent and Beyond by Steve Green

Part 6 – Other Alchin Families of Interest

6i. The Alchins of Mount Gambier, South Australia

This family lived in London immediately before their migration to Australia in 1841. At this stage very little is known of Christopher Alchin’s ancestry as there is no surviving record of his parent’s marriage or his father’s baptism. It is possible that he is descended from Christopher and Winifred Alchin of Aylesford.

1  ~~  Christopher Wood Alchin

Christopher was born in London on 11th September 1811 and he was the son of Christopher and Harriett Alchin. He was baptised at St Mary’s church, Lambeth on 13th September 1812. He married Lydia Brooks Walton in London in the mid 1830’s. They had at least nine children – Charlotte (1830s), Christopher (1838), Lucy (1840), Christopher (1842), Harriett (1846), Amelia (1848), Frederick (1850), Edmund (1852) and Emily (1854).

In 1840 Christopher was a cab maker of 35 Augustus Street, Regent’s Park in London. He applied for assisted migration to South Australia on 1st June 1840 (Application # 8669, Embarkation # 4900). He and his wife were both 28 years old and they had a 2 year old son, a 5 year old daughter and an infant daughter. The family probably arrived in Adelaide in early 1841. Almanacs and directories for the years 1844 to 1848 show that Christopher was a cabinet maker and upholsterer of Currie Street, Adelaide. 

The family remained in the Adelaide area until at least 1860 but they later settled around Mount Gambier in the southeast of the colony near the Victorian border. Christopher died at Mount Gambier on 5th May 1888 aged 76 years (SA 1888 Book 170 Page 459). There is no surviving record of Lydia’s death.

1.1  ~~  Charlotte Walton Alchin

Charlotte was born in London in about 1835 (her father’s application to migrate in 1840 indicated that she was 5 years old at the time). She migrated to South Australia in about 1841. Charlotte married Thomas Henry Crocker at St Paul’s church, Adelaide on 20th December 1860 (SA 1860 Book 44 Page 324). Thomas was the son of Thomas Crocker and he was probably born in England in the 1830’s.

Thomas and Charlotte had at least four children – William (1861), Henry (1863), Arthur (1864) and Edith (1866). There is no sign of the family in South Australia after 1866 and they must have moved to another colony –  however there is no record of any member of the family in Victoria or New South Wales.

1.1.1  ~~  William Henry Alchin Crocker

William was born at Adelaide on 15th December 1861 (SA 1861 Book 20 Page 249). He died at Adelaide on 13th April 1863 aged 16 months (SA 1863 Book 15 Page 95).

1.1.2  ~~  Henry Crocker

Henry was born at Adelaide on 27th January 1863 (SA 1863 Book 27 Page 115). He died at Adelaide on 22nd June 1864 aged 16 months (SA 1864 Book 15 Page 415).

1.1.3  ~~  Arthur Crocker

Arthur was born at Adelaide on 11th September 1864 (SA 1864 Book 31 Page 450).

1.1.4  ~~  Edith Crocker

Edith was born at Adelaide on 21st September 1866 (SA 1866 Book 33 Page 644).

1.2  ~~  Christopher John Alchin

Christopher was born in London in 1838 (St Pancras 1838 June qtr Volume 1 Page 216). He was still alive when his father applied to emigrate to South Australia in 1840 but there is no record of his fate. He may have died during the voyage or soon after arriving in Australia. He was certainly dead by 1842 when his parents re-used his name.

1.3  ~~  Lucy Jane D’Oyley Alchin

Lucy was born in London in 1840 (St Pancras 1840 June qtr Volume 1 Page 362). She migrated to South Australia with her family in about 1841. Lucy married John Emmett Powell at her father’s residence at Mount Gambier on 15th October 1861 (SA 1861 Book 48 Page 362); John was the son of William Powell and he was born in London in 1825.

John and Lucy had at least ten children – John (1862), Amy (1864), Florence (1866), Frederick (1868), Ada (1871), Lillian (1873), Herbert (1877), Francis (1878), Winifred (1881) and Theodora (1885). Four of their children died in infancy including two in 1875 when the family was living at Rockhampton near Mount Gambier where John owned a quarry.

John Powell was a farmer and quarry owner of Mount Gambier. He died at Mount Gambier on 16th April 1893 aged 68 years (SA 1893 Book 209 Page 271). Their eldest son was killed in action in South Africa during the Boer War. Lucy died at Kent Town on 7th March 1913 aged 72 years (SA 1913 Book 372 Page 416).

1.3.1  ~~  John William Powell

John was born at Mount Gambier on 12th August 1862 (SA 1862 Book 25 Page 270). He never married. John was appointed as a Lieutenant in the First Mounted Rifles (South Australian contingent) during the Boer War. When the colonial units were combined to form the Australian Regiment, John was made the Transport officer for the new unit. In early February Field Marshall Roberts was organizing the relief of Ladysmith and the Australian Regiment were one of the units designated to protect his flanks.

The Boers tried to turn Lord Robert’s flank and a series of small battles developed around Colesberg as the Australians came under intense attack from the Boers at a number of places. John was shot in the chest and killed during the battle at Pinks Hill near Rensburgs Drift, South Africa on 12th February 1900 aged 38 years.

The circumstances of John’s death are described in Australia’s Boer War by Craig Wilcox (Oxford University Press 2002 page 67:

“On 12th February (1900) de la Ray (the Boer Commander) pushed against both flanks of the perimeter….. On the left a smaller but vigorous attack overwhelmed a hundred Victorians and a hundred regulars commanded by George Eddy…….But the Boers were massing so Eddy led them back to Pink Hill…….to cover the retreat of the Wiltshire Regiment. His little command was supported on the right by two guns and seventy-five Victorians under Captain Duncan Macleish, who had wisely gone to ground in trenches, and behind them some South Australians and New South Welshmen. But when the Boers swarmed forward at around eleven o’clock they came on in numbers and with determination the Australians had not yet seen.

At first all went well. The Wiltshires began to fight their way to the rear, and the rest of Eddy’s command were sheltered by the hill’s rocks from the worst of the rifle fire. Then the Boers pushed to within a hundred metres of the hill, fifty metres, almost around it. Lieutenants James Roberts and Arthur Tremearne and their little post on the hill’s left slope were overwhelmed, and Roberts was shot through the back. On the hill Captain Marcus McInerney fell, shot through the thigh, and Lieutenant Powell from South Australia, the Australian Regiment’s good natured transport officer, was shot through the chest, some said after he had stood up to look at a deceiving white flag.”

The Australians managed to retreat in good order even though they had lost their commanding officer. Six Australians died that day on Pink Hill, three of them officers – Eddy, Roberts and John Powell. Twenty-three other Australians were wounded.

1.3.2  ~~  Amy Harriett Powell

Amy was born at Mount Gambier on 11th June 1864 (SA 1864 Book 32 Page 77). She married Edward Arthur Roach at Christ Church, Mount Gambier on 15th September 1886 (SA 1886 Book 148 Page 849); he was the son of Thomas Roach and he was born in 1862. Edward and Amy had at least eight children – Edward (1887), Lucy (1889), Effie (1892), Frank (1894), Arthur (1895), Percy (1899), Horace (1900) and Stanley (1901).

1.3.2.1  ~~  Edward Passmore Roach

Edward was born at Adelaide on 17th October 1887 (SA 1887 Book 405 Page 413).

1.3.2.2  ~~  Lucy Emmett Roach

Lucy was born at Adelaide on 2nd November 1889 (SA 1889 Book 448 Page 205). Lucy died at Kilkenny (near Port Adelaide) on 21st May 1892 aged 2 ½ years (SA 1892 Book 202 Page 365).

1.3.2.3  ~~  Effie Ada Roach

Effie was born at Goodwood on 2nd February 1892 (SA 1892 Book 495 Page 179).

1.3.2.4  ~~  Frank John Passmore Roach

Frank was born at Woodville on 13th April 1894 (SA 1894 Book 542 Page 136).

1.3.2.5  ~~  Arthur Emmett Roach

Arthur was born at Kilkenny on 8th December 1895 (SA 1895 Book 576 Page 179).

1.3.2.6  ~~  Percy Harold Roach

Percy was born at Mount Gambier on 22nd June 1899 (SA 1899 Book 644 Page 45).

1.3.2.7  ~~  Horace Walton Roach

Horace was born at Mount Gambier on 30th June 1900 (SA 1900 Book 662 Page 191). Horace died at Mount Gambier on 1st November 1900 aged 4 months (SA 1900 Book 273 Page 188).

1.3.2.8  ~~  Stanley Nairn Roach

Stanley was born at Mount Gambier on 24th August 1901 (SA 1901 Book 682 Page 75). Stanley died there 7 days later on 1st September 1901 (SA 1901 Book 280 Page 265).

1.3.3   ~~  Florence Mary Powell

Florence was born at Mount Gambier on 19th November 1866 (SA 1866 Book 40 Page 564). She died at Mount Gambier on 8th June 1867 aged 6 months (SA 1867 Book 27 Page 418).

1.3.4  ~~  Frederick Christopher Powell

Frederick was born at Mount Gambier on 21st May 1868 (SA 1868 Book 64 Page 246). He married Jessie Mildred Fisher at St Luke’s church, Adelaide on 28th September 1911; Jessie was the daughter of James Fisher and she was born in 1878.

1.3.5  ~~  Ada Walton Powell

Ada was born at Mount Gambier on 21st January 1871 (SA 1871 Book 91 Page 346). She died at Rockhampton near Mount Gambier on 8th November 1875 aged 4 years (SA 1875 Book 70 Page 30).

1.3.6  ~~  Lillian Lydia Brooks Powell

Lillian was born in Mount Gambier on 8th October 1873 (SA 1873 Book 127 Page 372). She died at Rockhampton on 15th October 1875 aged 2 years (SA 1875 Book 69 Page 319).

1.3.7  ~~  Herbert Edward Powell

Herbert was born at Rockhampton on 5th February 1877 (SA 1877 Book 177 Page 476). He died there on 25th February 1877 aged 20 days (SA 1877 Book 79 Page 48).

1.3.8  ~~  Francis Walter Powell

Framcis was born at Rockhampton on 23rd September 1878 (SA 1878 Book 209 Page 70).

1.3.9  ~~  Winifred Evelyn Brooks Powell

Winifred was born at Mount Gambier on 6th August 1881 (SA 1881 Book 266 Page 385). She married Carl Edward Berkefeld at Christ Church, Mount Gambier on 21st April 1908 (SA 1908 Book 235 Page 196); he was born in 1877 and he was the son of Andrew William Berkefelde.

1.3.10  ~~  Theodora Powell

Theodora was born at Mount Gambier on 11th April 1885 (SA 1885 Book 349 Page 289).

1.4  ~~  Christopher Ferguson Alchin

Christopher was born at Adelaide on 27th June 1842 (SA 1842 Book 01 Page 03). He moved to Mount Gambier with his family in the 1860’s. Christopher married Mary Kerney at Christ Church, Mount Gambier on 9th November 1870 (SA 1870 Book 85 Page 288); she was born in 1852 and she was the daughter of James Kerney.

Charistopher and Mary had at least ten children – Ethel (1871), Leonard (1873), Edgar (1876), Albert (1878), Archie (1880), Daisy (1883), twins Pearl and Ruby (1885), Arthur (1890) and Edmund (1894). Christopher was a farmer and timber getter. He died at Mount Gambier on 11th July 1904 aged 62 years (SA 1904 Book 303 Page 402).

1.4.1  ~~  Ethel May Alchin

Ethel was born at Glenburnie (a few miles east of Mount Gambier) on 29th August 1871 (SA 1871 Book 100 Page 161).

1.4.2  ~~  Leonard Walton Alchin

Leonard was born at Glenburnie on 10th March 1873 (SA 1873 Book 120 Page 178).

1.4.3  ~~  Edgar Lionel Alchin

Edgar was born at Mount Gambier on 16th March 1876 (SA 1876 Book 164 Page 264). Edgar enlisted in the 1st A.I.F. on 4th April 1916. He was posted to the 4th Signal Troop with the rank of Private and regimental number 2989. He returned to Australia on 7th April 1919.

1.4.4  ~~  Albert Leslie Alchin

Albert was born at Mount Gambier on 19th July 1878 (SA 1878 Book 205 Page 178). Albert died at Mount Gambier on 5th February 1893 aged 14 years (SA 1893 Book 208 Page 30).

1.4.5  ~~  Archie Ernest Alchin

Archie was born at Mount Gambier on 26th November 1880 (SA 1880 Book 252 Page 380). Archie enlisted in the 1st A.I.F. on 15th December 1914. He was assigned to the 1st Division Headquarters with the rank of Private and regimental number 2212. He returned to Australia on 1st April 1919.

Archie re-enlisted in the Army at Adelaide on 6th December 1939 at the outbreak of World War II (S213009). He was discharged with the rank of Sergeant from HQ 5 Advanced Ordinance Depot on 1st December 1943. His next of kin was recorded as Doris Alchin.

1.4.6  ~~  Daisy Muriel Alchin

Daisy was born at Mount Gambier on 3rd March 1883 (SA 1883 Book 300 Page 379). She married Peter Smith at the Manse, Mount Gambier on 7th February 1906 (SA 1906 Book 226 Page 502). Peter was born in 1876 and he was the son of James Smith.

1.4.7  ~~  Pearl Alchin

Pearl and her twin sister Ruby were born at Mount Gambier on 8th August 1885 (SA 1885 Book 358 Page 18). Pearl died at Mount Gambier on 13th September 1892 aged 7 years (SA 1892 Book 205 Page 58).

1.4.8  ~~  Ruby Alchin

Ruby and her twin sister Pearl were born at Mount Gambier on 8th August 1885 (SA 1885 Book 358 Page 18). Ruby died at Mount Gambier on 23rd January 1886 aged 5 months (SA 1886 Book 152 Page 300).

1.4.9  ~~  Arthur Ferguson Alchin

Arthur was born at Mount Gambier on 18th October 1890 (SA 1890 Book 468 Page 229). He enlisted in the Army at Adelaide on 12th April 1942 (S65904). His next of kin was recorded as Lilian Alchin. Arthur was discharged with the rank of Private from the 3rd Volunteer Defence Corps.

1.4.10  ~~  Edmund Franklin Alchin MM

Edmund was born at Mount Gambier on 16th August 1894 (SA 1894 Book 549 Page 121). Soon after the outbreak of World War I, Edmund (recorded as Frank Edmund) enlisted in the 1st A.I.F. on 21st August 1914. He was assigned to the 10th Infantry Battalion with the rank of Private and regimental number 388.

Edmund served right throughout the war at Gallipoli and then on the Western Front. He was in the first wave that went ashore at Anzac Cove on 25th April 1915 and he was later awarded the Military Medal for Gallantry (gazetted on 18th July 1917). He returned to Australia on 3rd December 1918 with the rank of Sergeant.

At the outbreak of World War II Edmund re-enlisted in the Army at Woodside on 6th November 1939 (SX1429). He served right through the war and seems to have remained in the Army as a Regular after the war ended. He was eventually discharged with the rank of Major on 2nd April 1951.

1.5  ~~  Harriett Lydia Alchin

Harriett was born at Adelaide on 25th March 1846 (SA 1846 Book 01 Page 151). She moved to Mount Gambier with her family in the 1860’s. Harriett married Samuel Hateley at Christ Church, Mount Gambier on 25th December 1867 (SA 1867 Book 73 Page 250). He was born at Company Tiers (in Adelaide) on 1st January 1846 and he was the son of James Samuel Hateley and Mary Drew (SA 1846 Book 1 Page 139).

Samuel and Harriett had at least one child – Florence (1868). There is no further trace of this family in South Australia and Samuel probably moved his family to another colony – probably Victoria.

1.5.1  ~~  Florence Grace Hateley

Florence was born at Mount Gambier on 19th November 1868 (SA 1868 Book 68 Page 547).

1.6  ~~  Amelia Harvey Alchin

Amelia was born at Adelaide on 3rd April 1848 (SA 1848 Book 02 Page 57). Amelia died at Adelaide on 13th June 1860 aged 12 years (SA 1860 Book 9 Page 148).

1.7  ~~  Frederick Alchin

Frederick was born at Adelaide on 30th April 1850. He later moved to Mount Gambier with his family. Frederick married Charlotte Jessup in Victoria in 1878 (Vic 1878/2792) and they lived for a time at Castlemaine. Frederick and Charlotte had at least two children in Victoria – Elizabeth (1879) and Frederick (1881).

Frederick later moved his family back to South Australia. Charlotte died at Mount Gambier on 26th October 1894 aged 36 years (SA 1894 Book 222 Page 302).

1.7.1  ~~  Elizabeth Jane Richardson Alchin

Elizabeth was born at Castlemaine in 1879 (Vic 1879/7876). She returned to South Australia with her family some years later, probably in the 1880’s. Elizabeth married Vincent Millard at her father’s house at Mount Gambier on 19th January 1898 (SA 1898 Book 194 Page 251). Vincent was born in 1876 and he was the son of William Thomas Millard and Ellen Sophia Bott.

Vincent and Elizabeth had at least two children – Coral (1898) and Frederick (1901). Elizabeth died at Williamstown on 27th October 1901 from complications from her last child’s birth (SA 1901 Book 281 Page 409). She was only 22 years old. Five years later the two children were orphaned. Vincent died at Mount Gambier on 8th September 1906 aged only 30 years (SA 1906 Book 320 Page 254).

1.7.2  ~~  Frederick Walton Alchin

Frederick was born at Castlemaine in 1881 (VIC 1881/1372). Some years later he later returned to the Mount Gambier district with his family. Frederick married Blanch Margaret Jane Bott at her father’s residence at Kalangadoo (30 miles north of Mount Gambier) on 11th April 1906 (SA 1906 Book 227 Page 170); she was born in 1884 the daughter of William Bott and Jane Gartrell.

Frederick and Blanch had at least two children – Ruby (1906) and Cecil (1907).

1.7.2.1  ~~  Ruby Beatrice Alchin

Ruby was born at Kalangadoo in 1906 (SA 1906 Book 774 Page 245).

1.7.2.2  ~~  Cecil Rupert Alchin

Cecil was probably born in South Australia in 1907. He died at Footscray in 1960 (Vic 1960/3857) aged 53 years.

1.8  ~~  Edmund Alchin

Edmund was born at Magill (at the foot of the Mount Lofty Ranges) near Adelaide on 12th June 1852. He moved to Mount Gambier with his family in the 1860’s but by the mid 1885’s he was living in far western NSW. Edmund married Amelia Kate Hooper at Wilcannia in 1885 (NSW 1885/7455); she was born in 1868 and she was the daughter of John Hooper and Maria Cunningham-Smith.

Edmund and his wife did not register the births of any children in NSW although it seems likely that they had one or two children there. They had however moved to Melbourne within a couple of years of their marriage. Edmund and Amelia lived in the Melbourne suburb of Preston where they had at least six children – Stanley (1889), Leslie (1891), Ruby (1892), Edith (1893), Lily (1895) and Harold (1897). Their first two children died while they were only babies.

Edmund died at Preston on 14th July 1921 (Vic 1921/11728Z) aged 69 years.  Probate records describe him as a storekeeper of Preston (Probate Vic 178/408). Amelia died at Preston on 17th December 1946 (Vic 1946/13440) aged 82 years (Probate Vic 389/803).

1.8.1  ~~  Stanley John Alchin

Stanley was born at Preston in 1889 (Vic 1889/34233). He died at Preston in the following year (Vic 1890/4188).

1.8.2  ~~  Leslie Edmund Alchin

Leslie was born at Preston in 1891 (Vic 1891/26736). He died at Preston in the following year (Vic 1892/11647).

1.8.3  ~~  Ruby Muriel Alchin

Ruby was born at Preston in 1892 (Vic 1892/16693). She married Charles Sinclair in 1920 (Vic 1920/7064).

1.8.4  ~~  Edith Pearl Alchin

Edith was born at Preston in 1893 (Vic 1893/34559). She married David Selleck in 1925 (Vic 1925/12738).

1.8.5  ~~  Lily May Alchin

Lily was born at Preston in 1895 (Vic 1895/6371). She married Gordon Theodore Irwin in 1927 (Vic 1927/13388).

1.8.6  ~~  Harold Walton Alchin

Harold was born at Preston in 1897 (Vic 1897/22065). He married Mae McColl Dobson in 1924 (Vic 1924/4003). Harold died at Preston on 20th September 1978 (Vic 1978/21867) aged 81 years. Probate records describe him as a Gentleman of Preston (Probate Vic 08/766).

Mae died at Ashwood on 16th January 1887 (Probate Vic 17/153).

1.9  ~~  Emily Alchin

Emily was born at Balhannah (in the Mount Lofty Ranges east of Adelaide) in 1854 (SA 1854 Book 04 Page 356). She moved to Mount Gambier with her family in the 1860’s. Emily married John Isaac Underwood (SA Book 91 Page 720).

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