Are you related to Thomas Alfred Burgess, b Napier NZ 1862? OR perhaps William Henry Burgess, b NZ 1858? One brother moved from NZ to Australia as a young man. The other, Thomas probably, went “back” to Ireland, married, and died childless, possibly as late as the 1930s. These are common names and I can’t find either of them.

If you have a childless Uncle / Great-Uncle by marriage in your tree who might be my missing man, can you tell me please? Yes, I’m looking at places like the 1911 Irish Census to see if one brother pops into view. Any other ideas gratefully accepted. The famine orphans flowed out like a tsunami, and parts of the wave flowed back. It would be great to know just where they rested.

Their mother was Winifred Mary Minnie nee Callaghan, an Irish Famine Orphan b 1836 in or near Dublin, sent to Australia on the Earl Grey scheme. She married (1) 1852 in Sydney Australia to Cornishman Master Mariner Richard Plummer Burgess, and (after his death by shipwreck) (2) 1868 in New Zealand to Sydney Leigh Dyer. They moved to Australia with daughter Elizabeth Burgess about 1875; her family I’ve traced. The oldest brother, Richard Henry Burgess, remained in NZ and is my ancestor. Win died in Sydney in 1890. I’m hoping to share information on relatives, Winifred etc, of this misplaced lad with any interested extended family.

Migs (Margaret) Eder, NZ