Re: NSW BDM - stumped
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In reply to:
Re: NSW BDM - stumped
Margaret Anthony 4/25/11
Hi Margaret
the site is
www.bdm.nsw.gov.au
Click on "Family History" the problem is you have to be correct ie "Cooper" will not come up if you type in say a variant "Couper" like it will on some sites. But a bonus is you can seek any Smith marrying any Cooper ( no first names), this came up nil result ( it would if Margaret was say Marguerite), if you seek John Smith marrying any Margaret 1855 to 1880 you get 16 in NSW and 2 in Newcastle :
John Smith m Margaret Bickerton Wall 1857
John T Smith m Margaret Humphreys 1872
I am pretty certain that John Smith did not marry Margaret Cooper in NSW, they also do not appear to arrive in Sydney from the UK as a married couple.
But as you point out John and William Smith would no doubt be the two most common names for males.And very difficult to trace.
As far as children's births go, type in last name Smith
leave given name blank , Fathers given name John, mothers given name Margaret period 1855 to 1890, you get 142 births , but if you put Newcastle in "district" it reduces to 16 , including Mary J in 1885 , there are a few families , but it looks like Mary had about 7 siblings including possible 2 still births - un-named males.
It is essential that your friend buys Mary's birth certificate , it will give the mothers maiden name and other issue. Where and when ( even if in the UK)the parents were married.
Cheers
David Dwyer