Re: William Mountford Kinsey Vale
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In reply to:
Re: William Mountford Kinsey Vale
1/28/02
Dear Leanne,
It was good to get your message. Yet another cousin! I have a lot of information on the Vale family in Victoria, post 1853 - for example, John Vale, bookseller and general agent in the gold mining town of Castlemaine, died 1864, buried in Campbell's Creek cemetery (the cemetery for Castlemaine). I know from his death certificate that he was born circa 1808 at or near Bromyard - a lovely town in northern Herefordshire - but I have been unable to unearth any registration of his birth. He married Elizabeth Tayler, who hailed from Leominster, also in northern Herefordshire. They lived in London before migrating on the Blackheath, and for about five years he was a "city policeman" - he must have been one of the first Bobbies. His father was Thomas Vale, and I cannot run him to earth either. I think John Vale is descended from a Rev. Thomas Kinsey, curate of Wacton chapel, near Bromyard. I have a fair amount of information on the voyage of the Blackheath. I think the Vale family spent its first days in Australia in the wretched tent city, known as Canvas Town, set up as an emergency measure by the hard-pressed Victorian Government to cope with the huge influx of people attracted to the spectacular golden wealth of Victoria.
Any clues on any of these people would be most welcome.
Where do you hang out?
Regards,
Anthony Mountford Vale.