Durrant Family

Mother

Maternal Line:

James Durrant was born in Holt, Norfolk on 6 September, 1835; the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (nee Gee) Durrant. There is not a lot known about James. Although in the 1851 English census he is listed as 16 years old, a lodger living at Hole Road, Cley Next Sea. This is the port for Holt (where he born) so it could be him.

Cley Next Sea

He arrives in Australia as an Unassisted Immigrant in August, 1855, aged 22.  His death certificate states that he lived in Victoria for 11 years; perhaps he was on the goldfields, before moving to NSW in about 1866. He marries Mary Ann Phillips in October 1869 at the 7 Mile Rush (Grenfell). He is about 40, she is only 18. Mary had been moving around NSW goldfields with her parents Nathan and Roseanna and her family was living in this area at the time. For 7 years they move between Junee and Forbes before finally finishing in Parkes in 1876. Their first child Rose Ann (great grandmother) is born in Junee, 1871; Thomas is born in Forbes and from 1876 four more children (3 girls and one son Lewis, who dies as a baby) are born in Parkes. While in Forbes in 1874 James horse is stolen, this is listed in the Police Gazette of the time.

The family is living in Muranburn, near Molong, when Mary Ann becomes seriously ill. She is ill for 2 months with a Hepatic abscess. This affects the liver, would have been very painful and at this time little could be done. Mary was only 37 when she dies in February 1888; she is buried the following day at the Muranburn Cemetery. Her children are still young; Rose is 17 and the youngest only 5. It would be expected that Rose would have looked after the children. The 1891 Census lists James and 3 males and 2 females living in the house, they are living on the Parkes Road, Muranburn. The 1901 Census shows James living on the Molong Road, Parkes, 1 male and 2 females are living there, perhaps his 2 daughters are living with him. His daughter Rose, her husband Robert Budd and their family are living nearby in Orange Street. James dies in 1908 in Parkes, he is 76.