FAMILY HISTORY OF THE BRIGHT, LEBRUN, GRAHAM & SMITHWICK FAMILIES

Site Updated 1 January 2007

BRIGHT First Generation

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Further Important information Secured

The following information was kindly supplied by Peter Cornish who lives in Hertfordshire, describing himself as 'an old codger, 80 years young'.  Peter’s information is greatly appreciated, and hearing him call himself 'an old codger' reminds me of my Dad.

One interesting piece of information Peter supplied was that Abrahams mother, Elizabeth, remarried after Roberts’s death.  On 14/4/1832 she married Thomas Machon, a widower with one son, Henry. 

A reference (HO107/443/6, F.19, P2) in the 1841 Census shows the family living in Church Street, Barley. The family consisted of Thomas - 30 Ag Lab, Elizabeth 35, Henry 10, Joseph 5, Maria 3, Francis 1, and Abram Bright 15 Ag Lab.

The children died young - Francis (2) and Joseph (6) were buried together on 13 April 1842, and Maria (7) was buried 27 July 1845. 

After Elizabeth died 30 April 1845 at the age of 45, it seems Henry & Abraham stuck together, thus the reference to them lodging with James & Mary Sharp in the 1851 census.

Thanks to Ken Barker for the following information on Henry Bright

Henry was a brickmaker and it is possible that he introduced his son-in-law (traditionally the Souths were agricultural labourers) to the clay industry in which the Souths were to be involved for 5 generations until 1960. The site of the local brickfield was at Morrice Green a short distance outside Barley and the undulations of the ground today an be discerned. Emma died from tuberculosis in 1868 aged 40 having borne 10 children. Joseph remarried a much younger woman.It is thought that this caused a family conflict  and he emigrated to New Zealand in 1874.

 

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The following updated from Cemetery Records

Abraham Bright died 11/7/1901 and is buried at Buninyong Cemetery

Jane Bright died 9/4/1908 and is also buried at Buninyong Cemetery

Michelle Mostert supplied the following

John's parents, Abraham and Jane (nee Howard) Bright, came to Australia from Barley, Hertfordshire, on the ship 'Ravenscraig', which sailed from Plymouth on 10th March 1855, and arrived at Geelong on 24th June 1855. They settled at Buningyong, and had 6 children; Alfred, Anne, William, Jonathon, Sarah Jane and Lucy (I have much info on these, especially Alfred's family, as they are very local). Some of Jane's brothers also came to Australia, and have relatives in Leongatha. Maggie's parents, Thomas and Jane (nee Weston) Anderson, came to Australia from Perthshire, Scotland, but came out separately, as they were married in Australia. Thomas came out on the same ship as his parents and siblings, after being told to come out by his older brother James (who came to Aust. in 1848). They came to Aust. on the ship 'Australia', sailing from Liverpool on 22 August 1853, and arriving at Melb. on 18th November 1853. Thomas and Jane married in 1858, and raised their family in the Ballarat area. Their children are; Robert, Catherine, Mary Anne, William, Margaret Guthrie, and Edward.

RAVENSCRAIG - 1855 Master: Captain J. White Rigging: Ship; sheathed in yellow metal in 1853 Tonnage: 581 tons using old measurements and 589 tons using new measurements Construction: 1853 in Shields Owners: Lockart & Co. Port of registry: Kirkdly Port of survey: Shields Voyage: sailed for Australia

Abraham Bright (Born ~1825) Married Jane Howard (Born ~ 1831) in District of Royston, England June 1853. Abraham was christened in Barley, Hertfordshire, England on 25th December, 1825.

CENSUS REFERENCE

The 1851 census index for Barley for you today and found just one Abraham Bright listed as follows: schedule 87, Smith End:

James Sharp, Head, M, 73, Pauper - Ag Lab, born Hrt Barley

Sarah Sharp, Wife, M, 69, born Cam Melb

Abraham Bright, Lg, U, 25, Ag Lab, born Hrt Barley

Henry Machon, Lg, U, 18, Ag Lab, born Hrt Barley

It looks then as though he was lodging in Smith End.

His father was Robert Bright, and mother Elizabeth Smith, were married in Barley 6th February 1821.

Their children at the time of Abraham’s birth were Alfred, 6 years, Ann, 4 years, and William, 2 Years

1. JNO (JOHN) Bright. Born 19th August 1869 in District of Buninyong (Near Ballarat)[Reg #14119]. Father Abraham Bright, Mother Jane Howard. Died Warragul, 25 March 1940 [Reg #16524] . Buried Mirboo North, Vic M48. He married MARGARET GUTHRIE ANDERSON, 28 May 1890 in Scotsburn, Vic. Born 1874 in Mount Doran, Vic (Near Ballarat).Died 22 June 1953. Buried Mirboo North, Vic plot M48

They had the following children:

                                                         i.            Alice Maude Bright Born Buninyong 1891 (30793). Died in Died 21 Years.

                                                       ii.            David (3 Weeks) Bright Colac 1893 (2618)(Died Infancy); Died 3 Weeks.

                                                      iii.            John Reginald (Jack 19 Years WWI) Bright (Killed In War); Born Buninyong 1894. Died 29 Mar 1918. Buried in FRANCE 62 Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No 1.

                                                      iv.            Albert Edward (Ab) Bright Born Colac 1895 (19738)

                                                        v.            Gladys Bright Born Buninyong 1896 (1786). She married Bert Dyke.

                                                      vi.            Gordon Bright Born Cororoke 1898. He married Vera.

                                                     vii.            Vera Bright Born Buninyong 1899.

                                                   viii.            Elsie Emma Bright Born Meeniyan 1901 (4922). She married Tom Whitehead.

                                                     ix.            Aubry (Bus) Bright Born Meeniyan 1902 (19988). He married Maude.

                                                       x.            Wilfred Bright Born Meeniyan 1903 (19556). He married Vera.

                                                     xi.            Daisy Ethel Bright Born Meeniyan 1905 (4530).

                                                    xii.            ROY Bright Born Meeniyan 1906 (20233)

                                                  xiii.            Robert Anderson Bright Born Meeniyan 1908 (4966). He married Ruby.

                                                   xiv.            Ivy Isabel (2 Years) Bright Born Meeniyan 1909 (29018) (Died Infancy); Drowned 2 Years.

                                                    xv.            Leonard George (Len) Bright Born Meeniyan 1910, died 27/4/1976. Married Daphne Hughes (died 1971), then Mavis 

                                                   xvi.            Alan (2 Weeks) Bright Birthdate Unknown(Died Infancy); Died 2 Weeks.

                                                 xvii.            Les Bright Born Leongatha 1914, died 1998.  Married Noelle Lyons.

This is a photo of some of Dads family taken in 1939

 

Family Photo Left To Right: Les, Elsie (1), Len (2), Daphne (2), Vera (3), Wilf (3), Maude(4), Vera (5), Gordon (5), Ruby (6), Gladys (7), Bert Dyke (7), Belle (8), Bus (4), Vera Sheen, Roy (8), Tom Whitehead (1), Bob (6) Front - Jno & Margaret

 

The Family At Football

Second Generation

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2. Albert Edward (Ab) Bright. Born 4 Jul 1894 in Cororooke (Near Colac). Died 1970. Buried in Mirboo North. He married Ida. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            Bert Bright

                                                       ii.            Isobel Erbs

                                                      iii.            Eileen Erbs

                                                      iv.            Wilma Reiter

                                                        v.            Dorothy Neville

3. ROY Bright. Born 24 Jun 1906 in Stony Creek. Died 11 Feb 1994 in Warragul. Buried 13 Feb 1994 in Warragul. He married ISABELLA JANE Lebrun, daughter of KENNETH WILLIAM Lebrun & ELIZA HARRIETT Moore, 7 Nov 1936 in Moreland Salvation Army. Born 21 Aug 1910 in Brunswick. Died 11 Jul 2000 in Moe. Buried 14 Jul 2000 in Warragul.

Roy & Belle on their wedding day

Belle (Last on right Back Row) - Moreland Corps Cadets (Year Unknown)

They had the following children:

                                                         i.            Valerie Margaret Bright

                                                       ii.            Alan Kenneth Bright

                                                      iii.            Denis Roy Bright

                                                      iv.            GRAEME JOHN Bright

Valerie, Denis, Alan and Graeme 1951

Roy & Belle Bright Family Photo Mothers Day 1982: BACK Alan, Graeme, Lauris, June, Denis MIDDLE Danielle Roy, Belle, Allison, Colleen, Anne, Jack, Valerie, Fay, Natalie FRONT Nathan, Katherine, Matthew, Dion, Adrian

Roy & Belle 50th Anniversary Paul, Adrian, Lauris, Graeme, June, Danielle, Colleen, Alan, Dion, Allison, Roy, Belle, Natalie, Katherine, Christine, Nathan, Matthew

Third Generation

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1. Valerie Margaret Bright. She first married Neil Armstrong.

They had the following children

                                                         i.            Ann Armstrong

                                                       ii.            Faye Armstrong

                                                      iii.            Peter Armstrong

She second married John Strover. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            Adam Strover

2. Alan Kenneth Bright. He married Colleen Griffin. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            Danielle Bright

                                                       ii.            Paul Bright

                                                      iii.            Adrian Bright

                                                      iv.            Dion Bright

3. Denis Roy Bright. Born in Mirboo North. He married Andrea June Edwards, daughter of Herbert Edwards & Alice.

They had the following children:

                                                         i.            Natalie Bright She married Wayne Farnham, 15 Sept 1992

From Left: Roy & Belle, Alison, Denis, Natalie, Wayne, June, Matthew

 

                                                         i.            Alison Bright; Born in Warragul. She married Dale Melody, 11 Dec 1999

                                                       ii.            Matthew Bright; Born in Warragul.

4. GRAEME JOHN Bright. Born 1 Oct 1951 in Warragul. He married LAURIS ANNE Graham, daughter of ALLAN ROBERT Graham & MARGARET ETHEL Smithwick, 24 Feb 1973 in Warragul Salvation Army . Born 28 Apr 1949 in Richmond.

They had the following children:

                                                         i.            Katherine Elizabeth Bright; Born 22 Oct 1975 in Warragul

                                                       ii.            Nathan Graeme Bright; Born 7 Nov 1977 in Warragul

                                                      iii.            Christine Margaret Jane Bright; Born 11 Sep 1983 in Warragul.

Fourth Generation

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8. Natalie Bright. Born in Warragul. She married Wayne Farnham, son of George Farnham & Joyce, 5 Sep 1992 at Glenfyne Gardens,Drouin South. They had the following children:

Jack Farnham

Gabby Farnham;

LEBRUN First Generation

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John Lebrun. He married Mary Coilliment (?). They had the following children:

                                                         i.            JOHN CHARLES Lebrun

Second Generation

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JOHN CHARLES Lebrun. Born Approx 1838 in St Helens Jersey. He married ISABELLA McRae, daughter of Murdoch McRae & Janet McKenzie, 3 Feb 1863 in Caramount. Born Approx 1840 in Scotland. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            KENNETH WILLIAM Lebrun; 1878

                                                       ii.            Murdoch William Le Brun

                                                      iii.            John Charles Lebrun; Born 1868 in Belfast.

                                                      iv.            Jeannett Lebrun; 1865 DUNO

                                                        v.            Frances Thomas Willemunt Lebrun; Ararat 1873

                                                      vi.            Richard Henry Lebrun; Born 1884. Died in Stawell.

                                                     vii.            Mary Barbara Ann Lebrun; Born 1901

                                                   viii.            Unnamed Male CARA 1864

Third Generation

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KENNETH WILLIAM Lebrun. Born 6 Mar 1878 in Stawell. He married ELIZA HARRIETT Moore, daughter of GEORGE THOMAS Moore & SARAH JANE Grant, 19098. Born 20 Jul 1887 in Collingwood.

They had the following children:

ISABELLA JANE Lebrun

Kenneth William Lebrun

MURDOCH WILLIAM Le Brun. Born 1864 in Caramount. He married Rebecca Ann Moore. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            William Murdoch Le Brun; Born 1895. Died 2 Jun 1916. Buried in RUE-DAVID MILITARY CEMETERY, FLEURBAIX, Pas De Calais, France

                                                       ii.            George John Le Brun; Born 1893 in Brunswick. Died 11 Apr 1917. Buried in QUEANT ROAD CEMETERY, BUISSY, Pas De Calais, France

                                                      iii.            Ern Le Brun - resides in Alexandra, Victoria, Australia

Fourth Generation

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ISABELLA JANE Lebrun. Born 21 Aug 1910 in Brunswick. Died 11 Jul 2000 in Moe. Buried 14 Jul 2000 in Warragul.

Kenneth William Lebrun. He married Violet. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            John Lebrun

Fifth Generation

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John Lebrun. He married Heather. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            Scott Kenneth Lebrun; Born 31 Mar 1968

                                                       ii.            Marc John Lebrun; Born 5 Jun 1970

                                                      iii.            Kristi Michelle Lebrun; Born 1 Dec 1973.

GRAHAM First Generation

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1. James Graham. He married Selina Jane Chapple. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            2.WALTER JOHN Graham

Second Generation

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2. WALTER JOHN Graham. Born 1876. He married AGNES MABEL Gibbs, daughter of HENRY Gibbs & MARTHA Meek. Born 1880 in Heyfield. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            (3)ALLAN ROBERT Graham

 

Back: Ethel, Violet, Howard, Frank Tidy, Charles, Bob, Margaret, Len

Front: Mena, Fred, Grandma Graham, Dorrie, Lena, Mabel

Third Generation

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3. ALLAN ROBERT Graham. Born 2 Nov 1910 in Yarragon. Died 23 Jul 1990 in Warragul. Buried in Warragul. He married MARGARET ETHEL Smithwick, daughter of WILLIAM GERALD Smithwick & ELIZABETH RUSSELL Mason, 18 Dec 1937 in Footscray. Born 9 Oct 1913 in Richmond. Died 19 Jul 1976 in Warragul. Buried in Warragul. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            (4)Marilyn Elizabeth Graham

                                                       ii.            (5)LAURIS ANNE Graham

Fourth Generation

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4. Marilyn Elizabeth Graham. Born 29 Jun 1944 in Melbourne. She married Royland Herbert Edwards, son of Herbert Edwards & Alice Andrews, 15 May 1965 in Lang Lang Presbyterian Church. Born 5 Aug 1936. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            David Anthony Edwards; Born 14 May 1969 in Warragul. He married Debbie Randles, daughter of John Randles & Jean, 16 Apr 1994 in Mount Macedon Uniting Church.

                                                       ii.            Phillip Graham Edwards; Born 8 Oct 1970 in Warragul. He married Kerry Tansey, in Resevoir, Baptist.

                                                      iii.            Stuart John Edwards; Born 26 May 1974 in Warragul. He married Candy D'souza, 26 Apr 1997 in Warragul.

5. LAURIS ANNE Graham. Born 28 Apr 1949 in Richmond. She married GRAEME JOHN Bright, son of ROY Bright & ISABELLA JANE Lebrun, 24 Feb 1973 in Warragul Salvation Army . Born 1 Oct 1951 in Warragul. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            Katherine Elizabeth Bright; Born 22 Oct 1975 in Warragul.

                                                       ii.            Nathan Graeme Bright; Born 7 Nov 1977 in Warragul.

                                                      iii.            Christine Margaret Jane Bright; Born 11 Sep 1983 in Warragul.

SMITHWICK First Generation

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1. WILLIAM PATRICK Smithwick. Born 14 Oct 1856. Died 30 Nov 1911. He married MARGARET Hartnup, 15 Oct 1877. Born 11 Jul 1855. Died 23 Jun 1933. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            (2)WILLIAM GERALD Smithwick

                                                       ii.            George William Hartnup Smithwick; Born 1878. Died 1946

                                                      iii.            Harold Victor Smithwick; Died 1891

                                                      iv.            Frances Ethen Ruby Smithwick; Born 30 Jan 1883. Died 12 Jul 1963.

                                                        v.            Verna Eldred Smithwick; Born 1887. Died 7 Dec 1916

                                                      vi.            Richard Eric Smithwick; Born 4 Jan 1891. Died 26 Oct 1957

                                                     vii.            Hazel Nellie Smithwick; Born 26 Nov 1893. Died 14 Dec 1962

                                                   viii.            Cedric Leslie Smithwick; Born 12 Jul 1898. Died 6 Jun 1980.

                                                     ix.            Second Generation

Second Generation

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2. WILLIAM GERALD Smithwick. Born 13 Aug 1880. Died 3 Jun 1957. He first married ELIZABETH RUSSELL Mason, 28 Jan 1903. Born 1880. Died 1919. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            William Verner Smithwick

                                                       ii.            Annie Russell Smithwick

                                                      iii.            Norman Hartford Rutherford Smithwick

                                                      iv.            Cedric Leslie Smithwick

                                                        v.            MARGARET ETHEL Smithwick

 

William Patrick Smithwick, Elizabeth Russell (Mason), Les, Norman, Margaret

 

Norman, Annie, Margaret & Leslie

He second married May Myrtle Elizabeth Walters, 29 Oct 1919. Born 1883. Died 19 Aug 1949.

 

Third Generation

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3. MARGARET ETHEL Smithwick. Born 9 Oct 1913 in Richmond. Died 19 Jul 1976 in Warragul. Buried in Warragul. She married ALLAN ROBERT Graham, son of WALTER JOHN Graham & AGNES MABEL Gibbs, 18 Dec 1937 in Footscray. Born 2 Nov 1910 in Yarragon. Died 23 Jul 1990 in Warragul. Buried in Warragul. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            Marilyn Elizabeth Graham

                                                       ii.            LAURIS ANNE Graham

Fourth Generation

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4. Marilyn Elizabeth Graham. Born 29 Jun 1944 in Melbourne. She married Royland Herbert Edwards, son of Herbert Edwards & Alice Andrews, 15 May 1965 in Lang Lang Presbyterian Church. Born 5 Aug 1936. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            David Anthony Edwards; Born 14 May 1969 in Warragul. He married Debbie Randles, daughter of John Randles & Jean , 16 Apr 1994 in Mount Macedon Uniting Church

                                                       ii.            Phillip Graham Edwards; Born 8 Oct 1970 in Warragul. He married Kerry Tansey, in Resevoir, Baptist Church

                                                      iii.            Stuart John Edwards; Born 26 May 1974 in Warragul. He married Candy D'souza, 26 Apr 1997 in Warragul.

5. LAURIS ANNE Graham. Born 28 Apr 1949 in Richmond. She married GRAEME JOHN Bright, son of ROY Bright & ISABELLA JANE Lebrun, 24 Feb 1973 in Warragul Salvation Army. Born 1 Oct 1951 in Warragul. They had the following children:

                                                         i.            Katherine Elizabeth Bright; Born 22 Oct 1975 in Warragul.

                                                       ii.            Nathan Graeme Bright; Born 7 Nov 1977 in Warragul.

                                                      iii.         &nbs