William Minter

1857 - 1933  (75 years)

• Name	William Minter
  Birth	30 Jan 1857	Turnham Green, London   [1]
  Gender	Male
  _UID	D3E5F88134014EE1AB0A8360C62936FA4CB1
  Death	1933	Perth, Western Australia   [2]
  Notes	William was living with his parents in 1871 but has not been found in the 1881 census. He married in Sydney, NSW in 1883. In January 2015 Alan Buttenshaw writes as follows: I did some searching today for possible arrivals of William Minter during the period 1871 to 1883. During the years from 1854 on, many immigrants (both Assisted and Unassisted), often arrived at Melbourne or Brisbane initially (partly because of Gold Rushes I guess and partly because of the growing settlements in these places as a result of earlier gold rushes). Many would then come on to Sydney - often as steerage - in one of the local coastal vessels ie if they could not find work or if that was their original intention. I could not find any William or W Minter arrivals in Sydney direct from the UK in this period, nor in Melbourne as Unassisted. However, I did find a possible arrival in Brisbane on 25 Sep 1874 by the "Zoroaster" from London dep 3rd Jun 1874 of a William Minter aged 18. The age of 18 fits! (ie within 1 year of his dob in 1857 - he would have been in his 18th year based on dob of 30 Jan 1857). A few months later in the same year there is an arrival in Sydney from Brisbane of a William Minter as a steerage passenger arriving Sydney 30th Nov 1874 by the "Civility" None of the other possible Minter arrivals for the period 1871 to 1883 seem to fit and after 30 years doing similar searches, I think the Brisbane arrival is a distinct possibility." The above is supported by passenger lists which Alan Buttenshaw has found and sent to me. May 2009, from Geoff Minter: I have their marriage certificate shows that he and his wife Sarah Buttenshaw (originally Buttensha) were tenant farmers at Gleedswood (now Gledswood) which is now an historic winery. http://www.gledswood.com.au/. I told their historian who showed a total lack of interest in the story. A descendent Buttenshaw became a minister (for Roads) in the NSW State government. William and Sarah were married in an historic Sydney Church that burnt down a few years ago - it is currently being rebuilt. January 2015 - from Alan Buttenshaw: "I have been researching the Buttenshaw family in Australia and UK for about 30 years now and Sarah Minter nee Buttenshaw listed on your web page was my g-grandfather's younger sister. Some years ago I located her grave at St Thomas' C of E Enfeild (Sydney) and also her eldest unmaried son, Arthur Edward who is buried alongside as Minter even tho he was born as Buttenshaw to Sarah unmarried at the time. I have not been able to find a death record for her husband, William Minter and I am wondering if in your research and discussions with any contacts, you can shed any light on his demise? (I have never been able to get in touch with any desendants of William & Sarah). William appears in the Sands Directory up until 1898 living at Concord, thereafter it only lists his wife Sarah. William had been working in the nearby gas works as a boiler fireman, so it is possible he contacted TB or consumption as many of that time and ended up in a Sanitorium (and his death was never officially recorded). It is possible he left the marriage but checks of deaths in Queensland and Victoria have not revealed anything. I also checked out variants such as Winter but to no avail. Any info or details of living descendants you can provide will be much appreciated." January 2015. Further research by Alan Buttenshaw makes it clear that William Minter deserted his family and went off probably in search of riches in the goldfields of Western Australia. William probably left around 1897 and in 1899 his wife Sarah went to the authorities to see if they could help. As a result the following appeared in the New South Wales Police Gazette on 26 April 1899: "Deserting Wives and Families, Service, &c. Newtown - A warrant has been issued by the Newtown Bench for the arrest of William Minter, charged with child desertion. He is 43 years of age, 5 feet 6 or 7 inches high, stout build, fresh complexion, red moustache, brown hair, has a ring tattooed on one finger of left hand, bracelet on wrist, anchor on one arm; a labourer. Was heard of eleven months ago from East Mount Margaret, Murchison, West Australia. Now said to be working on the Midland Junction Railway works near Perth." This clearly had no effect and Sarah soldiered on, bringing up her children while working as a laundress. In 1915, about six months before Sarah died, another item appeared in the NSW Police Gazette of 7 July: "Burwood - A warrant has been issued by the Burwood Bench for the arrest of William Minter, charged with wife desertion. He is 59 years of age, 5 feet 6 or 7 inches high, stout build, fresh complexion, brown hair, reddish beard and moustache, a bracelet tattooed on one wrist, and a ring tattooed on one finger. Said to be working at the gold mines at Sandstones, Western Australia. Complainant, Sarah Minter, St Elmo, Kembla-street, Enfield." Efforts to establish exactly where William went and when he died have led to the discovery of several Electoral Roll entries which might refer to William. Unfortunately they could equally refer to another Minter who was in Western Australia at about the same time (Henry William Minter, born 1865, of the North Suffolk group). For what they are worth, the Electoral Roll entries are as follows: 1931 for Beverley, Swan, Western Australia, William Minter, Exchange Hotel, Pingelly, manager 1931 for Guildford, Swan, Western Australia, William Minter, 57 Scadden Street, Bassendean [no occupation shown] 1925 for Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, William Minter, 20 Brookman Street, prospector 1916 for Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, William Minter, 7 Porter Street, miner 1916 for Mount Magnet, Dampier, Western Australia, William Minter, Youanini, miner 1910 for Mount Magnet, Coolgardie, Western Australia, William Minter, Black Range, miner 1910 for Brown Hill, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, William Minter, Oroya Brown Hill Lease 1272, carter 1906 for Brown Hill, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, William Minter, Brown Hill Proprietary, labourer 1903 for Brown Hill, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, William Minter, Brown Hill Proprietary, labourer February 2015: Alan Buttenshaw writes: "Regarding the 2 Williams, having read the details and Notes for Henry William Minter [of the North Suffolk Minters], it seems that he died elsewhere and did not marry until 1933, so I guess that Sarah's husband, William is most likely the one who died 1933 - Registered Perth #1923. He was no doubt the one recorded in the Electoral Rolls (1925 I recall) as living in the "Claremont" Old Men's Home - west of Perth near Fremantle." I agree with Alan and am adopting 1933, Perth as the date and place of this William Minter's death.
  Person ID	I85	Hammersmith, London
  Last Modified	4 Feb 2015

  
  

  Father	Samuel Minter,   b. 19 Dec 1826, Turnham Green, London d. Mar 1903, Chiswick, London (Age 76 years)
  Mother	Margaret DONOHOE,   b. Abt 1833, Tipperary, Ireland d. Bef 13 May 1876, South Acton, London (Age ~ 43 years)
  Family ID	F3	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Sarah BUTTENSHAW,   b. 9 Oct 1854, Campelltown, New South Wales, Australia d. 27 Dec 1915, Western Suburbs Cottage Hospital, Enfield NSW (Age 61 years)
  Marriage	11 Aug 1883	St Barnabas Church, West Sydney, Australia   [3, 4]
  Children	1. Arthur Edward Minter,   b. 1874, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia RD d. 25 Dec 1918, Morangorell, NSW, Australia (Age 44 years)   2. Drusilla E Minter,   b. 1879, Paddington, NSW, Australia d. Yes, date unknown   3. Percy James Minter,   b. 1886, Auburn, NSW, Australia d. 13 May 1937, 138 Simmonds Street, Enmore, NSW, Australia (Age 51 years)   4. Ivy Margaret Minter,   b. 1888, Central Cumberland, NSW, Australia d. 1982, Westmead, NSW, Australia (Age 94 years)   5. Ruby Isobel Minter,   b. 9 Jun 1891, Croydon, NSW, Australia d. 1961, Normanhurst, NSW, Australia (Age 69 years)   6. Herbert William Minter,   b. 5 Oct 1894, Burwood, NSW, Australia d. 16 May 1963, Chatswood, NSW, Australia (Age 68 years)
  Family ID	F21	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	7 Oct 2010

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 30 Jan 1857 - Turnham Green, London  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S2] BMD index. [S43] Alan Buttenshaw, January 2015, Reg no. Perth #1923. (Reliability: 3). [S5] Margaret Young. [S22] Family Notices. (1883, August 15). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), p. 1. Retrieved October 7, 2010, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13541973.