Birth

John Edwards was born at Taunton in about 1820. His father, James, was a lime burner.

Marriage

On 19 August 1843, John married Hannah Glass by banns at Wellington. Both of them signed the register with a cross.

Hannah was the daughter of Benjamin and Ann Glass of Wellington. Her father, Benjamin, was a weaver.

Occupation

John worked as a railway labourer in Somerset and Dorset for about twenty years. His primary work was as a navy, constructing new lines.

When he married, he was an “excavator” whose address was Wellington. By August 1848, he was a “navigator” at Stockwood, Dorset. Other locations where he lived were as follows:

30 March 1851-Labourer at Bedminster

10 April 1854-Railway Labourer at Yetminster

24 August 1856-Railroad labourer at Gillingham

18 December 1858-Labourer on Railway at Hardington

9 January 1859-Railway labourer at Winsham.

On the night of the 1861 census, Hannah and her six children lived with her parents at Wellington while John was away.

Emigration

In 1865, John and his family emigrated to Australia.

Death

John died at Rockhampton, Queensland, on 6 February 1871, aged about 51. Hannah died there on 27 August 1888, aged about 67.

Children

John and Hannah had seven children, including twins Thomas and William Henry, the latter of whom died young.