The Lutge Family in Australia

The mystery of the missing birth registrations deepens when we look at Peter Benson jnr.  His is the second of the birth registrations that I've located in the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. A transcript of the birth registration shows that Peter jnr was born on 16 July 1870 at Cumberland Street, Sydney. Peter Benson snr is the informant on the registration. His occupation is shown as stevedore, aged 33 from Denmark. Mary is shown as aged 24 from County Donegal. Dr Eichler is again present at the birth. As I said when covering Patrick Walter, the surprise comes as Peter jnr's birth registration shows the previous issue by Peter Benson and Mary is 1 male living! I still can't provide any explanation of this but the search will continue.... There's every indication that all  ten children were from the marriage of Peter Benson snr and Mary Lutge and all were born around The Rocks/Millers Point area of Sydney.  Also, when you l...

The mystery of the missing birth registrations for eight of the ten children of Peter Benson and Mary Lutge continues! I spent an afternoon last week at the Mitchell Library going through microfilms of early Sydney baptism transcripts for St Mary's Cathedral, St Phillips Church of England and Scots Church.  I left without locating one baptism registration under the name of Lutge! Again, I'm basing the information on Mary Ann, the third child of Peter Benson and Mary Lutge, on the information in her parents death registration.  Mary Ann was born in about 1869 - two years after her brother, Paddy. In 1889, she married William George Edward Ritchie in Sydney.  William was the son of James and Ann Ritchie who had settled in Mosman after they arrived in Australia.  William was born in 1865 and his birth was registered at St Leonards. Mary Ann and William went on to have 6 children with, Mary R, the second dying as an infant:- William John (John) - 1890 to 1...

Exploring family history always presents twists and turns.  However, I've struck a puzzle very early in covering the children of Peter Benson and Mary Lutge.  After a thorough search (including multiple spelling of the family name), I've only been able to locate birth registrations for two of the ten Lutge children, John Henry (the first) and Peter Benson jnr (the fourth).  All ten children and their ages are listed on their parents death registrations.  When all else fails, you purchase a transcript of a birth, death or marriage registration in the hope of getting some useful information.  So, the transcript of Peter Benson jnr's arrived and what a surprise!   Just over four years after the birth of John Henry, Peter Benson jnr was born on 16 July 1870 at Cumberland Street, Sydney.  Peter Benson snr is the informant on the registration.  His occupation is shown as stevedore, aged 33 from Denmark.  Mary is shown as aged 24 fro...