Robert Bambrick, brother of 1465 John Thomas Bambrick did not join the Army, but emigrated to Australia.
He was born at Cawnpore, India, 13th of October 1827, the son of a soldier in the 11th Hussars, John Bambrick, and his wife Harriet.
On the 24th of July 1848 he had married Harriet Howard at St. Luke's Parish Church in Chelsea, the marriage certificate showing his father as John Bambrick, Sergeant Major of the 11th Light Dragoons, and hers as Thomas Howard - a farmer. The couple were described as "bachelor" and "spinster" and both "of full age". Robert Bambrick's trade was that of a carpenter, and both lived in North Street, Chelsea. At this time both signed the register and the ceremony was conducted by the Revd. Edward Rudge, Curate.
[PB: It is interesting that Robert's parents were also married at St Luke's, Chelsea, and that his (assumed) mother, Harriet Ann Gale, was a spinster of the parish. This may be pure chance, but it is possible that Robert was visiting or living with his mother's family when he met Harriet Howard.]Within a year of marriage, on the 1st of June 1849, the couple sailed for Adelaide, South Australia, aboard the "Cheapside", on assisted passages. Little can be found of this here, it being before the period of complete recording. The "Cheapside" was under charter from Messrs Toulmin to the Emigration Board and on this occasion the passage money was £12/9/0 per head. She had made a previous voyage to Port Philip in Australia on the 21st of May 1848 at a cost of £14/8/- per head. An entry in the letter book of the period shows that (whether on the first or second voyage is not clear) she carried 233 "souls".
There is also a reference to: "'Surgeon's Conduct' - Internal arrangements well carried out. 'Selection and character of Immigrants' All immigrants are of that description which will suit the wants of the colony... In this book there are also a number of replies to the Agent-General in Australia in response to various allegations made against the Captains and crews of ships carrying immigrants, but none regarding a report said to have been made against the Captain of the 'Cheapside' by Robert Bambrick and other passengers, dated the 30th of October 1849." ]
[PB: On the 13th October 1849 the South Australian Register (Adelaide SA) reported the arrival of "Robert Bambrick and wife", and reports that there were "ten births and six deaths on board during the voyage". [Source: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/50245193 (accessed 21.12.12)]
Information received from the Adelaide Archives shows that Robert Bambrick, aged 21 years, and his wife, Harriet, aged 30 years, arrived there from Middlesex on the 12th of October 1849.
His greater family had, before being made aware of the true facts, believed that either (1) he was a solicitor in London and been sent out as a convict, or that (2) he was a ship's captain who had "jumped ship".
[PB: Is there any more information about the death of Harriet Bambrick (nee Howard), and Robert Bambrick's re-marriage to Jane Pratt?]
It was also a surprise to the family to know that Robert Bambrick had been married twice. They thought his marriage to a Jane Pratt was his first. Whether there was any issue of the first marriage was not known, nor anything of his first wife's death, but in the obituary of his first known son (also Robert) it was stated that he was born in Stratford, Victoria, in 1860 and that his parents took him to Lake Hope in 1861. His parent's marriage certificate is however, dated 1863.
Robert Bambrick (senior) is believed to have taken part in the search for Burke and Wills around this time.
Twelve children were born into the family. After being in New South Wales for some time all went to South Australia. Robert Bambrick is known to have been in Orroroo in 1893 and later in charge of a Government Tank about 15 miles from White Cliffs (an opal mining town), where he died at the age of 80 in 1907. His wife, Jane, died at White Cliffs in August 1904. She was some 13 years younger than her husband. Their son, John, took over his father's position after his father's death.
Much of the family information from the Australian side has come from Mrs. Effie Pummell, a grand-daughter of Robert Bambrick (brother of James Thomas) and daughter of Robert's son, Horace.
Many of the family served in both World Wars.
A Virgil Gilbert Bambrick, serving in the Australian Air Force. Virgil Bambrick had originally commenced training as a pilot, but later attended a navigational course in Canada.
The operation (to Solinge) on which he was killed was only his second, being shot down on a bombing raid over Germany on the 4th of November 1944. He is recorded by the War Graves Commission as being buried in the Rheinburg War Cemetery, Germany, in Grave No. 5B19. He was the son of Valentine and Daisy Ethel Bambrick and husband of Margaret Bambrick, of Monto, Queensland, Australia. Before enlisting he ran a successful newsagents and men's wear store in Monto. His daughter, now Mrs Ann Groves, is compiling a family history.