Millar Buzzard

3.0
Marriage between the Buzzard and Millar Families

The engagement of Alfred Ernest Buzzard and Emily Alice Millar was announced on 11th December 1885, and they were to be married on 22nd December 1885 at Christ Church, St. Kilda, Victoria.

Alfred Ernest and Emily Alice Engagement Notice [35]

As befitted two wealthy families being joined, a lavish wedding between Alfred and Emily, took place on 24th December 1885 and they went to Bluff Point, Tasmania, on their honeymoon.

Buzzard – Millar Marriage Details [36]

Almost a year later, Millar (the subject of this narrative) was born on 2nd November 1886 in “Byron Lodge”, Sydenham St., Moonee Ponds, a Borough of Essendon, Melbourne. (It was commonplace to include the wife’s family name in a child’s name – hence Millar Buzzard.)

Millar Buzzard Birth Announcement

Millar’s Birth Certificate 1886

This was followed by the birth of Vera on 17th January 1888, also at Byron Lodge.

Alfred was elected as the Mayor of the Essendon Council in 1888. [37] He waived the £250 mayoral allowance, a considerable sum of money in the day, and was very popular with the ratepayers.

Mayor Allowance Waived [38]

On 12th December 1888 Emily Alice and he went on a holiday again to Bluff Point, Tasmania. It seemed Bluff Point was a favourite destination for Alfred and Emily.

Holiday in Tasmania 1888 [39]

The couple travelled to New Zealand in 1889 and as they were listed on the passenger manifest returning from Auckland to Sydney. Emily Alice may have travelled to New Zealand to see her grandmother although it is not known when Elizabeth Mary returned to Australia, from New Zealand, after her husband’s death. She was buried in the family grave at Boroondara General Cemetery, Kew, Victoria.

Travelled from New Zealand February 1889 [40]

Their third child, Marjorie Buzzard, was born on 30th April 1889 at Iramoo, Moonee Ponds.

Alfred was defeated, for the Essendon Council mayoral position, in a council election in August 1889 gaining only 208 votes against his rivals 597 votes. The “popular” mayor was thrown into council “politics” which was his undoing. With membership of various property syndicates and taking sides on a few contentious council decisions he became very unpopular with the rate payers. [41]

He travelled alone to Queensland on the “Eurimbla” on 4th September 1889 [42] , but no reason can be found for this trip.

After he returned from Queensland, Alfred Ernest left Council in 1890, and the family took a trip to Europe on the “Britannia”, sailing on 19th April 1890. The manifest showed Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Buzzard, 3 children and a maid travelling in their party. [43] They returned to Albany, on their way to Melbourne on 16th January 1891. [44] Leaving London on 15th December 1890, they called in at Gibraltar on the 19th, Malta the 21st, Brindisi Italy on the 22nd, Port Said on the 25th, on the Suez 26th, Aden on 30th December, Colombo on 5th January, Albany on 16th, Adelaide on the 19th and disembarked in Melbourne on 21st January 1891. [45]

On 24th June 1892, Alfred again arrived in Brisbane on the “Arawatta” for reasons unknown.

Alfred Ernest Travels from Melbourne to Brisbane June 1892 [46]

Millar’s father, Alfred Ernest, died of general tuberculosis at the St. Clair Hospital, James St., Teneriffe, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland on 30th July 1892 at the age of 32. Millar was almost five years of age.

Alfred Ernest Buzzard Death Certificate

His father, Thomas, and brother, Edmund Wilfred, had sailed to Brisbane to bring Alfred’s body back to Melbourne for burial. Edmund arrived in Brisbane on 1st August 1892 on the “Fitzroy”. Both men left Brisbane for Sydney on the “Peregrine” on 3rd August, with Alfred’s body.

Alfred Ernest’s Body Leaves Brisbane [47]

Alfred’s burial was to be held in Victoria and was delayed for a few days according to a funeral notice in the newspaper on 6th August 1892, that advised that his body was in transit from Brisbane, via Sydney, and was expected to arrive, in Melbourne, the night of Monday 8th August 1892 by the steamer “Derwent”. [48]

Alfred Ernest’s Body Shipped from Sydney to Melbourne [49]

On 9th August 1892, Alfred was laid to rest.

Alfred Ernest Funeral 1892 [50]

His estate was valued at £22,738 realty and £1,475 personal property but according to records of the Essendon Historical Society, most of the properties were heavily mortgaged and his net worth was £252 8s 1d. [51]

On 27th August 1892, Alys, the last child of Alfred and Emily was born. Emily Alice was now just 26 years of age.

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[35] Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic) Friday 11 December 1885, Page 9
[36] Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic) Thursday 22 December 1885
[37] North Melbourne Advertiser (Vic.: 1873 - 1894), Saturday 18 August 1888, page 2
[38] Melbourne Punch (Vic. : 1855 - 1900), Thursday 11 October 1888, page 29
[39] Public Records Office of Victoria
[40] Ancestry
[41] Age (Melbourne, Vic.: 1854 – 1954), Friday 9th August 1889, page 5
[42] Capricornian (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1875 - 1929), Saturday 7 September 1889, page 31
[43] Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935), Saturday 26 April 1890, page 32
[44] Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), Saturday 17 January 1891, page 9
[45] Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935), Saturday 24 January 1891, page 32
[46] Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 2 July 1892, page 16
[47] Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), Thursday 4 August 1892, page 2
[48] Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Saturday 6 August 1892, page 1
[49] Public Records Office, Victoria
[50] Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 9 August 1892, page 1
[51] Essendon Historical Society