Millar Buzzard

5.1
A Move to England

After Alfred’s death, Millar’s widowed mother, Emily Alice, travelled to England on the “Ormuz” on 6th June 1896, with her father Charles Gibson Millar, his Irish valet Mr. Atkins, and half-sisters Saide Russet and Muriel Constance. (Charles Gibson’s first wife died in 1870 and he re-married in 1873. The half-sisters were from the second marriage). They travelled to England as Saide was to be married to George Prideaux Millett on 23rd September 1896 at St Margaret’s, Westminster London. [57]

Passengers on “Ormuz” Melbourne to London 1896 [58]

Emily Alice returned to Australia, departing London on 14th October 1897 on the “Ophir”. The return voyage was with her father, half-sister Muriel, auntie Emily Blanche Langtree (Charles Gibson’s sister), her cousin Ada Beatrice Langtree and Charles Gibson’s nurse.

Passengers on “Ophir” from London to Melbourne 1897 [59]

In the following year, Emily Alice made another important trip to England, departing Melbourne on 4th April 1898 onboard the “Austral”. The departing party included Charles Gibson Millar, Emily Alice Buzzard, a Miss Millar (assumed to be Muriel Constance Millar as she was the only Millar daughter not married at the time), together with Mrs. Carmichael (the nurse for Charles), Millar, Vera, Marjorie and Alys Buzzard (the four children of Alfred Ernest) and a nurse governess, Miss Locke, for the children.

The Form of Passenger List shows passengers onboard the “Austral” sailing from Sydney to London in March 1898 and the Millar family arrival in London for Emily Alice’s Wedding in May 1898.

In England, Emily Alice married Major William Slade Vincent, late of Queensland, at the Presbyterian Church in York, England on 15th August 1898. [61] Major Vincent’s family emigrated from Glasgow, Scotland, to Melbourne on 14th January 1853, onboard the “Wacousta”. [62]

Marriage of Major William Slade Vincent and Emily Alice Buzzard

Major Vincent was a career military officer who was appointed Major in the 3rd Queensland (or Kennedy) Regiment, Townsville, Defence Force. In January 1886, he was sent to England to become more proficient in military matters and study modern tactics. Whilst attached to the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, he was present at the opening of the Indian and Colonial Exhibition in May 1886.

The exhibition was attended by Queen Victoria on 7th May 1886, along with many thousands of dignitaries from across Britain’s Colonial Empire. It attracted 5.5 million visitors in the 6 months it ran.

Captain (later Major) William Slade Vincent, representative of Queensland Military at Indian and Colonial Exhibition 1886 [63]

Major William Vincent 1886 [64]

He travelled to the Suakim, Sudan, Africa in 1888 and was attached to the British forces fighting the Mahdist War (known by the British as the Sudan Campaign). A few years earlier in the same war in 1885, General Gordon of Khartoum was killed at the siege of Khartoum. Major William Slade Vincent retired from the army in 1896.

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[57] Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Thursday 29 October 1896, page 1
[58] Find My Past
[59] Find My Past
[60] Find My Past
[61] Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Saturday 1 October 1898, page 1
[62] Public Records Office, Victoria
[63] Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Friday 18 June 1886, page 3
[64] Ancestry