Sancton William Wood Bell

Yes did quite a lot in the early days of the colony .. also valued goverment property and tried to get his invention to do with railways accepted .. had a patent for asphalt too.

Do you think some of them came back to the UK though isn't this Maria's marriage in 1867?

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin...ff=11+12+35+36

Or is there another family of Bells with Edward as father and engineer?

I would imagine Edward Bell travelled a lot and I would imagine he ended up in England but he could have gone anywhere. In a book I googled part it stated: in 1841 List of patents he was described as "of the College of Civil Engineers, Putney, professor of practical mechanics" and some of his children were born in Putney. Then in Australia he was quoted in another book as being in charge of the development of the Sewerage System in Sydney .. then in Trove the newspaper dateabase he is valuing government property and then he is advocating a new system of track and engine for the Railway.
Also in Trove 21 June 1873 Newspaper - "at the residene of the bride's parents, Bligh St., J. Cathcart Wason married Alice Seymour, youngest dau of Edward Bell, Civil Engineer, native of South Wales". Cathcart Wason was a member of parliament for both New Zealand and Scotland and there is quite a lot about him when you google.
I am wondering if Edward's birth can be found in South Wales, but I'd imagine there would be so many Edward Bells. I would have thought an obit would have jumped out if he had stayed in Sydney.

DEATHS. 1869
BELL. — February 9th, at Richmond, Surrey, Charles Bell, Esq., M.P. for the city of London, and brother to Mr. Edward Bell, City Engineer, and Mr. John Bell, of this city.

Do we have the key? Is there an obituary for Charles Bell in 1869 that may name his parents?

[kiterunner]

Not found one yet, but the executors named in the National Probate Calendar are Robert Gladstone esquire of Woolton Vale near Liverpool and Henry Parkinson Sharp esquire of 102 Piccadilly, in case their names turn out to be a clue.
Also his age on the death index is 63.

[Shona]

Originally Posted by tenterfieldjulie

DEATHS. 1869
BELL. — February 9th, at Richmond, Surrey, Charles Bell, Esq., M.P. for the city of London, and brother to Mr. Edward Bell, City Engineer, and Mr. John Bell, of this city.

Do we have the key? Is there an obituary for Charles Bell in 1869 that may name his parents?

Looks promising...did some digging.

Charles Bell was elected at the General Election of 17 November 1868 as one of the four MPs for the City of London. He was a Conservative and squeaked through in 4th place.

Burial records show Charles was 63 when he died. He was buried at All Souls, Kensington and Chelsea. Residence was Richmond.

Looking at wills on Ancestry, Charles left under £300,000. He died at home at Terrace House, Richmond.

Therefore, d.o.b c1806.

Possible baptism of Charles Bell to Thomas and Anna Maria Bell, 21 Dec 1805, St Pancras Parish Chapel. Checking marriages, her maiden name was Russell.

This ties in with the possible marriage of Edward Bell to Mary Ann Owen at St Pancras in 1834 which Kiterunner uncovered.

The by-election to fill Charles's seat in Parliament was won by Baron Lionel Nathan de Rothschild for the Liberals, who stood unopposed.

[kiterunner]

Ah, yes, found an obituary in the Times which confirms his father was Thomas Bell.

Death of Mr Charles Bell, MP - We regret to state that this gentleman, who was elected one of the members for the city of London in the Conservative interest at the recent General Election, died at his residence at Richmond, on Tuesday evening... He was the eldest surviving son of the late Mr Thomas Bell, a London merchant of high repute...

(Times, Thurs Feb 11 1869)

Woweee .. girls you did it .. now if I can find a death of Edward with his father Thomas... hope it is not like Sancton whose son in law/grandson obviously didn't know Sancton's father's name as he called him George not Edward .... many thanks girls that is super. and marriage too .. One of Edward's daughters is Mary (after her mother) and another Maria (after her grandmother ..)

[Shona]

Originally Posted by kiterunner

Ah, yes, found an obituary in the Times which confirms his father was Thomas Bell.

Death of Mr Charles Bell, MP - We regret to state that this gentleman, who was elected one of the members for the city of London in the Conservative interest at the recent General Election, died at his residence at Richmond, on Tuesday evening... He was the eldest surviving son of the late Mr Thomas Bell, a London merchant of high repute...

(Times, Thurs Feb 11 1869)

Brilliant work, Kiterunner.

I've been checking out the baptisms and there are three Bell sons baptised on 5 April 1815 at Hackney St John to Thomas Bell, general merchant, of Well Street, and Anna Maria:

- Richard, reported born 8 May 1810
- Alfred, reported born 26 July 1811
- Thomas

I can't make out what the entry says relating to Richard and Alfred - possibly Paroifsien?

Oh girls there is a public tree for Anna Maria Russell and it lists the marriage 14/8/1802 to Thomas Bell. It just says that he was born 1777 but gives all the info on her and her parents. What is of interest is that it lists all their children and Edward is actually born at Hackney .. they were baptised in different churches but all in London... so obviously him saying he was from South Wales .. well that was his last residence before they left England. How amazing .. what you can find if you keep putting pieces together if you are lucky and with a lot of help from friends lol