James Henry Kinsey was born into a mining family and was down in the
pit at the age of ten. He went to Australia at the age of eighteen and
worked in the gold fields at Ballant sharing a claim with two
Scotsmen. He eventually returned to England in 1863 with 5000 pounds
in gold to his credit. He marries Mary Ann in 1864 (did he buy her?)
and get off The voyage took 6 weeka and for America in a sailing ship.
outbreak of fever and a mutiny an was there according to Grandma
Officers with two pistols in the with stood ther in which Grandfa his
belt. They arrived in New York, Grandfather locked Mary Ann in the
hotel room while he looked around. He intended to go up country but
did’nt like what he saw (The Civil War had just ended) and he booked
passage back to England on the Cunard Line, journey the return took
eight days. They eventually baught the shop in Fulham in 1865 and
started a greengrocery business, Grandfather could not read or write
but Grandma taught him to sign his name. They prospered and eventually
sold out in 1908. Apart from continuous child bearing Grandma was the
business head. Grandma’s Father was a brase founder and wore a top hat
to work (but so did most men). She had one sister and two brothers
James, the older brother joined and the births were far apart. the
17th Lancers, rode in the front rank at the charge of the Light
Brigade at Balaclava and survived.
Betty
