• Son of John Bambrick (b1791) and Harriet Ann Reddan Bambrick ("nee Bailey")

• Father of John Bambrick (b1866) and of Robert Prince Bambrick and of Horace Bambrick (b1881).

• Came to Australia in 1849. Pioneer.

• Married Jane Pratt, 16 Dec 1863. (Jane was ~ 25 and Robert 36)

• Publican (unofficial). (More on that when I have time.)

• "a great old pioneer" (from his son Bob's obituary 31 Aug 1937 - LATE R. P. BAMBRICK - Trove)

• "one time a prominent member of the A.M.A;, Broken Hill, where he acted as secretary of that organisation" (from his wife's obituary, Barrier Miner 03 Sep 1904 - Trove)

• (The AMA was the "Amalgamated Miners' Union" -- and Robert's involvement there shows that Bambricks involvement in unions goes right back to the first Bambrick to arrive in Australia.) Read more about the AMA in Broken Hill in Unbroken Spirit: Women in Broken Hill - Introduction.

According to shipping records he arrived in Australia already married, in 1849. I don't know what happened to his first wife. However, I see a record saying that there were two Bambrick's on that ship: Robert and Harriet. Robert was aged 21 and Harriet was aged 30. Given than Harriet is also his mother's name, and that she is too young to be his mother, I wonder if she is an older sister? Alternatively, it could have been a "marriage of convenience" as unmarried men were not allowed to migrate to Australia at the time.

Injury of Robert Bambrick (age 71) in Broken Hill, saved by son Mr H Bambrick

from Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954) Sat 29 Jan 1898 Page 2 Mining Accidents in Bendigo

The Western Life (White Cliffs) reports :
" An accident, which but narrowly escaped
being fatal, occurred on Wednesday, at the
Tarella Government tank. It appears that
Mr. Robert Bambrick, caretaker of the
tank, accompanied by his son, Mr. H. Bam-
brick, were just leaving in a two-wheeled
vehicle when the horse's belly-band either
broke or came undone. The horse took
fright, and started kicking ; the cart cap-
sized on top of Mr. Bambrick, senior,
causing severe injuries about the head and
face. As Mr. Bambrick is 71 years of age,
his escape from more serious results is very
fortunate. Two other sons were quickly in
attendance, and liberated the horse and
rendered assistance to their father. Mr H.
Bambrick received a nasty kick on the arm.
Both father and son were brought to White
Cliffe, and their wounds attended to by Mr.
Brunswick, who was on a visit from Broken
Hill." Mr. Bambrick was formerly of
South Broken Hill.

The Western Life (White Cliffs) reports:

"An accident, which but narrowly escaped being fatal, occurred on Wednesday, at the Tarella Government tank. It appears that Mr. Robert Bambrick, caretaker of the tank, accompanied by his son, Mr. H. Bambrick, were just leaving in a two-wheeled vehicle when the horse's belly-band either broke or came undone. The horse took fright, and started kicking ; the cart capsized on top of Mr. Bambrick, senior, causing severe injuries about the head and face. As Mr. Bambrick is 71 years of age, his escape from more serious results is very fortunate. Two other sons were quickly in attendance, and liberated the horse and rendered assistance to their father. Mr H. Bambrick received a nasty kick on the arm.

Both father and son were brought to White Cliffe, and their wounds attended to by Mr. Brunswick, who was on a visit from Broken Hill." Mr. Bambrick was formerly of South Broken Hill.

The son in this case is Horace Bambrick (b1881), Robert Bambrick and Jane Pratt's youngest son. My father Graham Bambrick, knew Horace Bambrick as "Uncle Horry" and I think he knew him well.

He was in fact his Great Uncle, but was 20 years younger than Graham's grand dad, and thus probably seemed more like an uncle than a great uncle. Robert Bambrick was 53, and his wife Jane (nee Pratt) was 40, when their last child, Horace, Uncle Horry, has born.

The above is a photo of a piece of paper on which I believe someone (perhaps an uncle of mine?) transcribed words from Robert Bambrick's tombstone.

The words "Harriet Ann Redan nee Bailey", describing Robert's mother, are confusing to me: Reddan should have two "d's", and I think Reddan is her maiden name, not a middle name. Elsewhere it says 'Harriet Ann Gale Bambrick (born (Reddan))'. I don't know where the name Bailey comes from, why it is written there.

Also it gives the birth year of Jane Pratt as 1840, which must be considered approximate. Elsewhere it is recorded at 1838.

VOYAGES:
6 July 1849 → 10 October 1849
CHEAPSIDE
London & Plymouth

Robert Bambrick
Age 21
Occupation: Carpenter

BAMBRICK, Robert | Passengers in History

References

• South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900) Sat 13 Oct 1849 Page 3 SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE, "Robert Bambrick and wife"
• BAMBRICK, Robert | Passengers in History