Hi Marg, The circumstances of the fall from the cliff suggests suspicion that he "either fell or was pushed". Here is the part quote from the news item - He and a "son in law, Buckman, were walking home together when somehow Bramble was left behind, did not reach home that night so a search next morning discovered his body in a mutilated condition at the base of the precipitous cliff" Our line isn't descended from this William Bramble, but from his sister, Lydia, who married William Belton . Hopefully the 1876 editions of the SMH and Maitland Mercury will throw more light on Capt. Belton's drowning in the storm of September of that year. The prototype of the new style NLA web site is very easy to search, with extra links available. The search continues -- Cheers, Marje