I think I have contacted directly each of the several Listers who gave me advice, but I want to acknowledge their help here as well, particularly Linda who found a newspaper article in Adelaide, South Australia in early 1892 which almost certainly is about my man. The article reports a coroner's verdict regarding the gunshot suicide of a man of the correct name and age to match all known details of my family member, as well as the rumour of his suicide. He died 10 December 1891 in Adelaide. If only the article provided even the slightest information about his background, I would be more confident that this was not just a macabre coincidence. There is reference in the article to his having had some previous employment as a steward on a few ships, and that his belongings were turned over to the Public Trustee. Does any Lister with knowledge about research in Australia have any suggestions on how I might find more background on this poor 32 year-old: 1. any record of crew members on ships sailing Australian waters in 1891? 2. records of coroner's verdicts for Adelaide in 1891? 3. records of property turned over to Public Trustee in Adelaide in 1891/1892? 4. he boarded briefly with a Mr. F.W. Merrett on Franklin Street, Adelaide. Was there a census in Adelaide in 1891? (I'm really grasping at straws here) 5. death records for South Australia 1891? 6. any other blue-sky ideas? Ken Harrison North Vancouver, Canada -----Original Message----- From: Ken [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 28-Sep-13 3:20 PM To: Query Lanark Subject: death in Australia I have been searching for a relative for about 45 years, and wonder whether some Lister with information about Australian records might be able to assist me. My great-grandmother had a young brother who, according to two separate letters I received in 1967 from two different relatives in Scotland, emigrated to Australia and died there, possibly of suicide. Both of these informants had known the individual when they were each young, so I have tended to believe their stories. The data on this individual are: . Name: James MORRISON . Birth: 15 April 1859, Bowling, Dumbartonshire . 1871: with family in Glasgow . 1881: not identified in any records . 1891: with mother at Woodside, Causewayhead, Stirling . No record found after the above Other related information: . James had an older sister, Janet Morrison, who emigrated to Australia in 1877 and married in Sydney in Dec 1878 to Edward AMBROSE, who died in 1912. Janet lived: . in 1890s in Waverley . from early 1900s to after 1920 in Kogarah . in 1930s in Peakhurst I understand that all the above locations are relatively close to each other and near Sydney. I have no indication whatsoever that he had any communication with this sister in Australia, but it seems it would be likely. Is there some way to search for a death in Australia, country-wide, for a death between 1891 and (say) 1935? Is there a separate registry for suicides? Any other suggestions? Ken Harrison North Vancouver, Canada